NEW YORK (AP) — New York City will hold a series of free events for soccer fans who hope to exper...

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City will hold a series of free events for soccer fans who hope to experience the excitement of the World Cup but can’t the hefty prices for tickets to the matches, officials announced Monday.The events — one in each of the city’s five boroughs — will include watch parties for the matches and other festivities. They will be staged at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, a shopping center near Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and a minor league baseball stadium in Staten Island.A separate fan event planned for Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, where the New York Red Bulls play, will cost $10.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>World Cup matches will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where just getting to and from the matches on public transit could cost $150.New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a noted soccer devotee, announced the free events alongside New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a fellow Democrat.“Every fan should be able to watch the greatest tournament on earth without dipping into their savings,” Mamdani said.Similar fan events are being planned for other U.S. host cities.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 27: New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park on April 27, 2026 in New York City. Mayor Mamdani was joined by Gov. Kathy Hochul, government officials and members of the New York New Jersey FIFA World Cup 2026 Host Committee as they announced NYC will be hosting five free World Cup viewing parties in various parts of NYC.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35409122/related

New York City to hold free World Cup fan events in each borough

CAGLIARI, Italy (AP) — Senegalese teenager Paul Mendy scored twice in his first start for Cagliar...

CAGLIARI, Italy (AP) — Senegalese teenager Paul Mendy scored twice in his first start for Cagliari, including the opener after 16 seconds, to put the home side on its way to a vital 3-2 win over Atalanta in Serie A on Monday.It was a dream full debut for the 19-year-old, who joined Cagliari last year from Senegal side AS Bambey.He made five appearances from the bench, all of them in March and April, and started the home match against Atalanta with an immediate impact.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Mendy put Cagliari ahead with a header after 16 seconds and added a second after eight minutes.He was withdrawn through injury at halftime, by which time the score was level after two goals from Gianlucca Scamacca.But debuting Mendy paid dividends for Cagliari coach Fabio Pisacane. Mendy’s replacement Gennaro Borrelli restored the home side’s advantage two minutes into the second half after great work by Michael Folorunsho.The result was crucial for Cagliari, which rose eight points clear of the Serie A relegation zone.It was just as important for Atalanta, which took a hit to its European hopes next season. With four games left it was seventh, seven points behind Roma and Como.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

CAGLIARI, ITALY - APRIL 27: Paul Mendy of Cagliari celebrates his goal 1-0 during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and Atalanta BC at Stadio Sant'Elia on April 27, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35408517/related

Teenager scores brace on full debut to move Cagliari closer to safety

Carson Hocevar never stops thinking about how he can connect with NASCAR fans, whether through za...

