Sports
Second-period surge leads Knights past Avalanche in West finals opener
May 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) scores past Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) during the second period in game one of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images DENVER — Dylan Coghlan and Pavel Dorofeyev scored 2:33 apart in the second period, Carter Hart made 36 saves, and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday.
Brett Howton also had a goal and Nic Dowd scored into an empty net for Vegas, which grabbed home-ice advantage from the Presidents’ Trophy winners.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played Friday night in Denver.
Valeri Nichushkin and Gabriel Landeskog scored while Scott Wedgewood turned away 24 shots for Colorado, which trails in a series for the first time in this postseason.
Vegas captain Mark Stone (lower-body injury) and Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (upper body) were scratched.
Both teams had chances in a scoreless first period. Keegan Kolesar nearly gave the Golden Knights the lead on a partial breakaway early on. Logan O’Connor hit the post for the Avalanche, and Hart made a save on Nazem Kadri in the waning seconds of the period.
Vegas finally broke through at 12:29 of the second period. Brandon Saad sent a pass to Coghlan in the slot, and Coghlan’s wrister beat Wedgewood through the pads for his first goal of the postseason.
Colorado’s Ross Colton took a roughing penalty less than two minutes later, and the Golden Knights took advantage. Mitch Marner stretched out with the puck and whipped a pass to Dorofeyev coming down the right side. Dorofeyev sent a one-timer to the short side past at 15:02, his 10th goal of the playoffs.
Vegas made it 3-0 early in the third after killing off a Colorado power play. Howden knocked down the rebound of Ben Hutton’s shot with his glove and tapped the puck by Wedgewood at 1:34.
The Avalanche answered at 5:53 when Nichushkin redirected Colton’s pass beyond Hart.
Wedgewood came off when Colorado went on the power play at 16:52, and Landeskog cut the deficit to one at 17:39.
The Avalanche pulled Wedgwood again, but Dowd sealed it into an empty net at 19:15.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Blue Jays RHP Jose Berrios undergoes Tommy John surgery
Feb 28, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios (17) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the second inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jose Berrios will miss at least another year of action after undergoing Tommy John surgery on Wednesday.
Dr. Keith Meister performed the procedure in Texas, beginning with the hope that only a minor removal of “loose bodies” in the elbow would be required. However, the ultimate diagnosis was that a full elbow ligament reconstruction was required.
“The bone in the elbow was on the ligament. Not ideal,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “We kind of decided that, when they go in there, if that’s compromised at all, we’ll fix it. It was. He’ll be down for 12 to 14 months.”
Berrios has been on the injured list all season while trying to work his way back from the elbow ailment that kept him off the team’s postseason roster last fall. He made four minor league rehab appearances in the past month, going 0-1 with a 10.67 ERA in Class-A and Triple-A. Most recently, his fastball velocity was lower than normal for Triple-A Buffalo.
The 31-year-old veteran had been an ever-present part of the Toronto rotation since the Blue Jays acquired him from the Minnesota Twins in a July 2021 trade. He made at least 30 starts in each of the past five seasons, though he was briefly moved to the bullpen last September before landing on the injured list.
“It’s weird not having him,” Schneider said. “We were looking for him to get back to normal, and he was hoping for that, too. It’s definitely weird and frustrating for him, too.”
Last year, Berrios went 9-5 with a 4.17 ERA in 31 games (30 starts).
A two-time All-Star, Berrios has a career 108-82 record and a 4.08 ERA in 275 games, including 273 starts, for Minnesota (2016-21) and Toronto (2021-25).
He has two years and $48 million remaining on the seven-year, $131 million extension he signed with the Blue Jays in November 2021.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Blue Jays RHP Jose Berrios undergoes Tommy John surgery
Feb 28, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios (17) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the second inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jose Berrios will miss at least another year of action after undergoing Tommy John surgery on Wednesday.
Dr. Keith Meister performed the procedure in Texas, beginning with the hope that only a minor removal of “loose bodies” in the elbow would be required. However, the ultimate diagnosis was that a full elbow ligament reconstruction was required.
“The bone in the elbow was on the ligament. Not ideal,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “We kind of decided that, when they go in there, if that’s compromised at all, we’ll fix it. It was. He’ll be down for 12 to 14 months.”
Berrios has been on the injured list all season while trying to work his way back from the elbow ailment that kept him off the team’s postseason roster last fall. He made four minor league rehab appearances in the past month, going 0-1 with a 10.67 ERA in Class-A and Triple-A. Most recently, his fastball velocity was lower than normal for Triple-A Buffalo.
The 31-year-old veteran had been an ever-present part of the Toronto rotation since the Blue Jays acquired him from the Minnesota Twins in a July 2021 trade. He made at least 30 starts in each of the past five seasons, though he was briefly moved to the bullpen last September before landing on the injured list.
“It’s weird not having him,” Schneider said. “We were looking for him to get back to normal, and he was hoping for that, too. It’s definitely weird and frustrating for him, too.”
Last year, Berrios went 9-5 with a 4.17 ERA in 31 games (30 starts).
A two-time All-Star, Berrios has a career 108-82 record and a 4.08 ERA in 275 games, including 273 starts, for Minnesota (2016-21) and Toronto (2021-25).
He has two years and $48 million remaining on the seven-year, $131 million extension he signed with the Blue Jays in November 2021.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Fever guard Caitlin Clark (back) sits out vs. Fire
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) during the first half of an WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm, Sunday, May 17, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Fever star guard Caitlin Clark sat out Indiana’s home game against the Portland Fire with a back injury on Wednesday in Indianapolis.
Clark was not on the team injury report the day before the game. Fever coach Stephanie White said Clark was a bit stiff and sore when she woke up Wednesday morning after skipping Tuesday’s practice in favor of getting treatment.
White added she doesn’t believe this is something that would be an extended or ongoing issue for Clark, who did leave the Fever’s season opener on May 9 a few times to get her back adjusted.
“It’s not the time to take a chance,” White said. “We just really want to be cautious, you know.
” … She’s healthy. We’re not managing anything. This is just a back issue that we want to make sure we give the time to be ready.”
In Clark’s absence, Indiana prevailed 90-73 behind 24 points from Aliyah Boston and 21 points from Kelsey Mitchell.
Clark, 24, is averaging a team-high 24.3 points along with 9.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds in four games this season. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick and two-time All-Star was limited to just 13 games last season, missing time due to quad, groin and ankle injuries.
–Field Level Media
Blue Jays RHP Jose Berrios undergoes Tommy John surgery
Blue Jays RHP Jose Berrios undergoes Tommy John surgery
