Including: The Tampa Bay Lightning are Stanley Cup champions after an unforgettable run: ‘We’re going to be sharing this forever’
[The Star](
Sports Headlines
[The Tampa Bay Lightning are Stanley Cup champions after an unforgettable run: ‘We’re going to be sharing this forever’](
Almost a year after opening night, the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrated at Edmonton’s Rogers Place after a Game 6 win over the dogged Dallas Stars.
OPINION
[Rosie DiManno: Blue Jay Bo Bichette shows no fear entering his first post-season against the Rays: ‘It’s zero per cent intimidating’](
But the 22-year-old shortstop will have to be the Bo of ’19 vintage sparkle if the Jays hope to sidle past American League-best Tampa Bay in the best-of-three series that opens Tuesday afternoon at Tropicana Field, Rosie DiManno writes.
[The Blue Jays are back in the playoffs — ask a question in our live chat at 12 p.m. on Tuesday](
Star baseball columnist Gregor Chisholm and Blue Jays beat writer Laura Armstrong will join us for a live chat to answer your questions and discuss the MLB playoffs.
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OPINION
[Gregor Chisholm: The Blue Jays, slaves to the algorithm, are overthinking their ‘creative’ playoff rotation. Taijuan Walker deserves better](
Walker has been everything the Jays could have hoped for since a trade with the Mariners. Now, with Matt Shoemaker drawing the Game 1 start followed by ace Hyun-Jin Ryu, there is a chance Walker won’t pitch at all in the three-game series against the Rays, which starts Tuesday. That doesn’t compute, no matter what numbers you crunch, Gregor Chisholm writes.
[The Blue Jays know the score. Offence is their only edge against Blake Snell and the Rays](
Toronto ranked third in the American League in runs with 302, three spots ahead of the Rays with 289. Creating that level of offence is key for the Jays, the only playoff team in the AL with a negative run differential in the regular season.
[Strangers meet in the MLB playoffs, after the strangest of seasons](
With the 60-game regular season restricted geographically — East vs. East, etc. — all but one of the first-round matchups, starting Tuesday, will feature teams that haven’t played a meaningful game head-to-head since last year.
[The Lakers and Heat get down to NBA Finals business — after a bit of bubbly in the bubble](
It’s will be the first Finals matchup between the clubs, with the Lakers looking for a record-tying 17th title and the Heat seeking their fourth in the last 15 seasons.
[Doc Rivers and the Clippers break up. The NBA is down to four Black head coaches](
Rivers went 356-208 over seven seasons with the Clippers, taking them to the second round three times. But the franchise has never made the conference final, and going 0-3 in chances to get there this year was a devastating blow.
ANALYSIS
[John Tavares. Victor Hedman. The 2009 NHL draft was a win-win, but did they get the order right?](
Victor Hedman became a Norris Trophy (and now Conn Smythe Trophy) winner and a rock on defence for a team known for deep playoff runs. Centre John Tavares, now captain of the Maple Leafs, gave the Islanders nine great years. But the case can be made that Hedman has been valuable.
[Canadian teen Leylah Annie Fernandez opens with upset win at French Open](
Fernandez knocked out No. 31 seed Magda Linette in three sets at Roland Garros. Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime and Steven Diez make early exits on men’s side.
[Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal are one match closer to major milestones at the French Open](
Both have something significant at stake over the coming two weeks in Pars: a chance to equal the record for Grand Slam singles titles.
[Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs overpower Lamar Jackson’s Ravens, who had won 13 in a row](
Just about everything Mahomes tried on offence worked against an overmatched Baltimore defence that had allowed only two touchdowns in its first two games.
[Gold Cup soccer draw sets up Canada-U.S. rematch](
For Canada coach John Herdman and his counterparts, it’s another piece of a congested, pandemic-complicated puzzle that also includes Tokyo Olympic qualifying and the start of 2022 World Cup qualifying.
[Queen’s Plate winner Mighty Heart tops field for $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes](
[Authentic set as 9-5 favourite at masked Preakness draw](
Authentic’s trainer, Bob Baffert, is undefeated taking the Derby winner to the Preakness, which will be run Saturday without fans.
[Racing Roundup: 3 for 3 for Canadian at Mid-Ohio](
What was Lewis thinking? Good luck to Michael Jordan (he’ll need it) and all this week’s news and views.
[The shortest MLB season in a century produced some surprising stats](
Longer games, despite pace-of-play efforts, and the lowest total batting average since 1968 were just two of the unexpected takeaways from the 60-game (for most) regular season that ended Sunday.
[The Star](
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