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The Toronto Maple Leafs survived the Battle of Ontario and eliminated the Ottawa Senators in six games. Their first-round battle was a classic showdown between two fierce rivals and delivered on all accounts. In the end, it was the more experienced Maple Leafs squad that moved on to the second round following a 4-2 win over the Senators. Veteran winger Max Pacioretty scored the game-winning goal with five minutes remaining in the third period of Game 6.
The Senators gave the Maple Leafs a true run for their money. After Toronto won the first three games of the series, the Sens battled back. Winning two consecutive of their own, they forced the series back to Ottawa for a pivotal Game 6.
The Maple Leafs capitalized on their third attempt at ousting the youthful Senators. Captain Auston Matthews set the tone in the opening period with a power-play goal. Fellow star forward William Nylander pitched in his second and third goals of the series to help eliminate the Senators.
The Senators enter the offseason with optimism. This roster successfully ended one of the longest playoff droughts in the league, and there's potential for even more in the future. With captain Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Dylan Cozens, and top defenders in Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot, the roster outlook is bright in Ottawa.
The Maple Leafs will face the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Panthers dispatched the Tampa Bay Lightning, one of the most potent offensive teams in the NHL this year, in just five games. They pose a huge challenge to the Cup-hungry Leafs, setting up another massive showdown among Atlantic Division foes.
The last time these two met in the playoffs, the Panthers dominated the Leafs and won the series in five games en route to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Leafs are hoping to return the favor to the defending champs in their second-round meeting.
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Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
The Chicago Blackhawks, a crowded goaltending situation and trade rumors involving the Edmonton Oilers have fans wondering if the Stars' rivals could soon upgrade their crease before training camp. With training camp approaching, Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson has five goalies under contract, including Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom, Drew Commesso, newly signed Stanislav Berezhnoy, and veteran Laurent Brossoit. Only two NHL roster spots are available, which has fueled speculation that Brossoit could be moved to a contender, with Edmonton emerging as a leading candidate. For Stars fans, seeing the Oilers potentially bolster their crease should raise eyebrows. Edmonton, fresh off a deep playoff run, is looking to avoid the same issues that hurt them late in the postseason. "The Blackhawks have too many goalies and not enough spots, and Brossoit's contract and experience make him a natural trade chip for a team like the Oilers."-Julien Trekker Chicago's goalie logjam and Berezhnoy's recent signing are detailed further at NHL.com. Dallas could see its rival upgrade as Blackhawks explore trading Laurent Brossoit Brossoit, 32, carries a $3.3 million cap hit for one more season. Drafted by Calgary in 2011, he's appeared in 140 NHL games, including time with Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Vegas, where he helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023. While Chicago decides, Drew Commesso continues to push for NHL time after posting a .911 save percentage over 39 AHL games. For a deeper look at Commesso's performance, his full profile is on Elite Prospects. I think if Edmonton lands Brossoit or even Commesso, Dallas may have to plan around a deeper Oilers team come playoff time, especially given how tight the Western race looks on paper.
