Brett Kulak scored an overtime winner as the Colorado Avalanche completed a dramatic three-goal comeback against the Minnesota Wild to win 4-3 and advance to the Western Conference final.
The home side trailed 3-0 midway through the second period before launching an astonishing late fightback in Denver.
Star forward Nathan MacKinnon forced overtime by scoring with the net empty just 83 seconds from the end of regulation time.
Kulak then sealed the series victory 3:52 into the extra period after collecting a clever pass from Martin Necas.
Stunning fightback secures progression
Things looked bleak early on for the hosts as they conceded three times in the opening period.
Marcus Johansson opened the scoring after just 34 seconds, before Nick Foligno struck twice to give the visitors a commanding lead.
The disastrous start prompted a change in net, with Scott Wedgewood replacing Mackenzie Blackwood and stopping all seven shots he faced in relief.
The deficit remained until the dying stages, when Jack Drury finally breached Jesper Wallstedt’s net with 3:33 remaining.
Echoes of 2008 as next opponents await
MacKinnon’s ensuing equaliser completed the turnaround and set the stage for Kulak to send the hometown crowd into raptures.
This marks the eighth time the franchise has reached the conference final since relocating to Colorado ahead of the 1995-96 season.
It is also their first series-clinching victory on home ice since eliminating the very same opposition in 2008.
During that memorable run 16 years ago, the roster still featured Hall of Fame legends Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg.
The Avalanche will now face either the Vegas Golden Knights or the Anaheim Ducks for a place in the ultimate showpiece.
The Golden Knights currently hold a narrow 3-2 series advantage in that respective matchup.
The Cleveland Cavaliers recovered from a late nine-point deficit to defeat the Detroit Pistons 117-113 in overtime on Wednesday and take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
James Harden delivered a playoff-best performance with 30 points to guide the visitors to a vital victory.
Donovan Mitchell also proved crucial for the fourth seeds, contributing 21 points during a dramatic contest in Michigan.
The hosts had established a commanding 15-point advantage in the first half and still led 103-94 with just over two minutes remaining in regulation time.
Dramatic comeback stuns the top seeds
Faced with a daunting deficit, the Ohio franchise mounted a spectacular 13-0 scoring run to completely shift the momentum.
Evan Mobley successfully converted crucial free throws with 45.2 seconds left on the clock to force a 103-103 tie.
That relentless defensive pressure held the home side scoreless for an astonishing five-minute period stretching deep into overtime.
A decisive three-pointer from Mitchell eventually put the Cavaliers ahead by seven points in the additional period.
Cunningham heroics fall short
Despite an exceptional individual effort of 39 points and nine assists from Cade Cunningham, the Pistons could not complete a late rally of their own.
The standout guard sank a late jumper to close the gap to just two points in the final moments.
However, a veteran display from Harden at the free-throw line, including a crucial offensive rebound from his own miss, ultimately sealed the contest.
Max Strus and Jarrett Allen provided essential support for the victorious lineup, registering 20 and 16 points respectively.
Knicks await the series winner
This result marks Cleveland’s first road victory of the current postseason and breaks Detroit’s four-game winning streak on home court.
The series now shifts back to Ohio for Game 6 on Friday night.
A victory in front of their home fans would see the Cavaliers advance to face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
Should the top-seeded Pistons survive elimination, a deciding Game 7 will take place on Sunday.
The Miami Dolphins and running back De’Von Achane have agreed a four-year contract extension worth $64m, making him the third-highest-paid player at his position in the NFL.
The lucrative new deal will keep the Pro Bowler in South Florida through the 2030 season, with performance bonuses potentially pushing the total value to $68m.
At an average annual value of $16m, the agreement marks the first major extension negotiated under Miami’s recently appointed general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.
A franchise pillar
Sullivan had previously dismissed any speculation that the dynamic playmaker was available for trade, labelling his long-term retention an absolute priority for the organisation.
Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley praised the former third-round draft pick for his exceptional vision, acceleration, and dual-threat capability out of the backfield.
“He’s dynamic. I mean there’s plays that you’re not even blocked right for and he gets six or seven yards,” Hafley said.
The standout back rushed for a career-high 1,350 yards during the 2025 campaign to earn his first Pro Bowl selection.
Since entering the professional ranks in 2023, he leads all qualified running backs with a remarkable 5.6 yards per carry average and is tied for the second-most rushes of at least 50 yards.
