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🏒 The NHL’s Final Four & Speed Week is here! 🏁

🏒 The NHL’s Final Four & Speed Week is here! 🏁

Final four in NHL is set, MLB power rankings, Caitlin Clark's injury scare & more

Jeff Yoder & TorchPro
May 21, 2024

The NHL’s Final Four is set, and the Canada Cup curse is riding on one team. After a third Game 7 in 36 hours, it's all gas (no brakes) before the Conference Finals kick-off and as we gear up for the Indy 500 this weekend. Buckle up, it’s speed week!

WTF Stat: None of the seven Canadian NHL franchises have won the Stanley Cup since 1993 (31 years). With their win over Vancouver in game 7 last night, the Oilers are the great white north’s last chance in 2024 to end the drought.

Written By: TorchPro and Jeff Yoder

🇺🇸 Team USA for Copa America The U.S. will host Copa America 2024 this Summer, and it’ll be a great tune-up test for the ’26 World Cup. Gregg Berhalter’s 27-man USMNT roster has just been revealed. (Sporting News)

🏈 Rookie QBs at OTAs The Bears, Commanders, and Patriots drafted quarterbacks 1-2-3 atop the NFL Draft, and those three newcomers are adjusting to OTAs. How about the teams? (Sports Illustrated)

🏀 The Future of the Knicks. It’s hard to say which injury did them in. “Hit after hit,” as Tom Thibodeau described it. New York faces roster questions, but an optimistic future still stands. (FOX Sports)

Oilers celebrate Bouychard’s goal in game 7 | Source: USA Today

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS - Game 7: Oiler Spoilers

Oilers Ice Canucks in Game 7 (3-2) to Return to Western Conference Finals — NHL’s Final Four is Set

The stage is set! Three of the four Stanley Cup finalists were secured before last night’s all-Canada clash, and it’s the Oilers — with a 15-minute frenzy — sending them back to the Western Conference Finals. Edmonton hadn't won a Game 7 on the road in more than 25 years, but that changed in the blink of grade-school recess. The Oilers scored three goals in 15 minutes during the second period thanks to the sticks of Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Cody Ceci. The Canucks battled back, scoring two in the final 10 minutes, but ultimately fell short. The dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will get another crack at the penultimate series. The Oilers went to the Western Conference Finals two years ago (2022), but they haven’t won the Cup (or been to the Finals) since their run of five titles in seven seasons back in the 80s (1984-1990).

Watch: Oilers Hold Off Canucks in Game 7 (3-2)

EDM Wins Series (4-3)

Stanley Cup Conference Finals

East: Rangers vs. Panthers (Wednesday)

West: Oilers vs. Stars (Thursday)

ESPN: Top Oilers Playoff Trends as Western Conference Finals Loom

👑 MLB - Power Rankings: Royal Rumble - Yankees & Astros Heating Up, Braves & Twins Slide, But It’s Time to Talk About the Royals…

It’s time for another snapshot of the MLB power rankings. A lot can change week-to-week, and we’ll show you why. Two of last week’s top five went on losing streaks of four or more games in just one week (Braves and Twins). On the positive side, the Yankees rode a seven-game win streak up until last night, and the Astros are beginning to come to life. And amid all of the up-and-down movement, one team is catching our attention — the Royals are for real. Kansas City won their fourth straight game last night. They’re 1.5 games back of first place in the AL Central, and that’s a far cry from their 31st-place finish in 2023. Keep your eyes on this KC sleeper...

MLB Power Rankings

1. Phillies (34-14) —

2. Yankees (33-16) ↑3

3. Dodgers (33-17) ↓1

4. Orioles (29-16) ↓1

5. Guardians (31-17) ↑2

6. Braves (27-17) ↓2

7. Royals (30-19) ↑3

8. Brewers (27-20) —

9. Padres (25-25) ↑2

10. Cubs (26-22) ↓1

Teams 11-20: 11. Mariners (26-22), 12. Twins (24-23), 13. Rays (25-24), 14. Rangers (24-24), 15. Giants (23-25), 16. Red Sox (24-24), 17. Mets (21-26), 18. Diamondbacks (22-26), 19. Astros (21-27), 20. Blue Jays (21-25)

Teams 21-30: 21. Pirates (22-26), 22. Tigers (23-24), 23. Cardinals (21-26), 24. Nationals (21-25), 25. Reds (19-28), 26. Athletics (19-30), 27. Angels (19-29), 28. Rockies (15-31), 29. Marlins (16-33), 30. White Sox (14-34)

B/R: MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees Continue to Dominate as Astros Wake Up

⚾️ MLB Quick-Hitters

Devers Makes It 6: Rafael Devers set a Red Sox record last night by hitting a home run for the sixth straight game. It’s also the most in MLB since Mike Trout homered in seven straight games back in 2022. Boston blanked the Rays (5-0).

Mariners Snap NYY Streak: Despite their rise up the power rankings with a seven-game win streak, the Yankees finally lost last night after the Mariners rallied from three runs down in the 9th (5-4).

Sale Strikes Again: Chris Sale fanned nine batters and threw another scoreless seven innings in yesterday’s Braves-Padres nightcap. That took Sale’s scoreless streak to 20 innings, and he’s now 7-1 as a starter in Atlanta. The Braves won (3-0).

Clark’s reaction after injuring ankle during first half against Sun | Source: USA Today

👀 WNBA - Caitlin Clark's Injury Scare

Fever Fall to 0-4 as Caitlin Clark Shakes Off Injury Scare & 1st Technical Foul to Cap Rough Opening Week

We know there are 143 other players in the WNBA, and we’ll give them their due throughout the Summer. For now, the Caitlin Clark watch party is still in effect. Indiana Fever fans — and women’s basketball fans everywhere — held their breath on Monday after Clark suffered an ugly ankle injury in the first half against the Connecticut Sun. She returned, fired up enough to get her first WNBA technical before the Sun eked out a nail-biter (88-84). Clark had 17 points and one logo-3, but it’s 0-4 for the Fever and their rookie sensation. They’re getting better, though, and Clark’s bunch has only played two of the top three teams in their first four games. Better days ahead.

Watch: Clark Injured, T’d Up in Another Fever Loss

Other WNBA Highlights

Liberty def. Storm (74-63)

Sabrina Ionescu (20 pts, 8 asts), Liberty 4-0

ESPN: Rude Awakening? Normal Transition? Inside Caitlin Clark’s Up-and-Down First Week as a Pro