NHL
Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist in the opening period to get Edmonton going, Stuart Skinner stopped 34 shots for his hometown team and the Oilers capped an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final by beating the Dallas Stars 2-1 last night. Zach Hyman also scored — like McDavid, on a first-period power play — and Evan Bouchard had two assists for the Oilers, who won the Western Conference final in six games and will play for the Cup for the first time since 2006. They’ll be heading to Florida for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, which will kick off at 8 Saturday night. Mason Marchment scored midway through the third period for Dallas, which wasted a 2-1 series lead.
It's not exactly uncommon for a team that gets a championship shot and falls short one year to say that it'll be back the next. But the Florida Panthers actually delivered on that promise and that's a rarity in hockey. Florida is back in the Stanley Cup Final, becoming just the second team in the last 40 years to lose in hockey’s title round one season and return the following season.
WNBA
Caitlin Clark had just one basket and three points in the worst game of her young pro career, and the New York Liberty routed the Indiana Fever 104-68 on Sunday night. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton scored 20 points and Jonquel Jones added 18 for the Liberty, who were nearing the end of the easy win when Clark left the game and Aliyah Boston departed a few minutes later after an awkward fall. Clark shot 1 for 10 and had five assists. The No. 1 pick in the draft played the first few minutes of the fourth quarter before exiting, holding her ear for a little bit as she left the court.
DeWanna Bonner had 18 points and 10 rebounds, DiJonai Carrington added 15 points and the Connecticut Sun remained undefeated with a 69-50 win over the Atlanta Dream. In addition to Bonner’s traditional double-double, Alyssa Thomas had 14 rebounds, 11 assists and eight points for the Sun. The Dream's 50 points were 23 points below their previous season low. It was the second fewest points allowed by Connecticut, which held Phoenix to 47 points in a game last week.
Diana Taurasi hit 7 of 9 from 3-point range and finished with a season-high 31 points to help Phoenix beat the Los Angeles Sparks 87-68 and snap the Mercury’s four-game skid. Taurasi made 9 of 14 from the field, hit 6 of 6 from the free-throw line and added two steals. Natasha Cloud scored 21 points with 12 assists, her third double-double of the season for the Mercury (4-5). The Sparks made just 3 of 13 from the field and scored seven points in the second — their lowest-scoring quarter of the season — as Phoenix used a 15-0 run to take a 31-17 lead with 3:36 left in the first half and led by double figures the rest of the way. Dearica Hamby led the Sparks with 23 points.
Kayla McBride hit five 3-pointers and scored 25 points, Napheesa Collier added 24 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Dallas Wings 87-76. Collier hit a jumper just before halftime that made it 39-38 and the Lynx led the rest of the way. Arike Ogunbowale scored 21 to lead the the Wings (3-4) but was just 6-of-17 shooting and committed 10 turnovers. Monique Billings added 19 points and a season-high 15 rebounds, her third double-double this season.
MLB
Juan Soto homered twice, including a go-ahead drive in a four-run ninth inning against All-Star closer Camilo Doval, and the New York Yankees rallied past the San Francisco Giants 7-5. Giants starter Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, exited in the fifth with an apparent groin injury and will undergo an MRI. Aaron Judge added two singles while extending his on-base streak to 29 games as the AL East-leading Yankees won their fifth straight and completed a 7-2 trip to three cities in California with a three-game sweep at Oracle Park. Soto homered off Snell in the first inning, then reached on a bunt and scored in the fifth.
Ketel Marte hit a leadoff homer and then a go-ahead, two-run shot in the ninth inning that lifted the Arizona Diamondbacks over the New York Mets 5-4 for a four-game split. Brandon Nimmo and J.D. Martinez combined to drive in three runs with consecutive triples in a four-run third against Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt, but the Mets lost for the sixth time since May 1 when leading after eight innings. Entering the day, no other team in the majors had lost more than twice during that stretch when taking a lead into the ninth.
Javier Báez’s two-run single highlighted a four-run 10th inning and the Detroit Tigers beat Boston 8-4 to send the Red Sox to their first loss on a Sunday and earn a split of their four-game series. Rafael Devers had a game-tying solo homer, RBI triple and sliding play to his left on Matt Vierling’s grounder for the Red Sox, who were a major league-best 9-0 on Sundays. Wenceel Pérez added three hits, drove in a run and scored another on a close play for the Tigers, Pinch hitter Andy Ibáñez’s RBI double against Cam Booser (0-2) moved the Tigers ahead in the 10th before Báez singled and Carson Kelly added an RBI double.
