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The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken a commanding lead over the Ottawa Senators in their first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series. The Battle of Ontario shifted to Ottawa for Games 3 and 4, but it didn't give the Senators the home ice advantage they had hoped for. The Leafs stormed into Canadian Tire Centre and stole a Game 3 victory. As a result, the Senators are on the brink of elimination in the opening round.
It was a huge play from a Maple Leafs defender that earned the Leafs the win. A face-off win from captain Auston Matthews set up defenseman Simon Benoit and gave him all the space he needed to blast a shot home from the point.
The Maple Leafs are in complete control now that they've taken a 3-0 series lead over the Senators. It's been a closer series than the Leafs' lead suggests, but that doesn't change the reality of the situation.
The moral victory of sticking close isn't worth any wins in the series, and the Sens are running out of time. With one more loss, they will be eliminated, and the Leafs will be the first team to advance to the second round.
In order for the Senators to have any chance, they'll need to find a way to beat Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz. He's been excellent in the first three games. If they are unable to solve him in Game 4, it could mean a series sweep for Toronto.
Coming back from a 0-3 deficit is a nearly impossible task in the NHL. It's happened just four times in the history of the league, with the last occurrence in 2014. The Los Angeles Kings dropped the first three games of their first-round series against the San Jose Sharks, but won four straight to advance and ultimately won the Stanley Cup.
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Chicago Blackhawks Training Camp Update: Injury Notes and Key Takeaways from Day Four
The Chicago Blackhawks wrapped up their fourth day of training camp on Sunday with another intense practice session, as players continued to sharpen their skills and conditioning ahead of the 2025–26 NHL season. While the on-ice work was spirited, head coach Jeff Blashill addressed a few absences that caught the attention of fans and media. Fortunately for Chicago, none of the latest updates appears to be cause for major concern. Burakovsky Sidelined Briefly for Chicago Blackhawks Two notable names missing from Sunday’s skate were defenseman Connor Murphy and newly acquired forward Andre Burakovsky. Blashill clarified that Murphy’s absence was simply a maintenance day, a common occurrence during the grind of training camp for veteran players. Maintenance days are designed to give experienced players a brief physical reset, ensuring they remain healthy for the long season ahead. Murphy, a key part of Chicago’s blue line and one of the team’s most reliable defenders, is expected to log heavy minutes against top competition in 2025–26. Taking a precautionary rest day helps prevent minor aches from developing into something more serious. Fans can rest easy knowing Murphy’s absence was purely preventative, and he is slated to return to practice Monday morning. Burakovsky, entering his first season with the Chicago Blackhawks, was also absent due to a lower-body injury. Blashill described the issue as “nothing too serious,” emphasizing that the skilled winger is expected back at practice on Monday as well. The team will certainly want Burakovsky healthy and integrated into their system, as his offensive creativity and playoff experience are expected to play a significant role in Chicago’s top-six forward group. Additional Updates from Sunday’s Practice While Murphy and Burakovsky drew the most attention, they weren’t the only players unavailable. AJ Spellacy, Ty Henry, and goaltender Laurent Brossoit were already known to be out before Sunday’s session, with their absences previously explained by the team. During practice, both Brett Seney and Landon Slaggert left the ice early and were listed as unavailable for the remainder of the day. The team has not provided further details on their statuses, but Blashill did not indicate any serious injuries. Monitoring their participation in Monday’s session will be important as the Blackhawks continue camp. Despite these absences, the overall mood around the rink remained positive. The fourth day of camp featured high-paced drills and competitive scrimmages, with the coaching staff focusing on conditioning and system play. With so many young players competing for limited roster spots, the intensity was high as prospects sought to make lasting impressions. The Blackhawks’ training camp has already showcased their promising mix of experienced veterans and talented newcomers. Connor Bedard, fresh off a stellar rookie campaign, continues to look dynamic and confident, while defensive prospects like Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov are turning heads with their poise and puck movement.