Emma Jacob Went Missing in Platteville, Wisconsin. Here's What's Known
Emma Jacob was a 22-year-old woman who went missing in Platteville, WI. Details are scant about her disappearance, but tragic news was delivered by a woman on Facebook, who says she is Jacob's sister. And Lafayette County sheriff's officials confirmed to Men's Journal that Jacob is deceased. On July 22, Sydney Wiltsie wrote on Facebook, "My little sister Emma Jacob has been missing since around 9:30 this morning. Her last pinged location was near the mound, or the 'big M' in Platteville, WI. Her car, phone, keys, and purse were all found there. Police are involved and we ask that everyone in the Platteville area keeps an eye out for her and that she is found safe. Please keep her and our family in your prayers. 22 y.o. Female, roughly 5’6”, 120lbs, dark brown curly hair." Then, in an update, she wrote, "Update: She has been found. At this time we ask you please respect our families privacy as we grieve the loss of our daughter, sister, and auntie. Thank you." "My beautiful baby sister and my best friend in the whole world. I love you so much," she wrote on July 23, sharing another photo. That comment thread filled up with people offering their condolences. That hasn't stopped people online from speculating, without evidence, that Jacob's case could be linked to the disappearance of Viterbo college student Eliotte Heinz, who vanished on July 20 after a night in a bar in downtown La Crosse, WI. To be clear, there is no information to tie them together, and they're not even located in the same city. There is no evidence at this point that foul play was even involved in Jacob's death, and searchers are hoping to find Heinz alive. The Lafayette County Sheriff's Department confirmed to Men's Journal that Jacob died, but could not provide additional details on any cause of death, other than saying she was found in "rural Platteville" and that investigators "don't think it's related" to the disappearance of Heinz. Wiltsie limited comments on her post. "I understand everyone wanting to relate this to the other missing girls in Wisconsin but it’s very insensitive to Sydney and her family so maybe take those conversations private and keep this post strictly for information you may have directly related to Emma or prayers for a safe return. I am sure the police are aware of the other cases and working to connect any pieces," one woman wrote on the comment thread. La Crosse and Platteville are more than 100 miles apart, and there is no known link between the two women, with the exception that they are both 22 and from college towns in the Universities of Wisconsin system. Men's Journal contacted Platteville police on July 23 and asked about the Jacob case. Police said that case is being handled by the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Police Department. However, that police department told Men's Journal to contact the UW-Platteville public relations spokeswoman, who has not yet responded to a request for comment.
MLB Insider Makes Brutal Yankees Prediction
New York Yankees fans know all too well how long it's been since the club last won a World Series title. If general manager Brian Cashman doesn't successfully wheel and deal ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline, it's entirely the title drought will continue in the Bronx. And that's not even the worst of it. "The Yankees, even without ace Gerrit Cole, were comfortably cruising along towards another AL East title when the wheels came off, and they have less than two weeks to see if they can find the right mechanic to get them rolling again," USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Sunday. "This is a team that had a seven-game lead in late May, were 17 games over .500 in mid-June, but then were swept by the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels, and still haven’t been the same, losing 19 times in the last 30 games," Nightengale continued. "They are desperate to find a third baseman and another starter in the next 12 days. If they come up empty, they may have trouble just slipping into the postseason," Nightendale concluded. "Sitting home in October would be nothing short of disastrous," Nightengale added for emphasis. The Yankees last missed the playoffs two years ago before returning to the World Series last fall. In seeking its first title since 2009, New York lost the 2024 Fall Classic to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. This year, the Yankees have a 42% chance of winning the American League East, according to FanGraphs. New York has a 49.4% chance of winning an AL wild card, giving them a 91.4% chance overall of reaching the playoffs. The Yankees have a 10% chance of winning the World Series, which is tied with the Detroit Tigers for the best odds in the American League. The Dodgers remain the overall World Series favorites with a 20.8% chance of winning another title. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Linked To Red-Hot Reliever Yankees Linked to Former Outfielder in Juicy Trade Rumor Yankees in Mix for Pirates All-Star Pitcher Yankees Trade Rumors: All-Star Closer On The Market? Yankees Have Competition for Diamondbacks Star
WNBA All-Star Game ratings paint a troubling picture
WNBA players sent a message to the league with T-shirts they wore ahead of the All-Star Game on Saturday night, but the ratings for the game did not exactly strengthen their stance. Prior to the All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., Caitlin Clark and other players warmed up in shirts that said “Pay us what you owe us” across the front. The message had to do with the current state of collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the WNBA and WNBA Player’s Association. Unfortunately for the players, the television ratings for the game were not very good. Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reported on Tuesday that the WNBA All-Star Game drew 2.19 million viewers on ABC, which was down roughly 36% from a year ago. Last year’s game featured the WNBA All-Stars against the Team USA squad that was preparing to compete in the Summer Olympics in Paris. The dip in ratings is likely another example of the type of impact Clark has had on the WNBA. Although she was a team captain for this year’s All-Star Game, Clark did not play due to a groin injury. Clark played in last year’s game for the All-Star side, as she did not make the Team USA Olympic roster. Many fans were outraged that she was snubbed from the Olympic team, which added an element of intrigue to the All-Star Game. There is no way of knowing for certain whether more fans would have watched the All-Star Game on Saturday night had Clark played. It is a safe guess, however, especially when you look at some recent trends for the league.
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