Carson Hocevar never stops thinking about how he can connect with NASCAR fans, whether through zany social media posts or cheering beside them in the grandstands.He devised <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-talladega-carson-hocevar-ce7a0ad04fdd6e70908f6dd8f6bcd96d">a unique way to greet NASCAR Nation</a> after the first <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nascar-racing">Cup Series</a> win of his career.During <a href="https://x.com/NASCARONFOX/status/2048539982718189617?s=20">a daring victory lap</a> that bordered on dangerous, Hocevar piloted his No. 77 Chevrolet while hanging out the window. He enthusiastically slammed the car's roof and saluted the crowd as he rolled down the Talladega Superspeedway frontstretch and performed a burnout.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"I thought, 'Man, I have really long legs, and I wonder if I can hit the throttle and sit on the door and ride,'" Hocevar said. "I just wanted them to get as loud as possible. I felt like they would if they could see me seeing them. Hopefully, it was cool."Based on the cheers, the thousands in attendance loved the celebration.Led by its new executive management team, NASCAR was just as eager to christen its newest star at the Alabama track known as the biggest party venue on the circuit.A 23-year-old who embraces the quintessential Gen Z hallmarks of digital outreach and gaming, Hocevar also has an unvarnished and unapologetically aggressive side that has encouraged comparisons with Dale Earnhardt.Just like "The Intimidator," NASCAR broadcasters have affixed the Spire Motorsports driver with a nickname — "Hurricane Hocevar" — reflecting <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-michael-jordan-carson-hocevar-aa5663e6a48b4d143538673c41940328">his willingness to stir up trouble</a> as he relentlessly chases victories.The day <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-jim-france-97813e72fc90329071877d81e6fea087">after being introduced as the first CEO</a> in NASCAR's 78-year history outside of the founding France family, Steve O'Donnell sat through Hocevar's first news conference as a Cup Series winner Sunday and gave a thumbs up to the Portage, Michigan, native for "the coolest celebration I've ever seen."O'Donnell said his main goal <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-leadership-changes-jim-france-steve-odonnell-7b58354d5bf596840f2f65813b4a65c2">is to bring fun back to NASCAR</a>, whose popularity has eroded from a peak driven by charismatic personalities. Coming off a rough year that ended <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-lawsuit-antitrust-michael-jordan-france-37e0fba49daba62b729974b0025309a1">with settling a taxing lawsuit</a> amid <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-lawsuit-antitrust-michael-jordan-741382ed5885257858d592543df2a501">difficult testimony by Jim France</a> (who turned over the CEO position to O'Donnell as nephew Ben Kennedy was named COO), NASCAR launched a "Hell Yeah" marketing campaign intended to emphasize its roots in moonshine running and rabble-rousing.Hocevar seems the relatable star to carry that message while bridging the gap to a 21st-century audience."He's one of those guys we're going to rely on as a sport," O’Donnell said on <a href="https://x.com/SteveLetarte/status/2048612993412280414?s=20">the "Inside the Race" podcast</a> Sunday night after Hocevar's win. "What we just watched, the excitement and enthusiasm, that emotion is what fans want to see. They want to embrace a guy like Carson Hocevar, who is not only winning but looks like they're enjoying themselves."Hocevar often hangs out in the grandstands and pits during lower-tier races. On Saturday at Talladega, he cheered wildly from the pits as Garrett Mitchell, a popular YouTube automotive influencer <a href="https://apnews.com/article/cleetus-mcfarland-nascar-youtuber-fcb5b88b0725510a3b993d2625abb2fb">known as "Cleetus McFarland,</a>" nearly won an ARCA race."A lot of race fans, they probably always dream of racing," Hocevar said. "Maybe they vicariously get to drive through me. I'm online a lot and in the stands. I'm not playing a character. I'm not acting for anybody."Hocevar said the idea for his Talladega celebration came from his win last November in "The 2.4 Hours of LeMullets," an event at Cleetus McFarland's Freedom Factory in Bradenton, Florida, that features souped-up Crown Victorias that once were police vehicles.This isn't quite the way Earnhardt would have done it, even if the victory lap evoked an iconic image of him leaning out of his cockpit to clean his windshield as the late seven-time champion drove under caution in a 1986 race.Hocevar said the mimicry was unintentional, and he has resisted attempts to brand him as a successor to any NASCAR superstar."There's no mold for Carson Hocevar," said Luke Lambert, Hocevar's crew chief. "Nobody had a focus group to decide what a driver should look like and came up with Carson Hocevar. He is unapologetically himself. I've never met anybody that's exactly like him."When he hired Hocevar straight out of the Camping World Truck Series three years ago, Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson believed the team had "a star in the making." Dickerson noted the juxtaposition of Cup champions who can't stand Hocevar (who has feuded with Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney) with the fans who love him."This kid knows how to stand on the gas," Dickerson said. "He has probably the most irrational confidence of a driver I've ever seen."The brashness is natural for Hocevar, who enjoys quoting the comedy film "Talladega Nights" while wearing a goofy firesuit designed to make him look like a cowboy with a big belt buckle and jeans. Smiling widely and sporting a black 10-gallon hat, he gleefully relished the thought of his Talladega ride going viral."I'm going to be on my phone all night just watching this stuff," he said.Team shake-upA day after Kyle Busch delivered the first top 10 this season for Richard Childress Racing, the team announced a new crew chief for the two-time Cup Series champion.Taking the reins of the No. 8 Chevrolet starting at Texas Motor Speedway, Andy Street was reassigned from the role of RCR performance director to replace Jim Pohlman, who will move into a leadership position. Pohlman was the crew chief for only 10 races with Busch, who <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-daytona-500-busch-f72acac6742f01b091ef55fcff9e5fa2">is mired in the worst slump of his two-decade career</a> and ranked 27th in the points standings."This move is about putting our people in the best position to succeed," team owner Richard Childress said in a release. "We have strong talent across this organization, and we're focused on having each person in the right position to help deliver the results we expect."___AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - JUNE 15: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 Chumba Casino Toyota, (L) and Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Totalplay Chevrolet, look on during pre-race ceremonies prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on June 15, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35408318/related

Hocevar already living up to reputation as NASCAR's newest star

LONDON (AP) — Former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will fight for the first ...