Nolan Gorman hit an early two-run homer and a tiebreaking single in the 10th inning to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4. Gorman ripped a two-out single to right field off Gregory Soto to score the automatic runner in the 10th and help St. Louis avoid a series sweep. The Cardinals had lost their last six games in Philadelphia. Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley struck out Nick Castellanos for his 19th save, stranding automatic runner Bryce Harper at third base and ending Philadelphia’s three-game winning streak. John King tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the win.
Joey Meneses’ two-run double keyed a four-run second inning and Jake Irvin pitched six strong innings to lead the Washington Nationals to a 5-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday. Meneses’ double to deep center field opened the scoring against Carlos Carrasco. Ildemaro Vargas and Lane Thomas had back-to-back RBI singles later in the second to put the Nationals up 4-0 as they avoided a series sweep. That was enough support for Irvin (3-5), who allowed five hits and one walk while striking out six. The AL Central-leading Guardians’ nine-game home winning streak was snapped, its longest since 2017.
Sean Murphy drove in the go-ahead run with a bloop double in the seventh inning and the Atlanta Braves limited the Oakland Athletics to two hits in a 3-1 win. Charlie Morton allowed one hit in six scoreless innings but ended up with a no-decision when the A’s tied the game in the seventh on a home run by Zack Gelof. Murphy’s double down the right-field line knocked in Adam Duvall for a 2-1 lead. Ozzie Albies added an RBI single in the eighth, and Atlanta took two of three in the weekend series to finish a 3-4 homestand.
Andrew Heaney threw six scoreless innings, Adolis García homered and singled and the Texas Rangers beat the Miami Marlins 6-0. Jacob Latz, David Robertson and Grant Anderson pitched an inning each to finish the Rangers’ second consecutive shutout win. It is the first time since September 2016 that the Rangers have back-to-back shutout wins. Rangers shortstop Corey Seager singled in five at-bats to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. Seager also has a 25-game on-base streak.
Daniel Vogelbach had two hits and two RBIs, Chris Bassitt pitched five innings to remain unbeaten in five career starts against Pittsburgh and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Pirates 5-4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Davis Schneider each had an RBI and Daulton Varsho scored twice as the Blue Jays took two of three from Pittsburgh. Yimi García pitched around Rody Tellez’s two-out RBI single in the ninth for his third save in four chances. Tellez reached base four times and drove in all four runs, but the Pirates lost for the fourth time in six.
Jackson Chourio hit a three-run homer and the Milwaukee Brewers extended Chicago’s slide to a season-high 11 games with a 6-3 victory over the White Sox. Gary Sánchez had a two-run single and left fielder Christian Yelich threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the eighth inning as the NL Central leaders completed a three-game sweep. Milwaukee has won a season-high five in a row and eight of 10 to move a season-best 13 games above .500. Chicago has dropped 15 of 16 and owns the worst record in the majors at 15-45. Paul DeJong homered and drove in two runs for the White Sox. Freddy Peralta struck out seven over five innings for his first win since April 30.
Nick Loftin hit a walk-off sacrifice fly, Nelson Velázquez hit two RBIs and the Kansas City Royals defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Sunday. Cole Ragans allowed one run on five hits in six innings with six strikeouts and two walks. Will Klein earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning. Yuki Matsui was tabbed with the loss. The Padres won the series, but Kansas City avoided the sweep. The Royals have not been swept this season.
Jose Miranda hit a solo homer in the sixth inning and a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth, helping the Minnesota Twins top the Houston Astros 4-3. Trevor Larnach also went deep for Minnesota, which took two of three in the weekend series. Steven Okert got two outs for the win, and Jhoan Duran handled the ninth for his 10th save. Miranda’s sixth homer of the season — a one-out drive to left-center off Hunter Brown — tied it at 3. Larnach reached on a leadoff walk in the eighth against Ryan Pressly. Pinch-runner Manuel Margot moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Jeffers and then scored on Miranda’s grounder down the third base line.
Jose Siri hit a two-run double in the eighth to put Tampa Bay ahead, Garrett Cleavinger escaped the bottom of the inning thanks to a bases-loaded double play, and the Rays avoided a sweep with a 4-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Gunnar Henderson hit his sixth leadoff homer of the season for the Orioles, who led 3-0 in the fourth before Tampa Bay’s comeback. With the score 3-2, Dillon Tate allowed two straight singles to start the eighth and then fell behind in the count against Siri, who was squaring around to bunt. Siri finally swung away at a 3-1 pitch and drove it to right-center to put Tampa Bay on top.
J.P. Crawford hit a grand slam, Bryce Miller struck out nine in six innings and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-0. Miller allowed just three hits for the Mariners, who lead the AL West on June 1 for the first time since 2003. They have won seven straight home series and six of their last seven games overall. Seattle is a season-high six games over .500. Miller gave up leadoff singles in the first and second but never permitted a runner past second base. Angels starter Reid Detmers yielded four hits and five earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. After the game, he was demoted to the minors.