Andy Reid Sends Strong Message About Chiefs’ Suspended Star Ahead of Ravens Game
The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off their first win of the NFL season Sunday night, defeating the New York Giants 22-9 to improve to 1-2 heading into Week 4, where they’ll host a marquee matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore wraps up Week 3 on Monday night against the Detroit Lions, but their meeting with Kansas City will be a rematch of the 2023-24 AFC Championship Game, which the Chiefs won. Ahead of the showdown, Kansas City received a boost on Monday when suspended wide receiver Rashee Rice was welcomed back into the facility. While he’ll remain suspended for three more games, Rice is now allowed to be alongside his teammates, attend meetings, and prepare for his return in Week 7. However, he is still not permitted to practice with the team. The Chiefs have been very supportive of Rice, who was suspended six games for violating the NFL’s conduct policy following an off-field incident in March 2024. The 25 year old vowed to mature and learn from the mistake. "I've learned so much from that," he said back in June of 2024. "All I can do is mature and continue to grow from that. This is a step in a better direction for me." Head coach Andy Reid spoke about the value of having Rice’s presence back in the building, even if he can’t yet take the field. "We do get 4 back, and I know the guys will be fired up to see him," Reid said on Monday. "He can't practice, he can't be on the field. But it'll be good to have him around." Rashee Rice has been one of the Chiefs’ top targets since breaking out as a rookie, but his sophomore campaign was cut short after he suffered a torn ACL in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers. As a rookie, he recorded 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 11.9 yards per catch. In four games last season, he added 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns before the injury. When he returns, Rice will be a major boost to a Chiefs offense that has been without both him and Xavier Worthy, who went down with an injury in Week 1.
Why did the Orioles activate star player during last week of season?
Ahead of the final six games of the season (all against American League East foes), the Baltimore Orioles have activated catcher Adley Rutschman. The move may have little to do with this season and everything about what the Orioles may do with Rutschman in the offseason. Sidelined with a right oblique strain since Aug. 21 (retroactive to Aug. 18), Rutschman has struggled this season, slashing just .227/.310/.373 with nine homers and 29 RBI. His OPS+ of 92 is the lowest in the four years he has been behind the plate in Baltimore. While the Orioles certainly would like to get the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft back behind the plate to finish out the season, this short six-game stint against the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees may also serve as an audition for Rutschman should the Orioles decide to move him in the offseason. Why would the Orioles move on from Rutschman? After playing in just four games, Baltimore signed 21-year-old catcher Samuel Basallo to an eight-year extension worth $67M and could jump up to $88.5M with incentives. The deal means Basallo will be with Baltimore through the 2033 season and has an option to extend that to 2034 as well. With the Orioles investing so much in Basallo, could the 27-year-old Rutschman be on his way out of Charm City? Baltimore could well keep the younger and cost-controlled Basallo behind the plate and use Rutschman as a trade piece this offseason, helping the Orioles rebuild quickly from a season where they will likely finish in the division cellar. With Rutschman coming back, he has the chance to put a positive spin on what has been a disappointing season. If he can show well in the final six games, it could be a great selling point for the Orioles this offseason in any kind of trade talks surrounding him. Orioles are faced with one of two options with Basallo and Rutschman Baltimore interim manager Tony Mansolino has already hinted that Basallo and Rutschman could be in the same lineup together in 2026, emphasizing that Basallo could play first base (a position that could likely be his in 2026 if the Orioles decide to not push Coby Mayo there). Mansolino also added that between first base, catcher and designated hitter, there may be enough at-bats for both Basallo and Rutschman. If that's the case, Baltimore is believing that not only can Basallo play first base at an MLB-level (he has played there in one game so far this season) and Rutschman can bounce back from a down 2025. Baltimore could likely land a nice return package (perhaps centered around pitching) if it decides to trade Rutschman in the offseason, something that MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today believes will happen, writing, "There will be no bigger position player on the trade block this winter than Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman." These next six games may not determine much in the standings for the Orioles, but could give a hint about Rutschman's future and what is to come at catcher in 2026.
Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield drops harsh quote about former coach after win
Quarterback Baker Mayfield was forced to lead a game-winning drive against the New York Jets after a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown took away a chance for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to ice the game at 29-20 with less than two minutes to play. With 1:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, Mayfield engineered a seven-play, 48-yard drive that ended in a successful 36-yard field goal attempt by kicker Chase McLaughlin to give the Buccaneers a 3-0 start with a 29-27 win over the Jets in front of 62,872 fans at Raymond James Stadium. What Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield had to say about former coach Following the game, Mayfield said he felt vindicated by beating New York, especially defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who cut the former first-round pick (after using him as a scout-team defensive lineman) when he was the interim head coach of the Carolina Panthers in 2022. “I loved it," Mayfield said of beating the Jets via Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team. "Their D-coordinator (Steve Wilks) was the one who cut me in Carolina. A lot of stuff was personal today. Haason Reddick. Former Jet. A lot of people.” The loss dropped Wilks and first-year head coach Aaron Glenn to 0-3. The Jets fought hard with backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor filling in for Justin Fields, who is still in the concussion protocol from Week 2. Mayfield didn't impress Wilks during his time in Carolina, but he showed the defensive coordinator why he's worthy to be a starter in the league. Mayfield went 19-of-29 passing for 233 yards and one touchdown on Sunday. He added 44 yards rushing on four carries against Wilks' defense.
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