He has also proven highly productive in the passing game, recording 172 receptions and 13 receiving touchdowns across his first three seasons.
Offseason strategy and ground focus
While Miami traded or released several veteran stars earlier this year to reduce their wage bill, securing their premier offensive weapon remained a cornerstone of their long-term plans.
The franchise also invested heavily in their offensive line to support a run-heavy approach in 2026, selecting Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor in the first round of the draft.
“He’s going to make plays. He’s a great running back, fast as hell and I can’t wait to block for him,” Proctor said of his new team-mate.
This massive agreement follows a recent trend of significant running back contracts across the league.
Travis Etienne Jr, Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker III have all secured substantial multi-year deals during a highly active offseason for the position.
With their backfield star secured, the Dolphins will now focus negotiations on extending their other designated core pieces, center Aaron Brewer and linebacker Jordyn Brooks.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has confirmed plans to present a radical “3-2-1” draft lottery proposal to the league’s board of governors later this month in a bid to eliminate deliberate tanking.
Under the suggested format, the three worst-performing franchises would receive lower odds of securing the top pick than teams finishing between fourth and tenth.
This approach introduces a system of flat odds and “draft relegation” to remove any structural reward for finishing at the absolute bottom of the regular season standings.
“What we’ve essentially done, and we have a proposal that we’re going to be bringing to our team owners at the end of May, and that is to create essentially a system of flat odds, so that you have no particular incentive to be bad.”
Adam Silver
Deterring deliberate underperformance
The move follows a controversial end to the current campaign where several rosters were notably altered to purposely worsen their win-loss records.
Franchises such as the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls all took obvious steps to improve their draft position during the closing weeks.
To combat this lack of competitive intent, the proposed overhaul grants the governing body unprecedented power to discipline organisations.
Offending executives could face harsh sporting penalties, including the removal of lottery balls or forced changes to their selection order, rather than just routine financial sanctions.
“Teams have to know it’s not just about paying a financial fine, which they may think is worth it in order to get a top pick, but that it’ll directly impact their ability to get a top draft pick.”
Adam Silver
A three-year trial period
The league has already demonstrated a willingness to crack down on poor competitive integrity by fining the Jazz $500,000 earlier this year for conduct detrimental to the sport.
If approved by team owners at the end of May, the new draft regulations will be implemented on a temporary basis.
The commissioner outlined that the flat-odds system features a three-year sunset clause, allowing officials time to study its effectiveness before the next collective bargaining agreement takes effect in 2029.
While internal debate regarding the exact mechanisms exists, recent controversies have created a near-universal consensus among league officials that immediate action is required.
England put their record 37-game winning streak on the line against France in Sunday’s Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider in Bordeaux amid mounting concerns over their defensive frailties.
John Mitchell’s side have secured four consecutive Grand Slams but arrive at this year’s finale having conceded 76 points across the tournament.
At this exact stage last year, the reigning champions had leaked just 29 points before securing a thrilling 43-42 victory over the French.
Defensive vulnerabilities were particularly evident in recent outings against Wales and Italy, with those nations scoring nine tries combined.
Mounting injuries force positional changes
The current defensive instability can be heavily attributed to severe squad disruption and an ever-growing absentee list.
The head coach was already navigating the tournament without four World Cup winners due to pregnancy before an injury crisis decimated his forward pack.
Nine forwards who featured in the previous global final were unavailable for last weekend’s trip to Parma.
This severe shortage of recognised locks forced 19-year-old back-rower Haineala Lutui and flanker Abi Burton to deputise in the second row.
“We are going through a lot of changes and the players are still learning and growing,” Mitchell said ahead of the final clash.
“I am trying to explain to the younger players how important learning new positions is, and they are only growing.”
Statistical drop poses major threat in Bordeaux
Integrating new personnel into Sarah Hunter’s defensive system has inevitably caused teething problems for the world champions.
Thirty different players have taken the field during this campaign, including five debutants earning their first international caps.
Underlying statistics highlight a stark drop in defensive dominance compared to previous campaigns.
Missed tackles have increased by an average of 3.45 per game, while dominant hits have plummeted from 12.4 to just 5.5 per match.
These frailties offer significant hope to a potent French attack that ruthlessly dismantled Scotland with a 69-point haul last weekend.
“We have conceded more points than probably we wanted to,” acknowledged Burton ahead of the crucial trip to France.