J.P. Crawford hit a grand slam, Bryce Miller struck out nine in six innings and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-0. Miller allowed just three hits for the Mariners, who lead the AL West on June 1 for the first time since 2003. They have won seven straight home series and six of their last seven games overall. Seattle is a season-high six games over .500. Miller gave up leadoff singles in the first and second but never permitted a runner past second base. Angels starter Reid Detmers yielded four hits and five earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. After the game, he was demoted to the minors.
NBA
The Celtics traded for 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis this past offseason hoping he might be the missing piece to help them hoist their 18th title. But he has been a spectator for most of Boston’s run to the NBA Finals after suffering a strained right calf in Game 4 of its first-round series against Miami. His team has adjusted without him, going 9-1. The short series have given Porzingis time to recover. He recently went through light 5-on-5 workouts with his teammates for the first time since the injury, the most significant signs that he is on track for a return sometime early in the matchup against his former Dallas Mavericks team.
GOLF
Yuka Saso is the U.S. Women's Open champion while playing under a different flag. She won in 2021 as a Filipina. Saso switched citizenship and delivered Japan its first Women's Open title. She started three shots behind and shot 68 as everyone collapsed around her at Lancaster Country Club. Saso wound up winning by three shots. The turning point came on the back nine when Saso made four birdies in a five-hole stretch to pull away. Saso has a Filipina mother and a Japanese father. She had to make her decision before turning 21.
Robert MacIntyre, with father Dougie at his side as his caddie, held on to win the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title. Four strokes ahead entering the final round at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, MacIntyre shot a 2-under 68 to beat playing partner Ben Griffin by a stroke. On the par-4 18th, the 27-year-old Scottish left-hander two-putted for par from 12 feet, holing out from 1 1/2 feet. MacIntyre finished at 16-under 264 for the breakthrough victory in his 45th career PGA Tour start. The former McNeese State player was a member of Europe’s winning 2023 Ryder Cup team and has two European tour victories. Griffin had a 65. He parred the 18th after birdieing the previous three holes.
TENNIS
Defending champion Iga Swiatek swept into the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in just 40 minutes with a 6-0, 6-0 win against Anastasia Potapova. U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff took only 60 minutes eliminate unseeded Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday. Swiatek's match started at around 11 a.m., just eight hours after men’s defending champion Novak Djokovic finished his 4 1/2-hour marathon against Lorenzo Musetti at just after 3 a.m. in the latest finish in tournament history. Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Grigor Dimitrov reached the men's quarterfinals.
Catching the right amount of sleep is no easy task in Grand Slam tennis these days — for the athletes or those watching them compete. People in the sport tend to agree that it’s hardly ideal to carry on into the wee hours of the morning. The latest example is Novak Djokovic’s five-set victory at the French Open against Lorenzo Musetti. Their third-round match began after 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and didn’t wrap up until after 3 a.m. on Sunday. That's not great for anyone involved. The biggest problem is that no one can get on the same page when it comes to finding a fix.
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Charlotte FC 3 Atlanta 2
Rookie Liel Abada scored two goals to lead Charlotte to a 3-2 victory over Atlanta United. Atlanta United (4-8-4) took a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute on a goal by Thiago Almada, who found the net for a fourth time this season on a left-footed shot from the center of the box. Charlotte (7-6-4) pulled even five minutes later on an own goal by Atlanta United defender Derrick Williams. Charlotte took a 2-1 lead in the 56th minute when Abada, a 22-year-old forward, used an assist from Kerwin Vargas — his first — to score. Abada gave Charlotte a two-goal lead in the 68th minute.
SOCCER
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann says he is shocked that a public broadcaster asked participants in a survey if they would prefer more white players in the national soccer team. Nagelsmann agrees with midfielder Joshua Kimmich that the survey for German state broadcaster ARD is “absolutely racist” and says it's “madness for a public broadcaster to ask such a question.” The survey of 1,304 randomly selected participants found that one in five would prefer it if more players with white skin were playing for Germany. Nagelsmann says, “We’re playing a European Championship for everyone in the country. And anyone who can play top football is invited to be a national player and give their all for their country."
GYMNASTICS
Gymnastics star Simone Biles cruised to a record ninth U.S. Championship, giving good friend Sunisa Lee a boost along the way. Lee, the 2020 Olympic champion, fell on vault early in the competition and appeared shaken. Biles, who fell on vault at the 2020 Olympics and pulled out of several events, went to Lee to lend an ear and provide a confidence boost. Lee returned and eventually finished fourth behind Biles' winning total of 172.500. Skye Blakely was second and Kayla DiCello was third. The Olympic trials are up next in Minneapolis in late June.
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