LONDON (AP) — Former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will fight for the first time since his involvement in a deadly car crash in December when he takes on Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia in July."It's no secret I've taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring," Joshua said in a statement from his promoter, Matchroom, "and today is the next step on that journey."The 36-year-old Joshua will fight Prenga, an Albanian with 20 victories and one loss, on July 25 in Riyadh in the headline bout in "The Comeback," which is part of Esports World Cup Festival.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Joshua's last fight was a knockout victory over YouTuber Jake Paul on Dec. 19. Ten days later, he was injured in a car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his friends.In the Matchroom statement, Joshua said the fight with Prenga is the first in a "multi-fight deal" that could yet include a long-anticipated bout with British rival Tyson Fury.Joshua was present when Fury, also a former two-time heavyweight champion, ended a 15-month retirement from the ring when beating Russian-born Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11."I know they have big plans ahead after this fight," Prenga said. "I know they are overlooking me. I'm happy about that. I will derail their plans and shock the world this July in Saudi Arabia."___AP sports: <a href="https://apnews.com/sports">https://apnews.com/sports</a>

CORRECTION / Britain's Anthony Joshua celebrates after defeating Sweden's Otto Wallin during their heavyweight boxing match at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on December 23, 2023.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35407992/related

Joshua ready to take 'next step' with Prenga fight after car accident

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has taken an indefinite leave of abse...

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team to enter a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction.Texas Tech and Sorsby announced the move in a statement released on Monday.The school said it is “committed to supporting Brendan through his recovery process and to ensure his long-term health and well-being.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Sorsby was one of the biggest names in this year’s transfer portal. He transferred from Cincinnati, which then announced on Feb. 26 it would <a href="https://apnews.com/article/cincinnati-sorsby-texas-tech-0f373dbcf0cd9941fe8e4d0dc3d261c1">sue the quarterback</a> for breaching his name, image and likeness contract.According to the lawsuit, Sorsby signed an NIL agreement in July 2025 covering the 2025 and ’26 seasons and that there would be a $1 million buyout if he transferred, payable within 30 days. Sorsby announced on Dec. 15 that he was entering the transfer portal and announced on Jan. 4 that he would play for Texas Tech.Sorsby received the most lucrative deal of the portal period — a reported $5 million — to return to his home state for his final season.It was not immediately known how Monday’s announcement could impact Sorsby’s availability for the season.“We love Brendan and support his decision to seek professional help,” Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire said in a statement released by the school. “Taking this step requires courage, and our primary focus is on him as a person. Our program is behind Brendan as he prioritizes his health.”In the statement, Texas Tech said its “primary focus remains on fostering an environment where student-athletes feel empowered to prioritize their mental health and seek professional assistance.”The school said it would have no further comment on Sorsby’s status “to protect the integrity of the recovery process.”Sorsby began his career at Indiana before transferring to Cincinnati. In 35 career games, including 31 starts, he has passed for 7,208 yards and 60 touchdowns, along with 1,295 rushing yards and 22 TDs.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up <a href="https://www.apnews.com/newsletters">here</a>. AP college football: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-football">https://apnews.com/hub/college-football</a>

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - APRIL 17: Brendan Sorsby #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders passes during the Texas Tech Spring Game at Jones AT&T Stadium on April 17, 2026 in Lubbock, Texas.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35407627/related

Texas Tech's Sorsby enters treatment program for gambling addiction

MADRID (AP) — Tennis players are facing an unknown opponent at the Madrid Open.  A stomach virus ...