“Naturally when there is change, there will be more knowledge in some places than the others, so it is about bringing everyone up to speed.”
Stina Blackstenius scored a dramatic 93rd-minute winner to secure a 1-0 victory for Arsenal against a resilient Everton side in the Women’s Super League.
The Swedish international broke the deadlock deep into stoppage time to cruelly break Toffees’ hearts.
Arsenal had dominated possession throughout the contest but consistently struggled to find a way past a stubborn visiting defence.
Everton appeared completely on course to secure a hard-fought point before a final attacking wave allowed the hosts to snatch all three points.
Gunners persist to secure vital points
This crucial result firmly maintains the pressure on the leading pack at the top of the domestic table.
Jonas Eidevall’s team knew that dropping points at this stage of the campaign would severely dent their ongoing title aspirations.
The North London outfit continually pressed forward relentlessly as the referee’s watch ticked past the standard 90-minute mark.
Heartbreak for resolute visitors
Everton will feel immensely frustrated to travel back up north empty-handed after defending heroically for the vast majority of the fixture.
The Merseyside club had successfully nullified their heavily favoured opponents but ultimately surrendered their hard-earned clean sheet in the dying seconds.
Brian Sorensen’s squad must now quickly regroup as they look to climb away from the lower reaches of the division in their upcoming matches.
New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried will undergo medical imaging on Thursday after exiting Wednesday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles with left elbow soreness.
The 32-year-old was withdrawn after completing just three innings of the American League contest.
Team physician Dr Chris Ahmad is scheduled to examine the left-hander following complaints of posterior soreness in his pitching arm.
Prior to his early departure, the former Atlanta Braves starter had surrendered three runs and five hits to the visiting Orioles.
Bullpen summoned as recent struggles continue
Reliever Paul Blackburn was immediately instructed to warm up as the injured ace headed straight down the stadium tunnel.
This physical setback follows a difficult previous outing for the veteran in Milwaukee, where he conceded five runs over six innings.
Despite these recent difficulties, the marquee signing has been a vital component of the New York rotation this season.
All-Star pedigree and injury history
The 2025 All-Star selection had compiled a respectable 3.21 earned run average across 10 starts during his debut campaign in the Bronx.
While elbow joint issues are a fresh concern, the southpaw has previously endured multiple spells on the medical sidelines.
Throughout his tenure in Atlanta between 2018 and 2023, recurring blister problems on his throwing hand repeatedly forced him onto the injured list.
New York Islanders defenceman Matthew Schaefer has been unanimously awarded the NHL’s Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year, becoming the first player to achieve a clean sweep of first-place votes in 33 years.
The 18-year-old secured all 198 first-place selections from the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
It marks the first time a rookie has completely dominated the ballot since Teemu Selanne accomplished the rare feat for the Winnipeg Jets during the 1992-93 campaign.
Record-breaking debut season
The Canadian teenager delivered a transformative campaign on the ice for a franchise desperately seeking a competitive spark.
He registered 23 goals and 36 assists, setting a new benchmark for points by an 18-year-old defender that surpassed the previous record held by Hall of Famer Phil Housley.
His impressive goal tally also matched Brian Leetch’s long-standing NHL record for a rookie blueliner.
Montreal Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov finished as the distant runner-up with 120 second-place votes, while Anaheim Ducks prospect Beckett Sennecke took third.
An emotional television reveal
The award winner was surprised with the prestigious trophy during a live broadcast on the American television network ABC.
He was joined for the announcement by his father, brother, and former teammate Matt Martin, whose family he lived with during his transition to professional hockey in New York.
During the broadcast, the emotional star dedicated the honour to his late mother, Jennifer, who passed away from breast cancer earlier this year.
We’ve done a lot as a family. My mom’s helped me and my family so much with everything. We’ve had some tough losses, but it hasn’t stopped us as a family.
This definitely means a lot. This year was super important to me.
Off-ice impact and Olympic ambitions
Beyond his spectacular athletic performances, the young standout has already made significant contributions to his local community.
He recently partnered with the Islanders Children’s Foundation and Northwell Health to establish a support centre for paediatric cancer patients and their families.
His rapid ascent nearly earned him a spot on the Canadian national team for the upcoming Winter Olympics, though he ultimately missed the final cut.
Despite fading late in the regular season, the Eastern Conference club remained in the playoff hunt for much of the year largely due to their dynamic new cornerstone.