Sports
Habs earn first playoff series 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 a best-of-seven second-round series that begins Wednesday in Buffalo.
The Canadiens set a Stanley Cup playoff 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.
“I feel we are such a good team, no matter what the situation or circumstances, we’ll find a way to win,” Dobes said. “Now we’ve got to go to Buffalo. We cannot get satisfied, we have to keep going. I’m really excited about the second round.”
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.
“It feels amazing,” Suzuki said. “We had a lot of dark days after (going to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021) and going into the rebuild. This moment definitely makes up for a lot of it and we want to keep this journey going.”
Dominic James scored for the Lightning, who were eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year.
“You don’t get any younger, that’s for sure,” Tampa Bay forward Brandon Hagel said. “Listen, I got one goal on my mind and one goal on my mind every single year … I just want to win.”
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 two power plays, 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.
“It’s not the movies,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “It’s not something where you can retake it and get the scene right. It is live theater right there in front of you and you never know what is going to happen. That is why it’s unbelievable to be a part of, to be a part of something like this, but it damn well stings when you are on the wrong side of it.”
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
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
Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single helps Padres top White Sox, snap skid
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’ RBI 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 3 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
Sports
Thieves, Gentle Mates reach 3-0 at Stage 3 Major qualifying
A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.
Jordan Woodruff
Los Angeles Thieves and Paris Gentle Mates joined the ranks of the 3-0 teams Sunday on the last day of Week 2 of qualifying for the Call of Duty League’s Stage 3 Major.
One day after OpTic Texas improved to 3-0, the Thieves beat Vancouver Surge 3-1 and the Gentle Mates rallied past the winless Boston Breach 3-2. Also Sunday, G2 Minnesota blanked the Miami Heretics 3-0.
The 12 Call of Duty League teams are playing a full qualifying round robin to determine seeding for the third major of the season, to be held May 15-17 as part of the DreamHack Atlanta event.
The Thieves edged the Surge 250-241 on Gridlock Hardpoint to kick off the day, then rang up a 6-0 shellacking on Den Search and Destroy. Vancouver got one back with an 8-1 runaway on Den Overload, but Los Angeles prevailed 250-134 on Sake Hardpoint.
The Gentle Mates fell behind 2-0 to Boston right away, as the Breach won 250-219 on Sake Hardpoint and 6-3 on Fringe Search and Destroy. Paris stayed alive by pulling out a 4-3 win on Exposure Overload. The tide was turned, and Paris continued on to a 250-157 win on Colossus Hardpoint and a clinching 6-3 triumph on Gridlock Search and Destroy.
G2 earned their first win of qualifying by taking care of Miami 250-193 on Colossus Hardpoint, 6-5 on Scar Search and Destroy and 3-2 on Den Overload.
Week 3 begins Friday with three matches:
–Riyadh Falcons vs. Miami Heretics
–Paris Gentle Mates vs. OpTic Texas
–Vancouver Surge vs. Toronto KOI
Call of Duty League Stage 3 Major qualifying, with match record and map differential
1. Los Angeles Thieves, 3-0, 9-2
T2. OpTic Texas 3-0, 9-4
T2. Paris Gentle Mates, 3-0, 9-4
4. FaZe Vegas, 3-1, 10-6
5. Toronto KOI, 2-1, 8-5
6. Vancouver Surge, 2-2, 8-8
7. G2 Minnesota, 1-2, 4-6
8. Riyadh Falcons, 1-2, 5-7
9. Miami Heretics, 1-1, 4-7
10. Carolina Royal Ravens, 1-3, 8-10
11. Cloud9 New York, 0-3, 2-9
12. Boston Breach, 0-4, 4-12
–Field Level Media
Habs notch first playoff win since '21, edge Lightning in Game 7
Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single helps Padres top White Sox, snap skid