MADRID (AP) — Tennis players are facing an unknown opponent at the Madrid Open.A stomach virus or food poisoning has affected Coco Gauff, Marin Cilic and a few others, causing some concern.World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka avoided an upset by Naomi Osaka on the court on Monday and said she's trying to avoid illness by sticking to a simple diet of chicken breast, rice and salad.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The rumor among the players was bad shrimp tacos were to blame.Sabalenka knocked on wood and said, “So far, so good. I heard that I have to avoid those tacos (laughing). I stick to the same food, same meal that I’ve been having since the very beginning of the tournament.”Sabalenka said she was spending as little time as possible on site at the Caja Magica tennis complex."I try not to stay for too long," she said. “Extra vitamin C, I guess, extra IM8, and I’m good to go, hopefully."Gauff vomited on the court on her way to a victory over Sorana Cirstea on Sunday. Cilic couldn't play his match against João Fonseca on Friday.“Unfortunately, I got food poisoning,” Cilic said. “After trying to recover all night my body is unfortunately exhausted and not at the proper level to get into the battle.”<h3>Sabalenka rallies</h3>Sabalenka rebounded from a set and a break down against Osaka in their fourth round contest.She prevailed against No. 15 Osaka 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-2 in 2 hours, 20 minutes to reach the quarterfinals and stay on track to defend her title.“Oh my God, that was an incredible level,” Sabalenka said. “She played incredible tennis. I feel like I just got lucky in a couple of shots in the third set, that’s why it went that fast. I’m happy she brought that fight, I had to fight through to level up my game.”Sabalenka won her 15th straight match and advanced to her 17th consecutive quarterfinal. She hasn't lost before that round since February 2025 in Dubai. The Belarusian said her team kept pushing her to “keep fighting, keep going.”“I'm really happy that I didn't give up and I was pushing until the very last point,” Sabalenka said.<h3>Longest tiebreaker since 2024</h3>Sabalenka will next face American Hailey Baptiste, who defeated Belinda Bencic 6-1, 6-7 (14), 6-3 after losing the second set in the longest tour-level regular tiebreaker since 2024, according to the WTA.Baptiste broke the racket on her leg in frustration after the loss in a set in which she wasted six match points, including five during the tiebreaker.The 32nd-ranked American was able to rebound and clinch the victory in 2 hours, 42 minutes.<h3>Rybakina's line-calling frustration</h3>World No. 2 Elena Rybakina said she has no trust in the electronic line-calling system in Madrid. She complained to the chair umpire after her opponent, Zheng Qinwen, was awarded an ace in the second set. Rybakina said the mark on the court was out. The umpire refused to inspect the mark and backed the system. Rybakina eventually won in three sets on Sunday.“Well with this thing, I won’t trust it at all,” Rybakina said. “Because there was no mark even close to what the TV showed."She felt it was a similar situation to what happened to men's player Alexander Zverev last year in Madrid, where he ended up grabbing his cell phone and taking a photo of a mark of an alleged wrong call. Zverev was warned for unsportsmanlike conduct.“You can’t not see it,” Rybakina said. "It’s kind of a stolen point. I understand it was her serve and she was serving really well, but it’s really frustrating.”<h3>Jodar only Spaniard left</h3>Daniel Mérida lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-2 and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina lost to defending champion Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-1 on Monday, leaving 19-year-old Rafael Jódar as the only Spaniard left in the tournament.Jódar, one of the promising stars on tour, needed three sets to get past Fonseca, another teen sensation.World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, Spain's current top player, withdrew from the home tournament because of a right wrist injury.<h3>Unusual rally</h3>There was an unusually long rally in the Ruud vs. Davidovich Fokina match when the Spaniard resorted to 15 straight lob shots to the back of the court.The high returns in the 32-shot rally kept Ruud from attacking until one shot came up a little short and allowed him to power a forehand and take the point.In the match between Francisco Cerundolo and Luciano Darderi, Cerundolo won a point after reaching over the net to get to a high return that spun back into Darderi's side of the court. Cerundolo won the match 6-2, 6-3.___AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates during her Women's Singles match against Naomi Osaka of Japan on Day Eight of the Mutua Madrid Open at La Caja Magica on April 27, 2026, in Madrid, Spain.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35407130/related

Madrid Open roundup: Sabalenka avoids upset as virus affects players

Vincent Kompany’s influence as coach is a key reason Bayern Munich is in the Champions League sem...

