STANLEY CUP FINAL:
Looking like the better team by far against the defending champions, the Colorado Avalanche overwhelmed the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-0 in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Valeri Nichushkin scored his seventh and eighth goals of the playoffs. Playoff MVP front-runner Cale Makar scored twice in the third period after failing to get a shot on net in the series opener. Game 1 overtime hero Andre Burakovsky scored again and set up Nichushkin’s goal before leaving with injury. Even defensive defenseman Josh Manson and 35-year-old grinder Darren Helm got in on the fun with a goal apiece.
The Avalanche go to Tampa for Game 3 on Monday night.
In golf news, Matt Fitzpatrick won the 122nd US Open to clinch his first career major after a pulsating final round at The Country Club on Sunday. Meanwhile, — after missing a 2-foot eagle putt on the first hole of a playoff, Jennifer Kupcho won the LPGA Meijer Classic on Sunday when Leona Maguire’s 3-foot birdie try lipped out on the second extra hole. Defending champion Nelly Korda made a 22-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th for a 6-under 66 and the third-round lead in the LPGA Meijer Classic.
In baseball news, the Red Sox bested the Cardinals, 6-4, the Blue Jays held off the Yankees, 10-9, the Marlins beat the Mets, 6-2, and the Nationals topped the Phillies, 9-3.
In tennis news, four-time major champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of Wimbledon for the second consecutive year. She says she is still having trouble with her left Achilles tendon. The 24-year-old hasn’t played an official match since losing in the first round of this year’s French Open. In other news, Hubert Hurkacz beat world number one Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-1 in emphatic style on Sunday afternoon to claim the Halle Open crown.
And Katie Ledecky has started the United States’ medal collection at the world swimming championships with a gold by reclaiming her title in the women’s 400 meters.