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Good morning! I am already stressed about hockey.
Table Setting: The most anticipated Stanley Cup Final ever, no biggie
Yesterday was one of the wildest non-football Sundays I can recall, at least in recent memory. Before we get there, we should talk about how big today is, too:
- The Oilers and Panthers play one of the most anticipated Game 7s in the NHL’s history. As discussed yesterday, only one NHL, NBA or MLB team has come back from a 3-0 deficit in a championship series, and those Maple Leafs did it 82 years ago. Edmonton has a chance to do it tonight, and to end one of sport’s most shocking droughts: Montreal was the last Canadian team to win a Stanley Cup, 31 years ago. Combining the most stressful scenarios imaginable and applying them to playoff hockey made my blood pressure spike just typing this. In a good way.
- Tennessee and Texas A&M also play a winner-take-ring game tonight at the men’s College World Series in Omaha, where they split the first two games of the finals over the weekend. Neither school has ever won a baseball national title. Added pressure: Next year, it’ll be even tougher for these teams to make it here, as the SEC will amass more baseball power with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas. The conference has won the last four national championships and five of the last six.
More on these in a bit. Let’s rewind to yesterday:
Top Three: Hello, Copa America(ns)
There are too many things to deeply expound on, so we’re going with a top-three list, because everyone loves lists. We go to Dallas first:
1. USMNT wows in debut
The Americans face tremendous pressure (there’s that word again) in this tournament, as we also discussed yesterday, and there wasn’t much of a letdown against an inferior Bolivian squad in yesterday’s 2-0 win. The margin probably should’ve been larger, but let’s worry about that later. Yesterday was about Christian Pulisic’s extremely important right leg, which assisted on Folarin Balogun’s goal and uncorked this missile early in the match:
PULISIC WHAT A GOAL 😱🔥
WHAT A START FOR THE @USMNT 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/PaXw3NleF3
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 23, 2024
The Americans will play Panama on Thursday and can clinch a spot in the round of 16 with a win.
2. Reese > Clark in this round
Angel Reese recorded her eighth straight double-double in Chicago’s impressive 88-87 comeback win over Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever. It was another great game to add to the Clark-Reese file, which is somehow already abundant before either player turns 23. Clark scored 17 and has developed an impressive rapport with Aliyah Boston, but it was Reese who muscled the Sky to a win — and made a statement to her new hometown.
Extremely fun.
3. Two friends, a playoff and a protest
Scottie Scheffer won the Travelers Championship yesterday in one of the most chaotic finishes we’ve seen in a golf tournament this year, which is saying something. Scheffler entered the 72nd hole with the lead, one shot ahead of very close friend Tom Kim, as climate change protestors swarmed the green and tossed red and white paint everywhere. It was jarring to see police scramble through a bunker as the two leaders sat on the green, the most important shots of the tournament ahead, and just watched. Kim made his birdie putt, but fell to Scheffler in the ensuing playoff.
Scheffler has already won six tournaments this year. Sheesh. I may have gotten wistful seeing Scheffler’s family congratulating Kim afterward, too.
There’s still so much more to cover. Keep going:
News to Know
Lyles, 16-year-old Jones show out
Noah Lyles saved his best career performance for yesterday’s 100-meter final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, running it in 9.83 seconds en route to the win. It sets up a possible sprint double for Lyles, who can qualify in the 200-meter dash — his best race — later this week. No American has won the 100 and 200 in the Olympics since Carl Lewis did it in 1984. Also starring at yesterday’s trials:
- Quincy Wilson, just 16, broke the teenage record in the 400-meter multiple times this weekend. He will compete in the final today.
- Five-time Olympic medalist Simone Manuel, who had already qualified for the Paris Games on a relay, went ahead and won the 50-meter freestyle at trials yesterday, too.
Yang wins first major
It has been a long road for Amy Yang, the 34-year-old golfer who entered this weekend as one of the sport’s premier players without a major. Yang then went 7-under on one of the harder courses you’ll see to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship by three strokes. With the win, she also qualifies to represent Korea in the upcoming Olympics. Pretty good weekend in my opinion.
Díaz ejected, gets 10-game suspension
Umpires ejected Mets closer Edwin Díaz last night after finding a sticky substance on the pitcher’s hand, which will trigger an automatic 10-game suspension. It’s been a tough couple of years for Díaz, who was electric in 2022 before suffering a season-ending injury in 2023 at the World Baseball Classic. He’s been subpar this year, too, though he had allowed just one earned run in his last five outings before last night’s brouhaha.
More news
Watch This Game
Copa America: Colombia vs. Paraguay
6 p.m. ET on FS1
These two are playing their first match of this Copa and could factor into USMNT’s future — both are in Group D, which is paired with Group C for the quarterfinals. The Americans are atop Group C right now. It should be a good match, too.
MCWS: Texas A&M vs. Tennessee
7 p.m. ET on ESPN
The first of our title game doubleheader. Catch the first few innings before mayhem starts.
NHL: Oilers at Panthers
8 p.m. ET on ABC
If you have to choose one, pick this. All that history. Just the second Stanley Cup Final Game 7 since 2011. And a career-defining game for all involved — especially Connor McDavid. Sit and watch. Or pace.
Get tickets to games like these here.
Pulse Picks
Why is baseball so obsessed with strikeouts now? In the first part of a new series, Andy McCullough details the profound effects of MLB’s new pitcher prototype, one that avoids contact — and hoards velocity — more than ever before.
I really enjoyed Tyler Kepner’s interview with Mike Piazza ahead of this week’s Subway Series against the Yankees.
What should you worry about? We have one worry for all 32 NFL teams heading into training camp.
Marcus Thompson II on the redemption arc of Sha’Carri Richardson was unsurprisingly brilliant.
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Paul Tenorio’s story about how important this Copa America is to the future of soccer in the United States. Worth a read if you missed it.
Most-read on the website yesterday: Scott Wheeler’s latest two-round NHL mock draft.
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(Photo: Dave Sandford / NHLI via Getty Images)
