Sports
Habs notch first playoff win since '21, edge Lightning in Game 7
May 3, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (8) handles the puck under pressure from Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jake Guentzel (59) during the second period in game seven of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images Alex Newhook broke a third-period tie with the game-winning goal to give the visiting Montreal Canadiens a 2-1 Game 7 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.
Nick Suzuki also scored for the Canadiens, who were outshot 29-9 and outplayed for much of the deciding game, but now face the Buffalo Sabres, who finished atop the Atlantic Division, in the second round, a best-of-seven series that begins Wednesday in Buffalo.
The Canadiens set a Stanley Cup Playoffs record for fewest shots on goal in a win, per Sportsnet.
Montreal goaltender Jakub Dobes made 28 saves, standing especially tall while Tampa Bay peppered him with shots in the second period.
With overtime on the horizon, Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped a point shot, sending the puck bounding to the end boards. But Newhook batted it out of the air toward the front of the cage, banking it off Vasilevskiy and into the cage for his first goal of this year’s playoffs with 8:53 remaining in regulation.
Montreal had last won a series in 2021, the year the Canadiens lost to Tampa Bay in the Stanley Cup Final.
Dominic James scored for the Lightning, who were eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year.
Vasilevskiy stopped seven of nine shots in the game.
The Canadiens opened the scoring on the game’s first big break. Suzuki netted his first goal of the series when he deflected Kaiden Guhle’s point shot off Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser and into the net at 18:39 of the opening frame.
James tied the game with a deflection tally of his own, tipping a Charle-Edouard D’Astous point shot for a power-play marker at 13:27 of the second period.
The Canadiens failed to register a shot on goal in the middle period, even with a power play, while the Lightning fired 12 on the Montreal net in the period. It is the first time the Canadiens failed to net a shot on goal in a period during the playoffs since shots were counted in 1955-56.
The Canadiens finally put a puck on net more than five minutes into the third period, going nearly 27 minutes between shots. That sparked Montreal to gain some momentum and eventually Newhook’s winning goal.
The Lightning pushed, and even pulled the goalie for the extra attacker with more than two minutes remaining, but could not find the equalizer.
Montreal benefited from the return of defenseman Noah Dobson, who had been out since being hit in the left hand by a slap shot April 11. Dobson blocked a shot with his right hand in the waning minutes of regulation.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kris Bubic hurls a gem as Royals sweep Mariners
May 3, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) hits a single against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images Kris Bubic pitched seven strong innings as the Kansas City Royals defeated the host Seattle Mariners 4-1 Sunday afternoon.
The Royals swept the three-game series after winning just three of their first 15 road games this season.
Bubic (3-1) gave up one run on four hits — all singles. The left-hander walked two and struck out seven. Seattle’s Chase Young owned one of those hits, but fanned in his three other at-bats.
Daniel Lynch IV worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his first save of the season.
Isaac Collins went 2-for-2, added a walk, a sacrifice fly and drove in two of Kansas City’s four runs. Vinnie Pasquantino added two hits in five at-bats and scored once.
The Mariners took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Leo Rivas, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, drew a leadoff walk and went from first to third on a hit-and-run as Julio Rodriguez grounded a one-out single to left field. Rivas scored as Josh Naylor grounded into a fielder’s choice to first.
The Royals responded with three runs in the fourth off Seattle starter Luis Castillo (0-3).
Bobby Witt Jr. lined a single to center, Pasquantino lined a single to right and Salvador Perez was hit on the left forearm by a pitch, loading the bases with no outs. Carter Jensen walked on a 3-2 pitch to force in the first run and Jac Caglianone grounded into a force-out to score the go-ahead run.
Collins flew out to center and the slow-footed Perez tagged at third and tried to score. Perez was initially ruled out by home-plate umpire Clint Vondrak, but the Royals challenged the call and a video review determined Perez got his hand on the plate just before the tag from catcher Jhonny Pereda.
The Royals tacked on a run in the sixth as Caglianone drew a two-out walk and scored on Collins’ double to center.
Castillo allowed four runs on six hits over six innings. The right-hander walked two and fanned five.
Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh sat out a second consecutive game with discomfort in his right side.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Chase Elliott nips Denny Hamlin in Texas for second win of '26
May 3, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott (9) drives during 2026 Wurth 400 cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Chase Elliott had the best car at high-speed Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday and won a four-lap sprint over Denny Hamlin to capture the Wurth 400 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Elliott, who took the lead with 29 laps left after a cycle of pit stops, had a lead of more than a second over Hamlin before Corey Heim wrecked with 11 circuits left.
All of the leaders except Tyler Reddick (two tires) stayed out, and Elliott cleared Hamlin off Turn 2 on the final restart and won by 0.407 seconds for his 23rd career victory.
Elliott, who led a race-high 87 laps, joined Reddick as the only multi-win drivers this season.
Following Hamlin were Alex Bowman, Reddick and Chris Buescher.
Polesitter Carson Hocevar and teammate Daniel Suarez led a Spire Motorsports front row, and Hocevar topped the first 19 laps before Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota gained the top spot until he pitted on Lap 37.
Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell owned the point late in the 80-lap Stage 1, but his No. 20 soon ran into trouble when Todd Gilliland’s No. 34 spun off Turn 4 on Lap 68, hit Bell and knocked him out of the race.
Erik Jones notched his first career stage win in his No. 43 Toyota. Hocevar, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ty Gibbs and Chase Briscoe followed behind.
Caution 3 for William Byron’s spin led to a chain reaction on pit road that resulted in defending Texas winner Joey Logano smashing into the back of Cole Custer’s No. 41, which was stopped and waiting for Gibbs to leave his box. Gibbs then brought out the fourth caution a few laps later when Ryan Preece sent him into the wall.
Driving the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing, Heim led 69 laps in all but lost one as he headed to pit road. However, he regained the lead lap when Kyle Larson, fighting an ill-handling Chevy, looped his No. 5 all by himself and smacked the Turn 2 wall to end his day with just a few circuits left in Stage 2.
In a one-lap dash to end the segment, Elliott passed Brad Keselowski to claim the top points. Reddick, Keselowski, Hamlin and Preece finished as the top five.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single helps Padres' snap skid over White Sox
May 3, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) slides into home plate to score a run during the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images Xander Bogaerts’ infield single in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday was enough for the winning run as the San Diego Padres snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 decision over the visiting Chicago White Sox.
Ramon Laureano started the winning rally by coaxing a leadoff walk from Tyler Davis (0-1). Bryan Hudson relieved Davis and fanned Miguel Andujar as Laureano stole second. Jackson Merrill’s infield hit moved Laureano to third.
Merrill swiped second while Hudson whiffed Manny Machado. Bogaerts’ check-swing on a 2-2 fastball produced a soft bouncer that third baseman Colson Montgomery gloved but couldn’t make a throw as Laureano scored.
Jason Adam (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and Mason Miller mowed Chicago down in the ninth for his 11th save in as many chances. The result snapped the White Sox’s five-game winning streak.
Chicago tied the game at three in the seventh when pinch-hitter Derek Hill clouted an 0-2 fastball from Adrian Morejon 409 feet over the center field wall with Chase Meidroth aboard after a single.
Hill’s tying homer no-decisioned both starters after five-inning outings. Chicago’s Anthony Kay permitted seven hits and three runs, two earned, with a walk and five strikeouts. San Diego right-hander Griffin Canning, making his first start of the year, allowed only three hits and a run while walking three and fanning seven.
Drew Romo gave the White Sox a 1-0 edge in the top of the third, lining a homer into the right field seats that traveled an estimated 363 feet. It was his third homer of the year.
The Padres took their first lead of the series with three runs in the fourth. Andujar drilled a leadoff homer to left-center, his second of the year, and Machado followed one out later with his fifth homer that traveled an estimated 397 feet to left-center.
Bogaerts and Ty France followed up with singles, then moved up 90 feet on Nick Castellanos’ groundout. Freddy Fermin drew a walk and Romo was charged with a passed ball on ball four, enabling Bogaerts to score.
–Field Level Media
Kris Bubic hurls a gem as Royals sweep Mariners
Chase Elliott nips Denny Hamlin in Texas for second win of '26