Vincent Kompany’s influence as coach is a key reason Bayern Munich is in the Champions League semifinals. Now Bayern will have to manage without him.Bayern is preparing for arguably its toughest game of the season so far with its head coach suspended and assistant Aaron Danks reportedly due to take over.Kompany was still involved in training Monday before Bayern’s departure for Paris, but he’ll be barred from the team’s locker room and bench at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“We’ll miss him on the touchline. He’s our boss, a coach who’d love to be out there with us,” Harry Kane has said.<h3>A costly yellow card</h3>It’s all because Kompany was booked in Bayern’s thrilling quarterfinal win over Real Madrid for disputing the referee’s decision to allow Madrid to play on and score after a hard tackle on Bayern defender Josip Stanisic.That was Kompany’s third yellow card in what was Bayern’s 12th Champions League game of the season. He argued UEFA should relax the rules now there are more games than ever.“It’s an extended format and it’s the strictest-ever ruling with a lot of interpretation from referees, where sometimes you can get a yellow card wrong as well. So what happens then?” Kompany said after the game.“I’m not happy because of this, but it’s not important. The team can do it and I’m there for the return game. I have total faith in the team, the staff, to not just continue but also gain strength and motivation out of it.”PSG coach Luis Enrique praised the work Kompany has done since arriving two years ago.“Vincent Kompany is a coach of the highest level, Bayern is one of the teams I like to watch the most,” he said. “They’re very pretty to watch. I like all coaches but especially the attacking ones, and he is without doubt one of them.”<h3>Danks on the biggest stage</h3>Danks is one of Kompany’s three main assistants and has head coaching experience. Just not much of it.The 42-year-old English coach is a set-piece specialist who oversaw two games for Aston Villa as caretaker coach in 2022, beating Brentford 4-0 then losing to Newcastle by the same score.Preparations haven’t exactly been easy, either.With the Bundesliga title wrapped up, Bayern had hoped to rest key players against Mainz on Saturday, but Kompany had to bring on Kane, Michael Olise and Jamal Musiala after slipping 3-0 down before coming back to win 4-3.<h3>Musiala meets PSG again</h3>Musiala’s facing PSG for the first time since his badly broken leg against the French team at last season’s Club World Cup.The attacking midfielder didn’t return until January but has recently looked back on form with two goals and four assists in his last five games, including setting up Luis Diaz’s crucial third goal in the second game against Madrid.Lennart Karl got his break in the Bayern team during Musiala’s injury absence but the 18-year-old is likely to miss Tuesday’s game with a muscle issue which has sidelined him for the last three weeks. Forward Serge Gnabry is out with a muscle tear that’s ruled him out of the World Cup too.<h3>A shot at the double-triple</h3>The Champions League isn’t just part of Bayern’s quest for a triple. An even rarer achievement is possible.Bayern is in the hunt for a triple-double of league, cup and Champions League for both its men’s and women’s teams. The Bayern women’s squad has already won the German league, is in the final of the German Cup and is level at 1-1 with Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League semifinals.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

27 April 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Soccer: Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain - Bayern Munich, semi-final, first leg. Final FC Bayern training session at the Säbener Straße training ground. Coach Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich) in action. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35405616/related

Bayern must adapt without Kompany for UCL semifinal at PSG

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish league leader Galatasaray posted on social media about referees and “the ...

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish league leader Galatasaray posted on social media about referees and “the evil inside” at halftime of a win against fierce rival Fenerbahce that all-but sealed another title.“Despite these referees, we’re still leading 1-0,” Galatasaray posted in Turkish on its official X account during what would be a 3-0 win in the Istanbul derby Sunday.“We see what you’re doing, your plans, the evil inside you,” the club wrote, adding on its English language account: “Don’t let the score distract you from the fact that TWO clear penalties for Galatasaray have been ignored by the referee and the VAR room in the first half.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The in-game criticism came days after Galatasaray said it was suspending relations with the Turkish Football Federation in a dispute about picking referees for games.The Gala-Fener rivalry is one of the most intense in world soccer though it has been one-sided on the field in recent years.Sunday’s victory left Galatasaray seven points clear with three rounds left as it seeks a fourth straight league title. Fenerbahce has not been champion since 2014.Galatasaray took the lead on Nigeria striker Victor Osimen’s goal in the 40th minute — after Fenerbahce missed a penalty — and then got its own spot kick in the second half. Barış Alper Yılmaz scored that in the 67th and Lucas Torreira added a third in the 83rd.Fenerbache goalkeeper Ederson was sent off when the score was 1-0.Complaints about referees and their integrity are common in the Turkish Super League.Jose Mourinho, as Fenerbahce coach last season, was banned for four games by the federation for criticizing match officials.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray A.S. competes with Milan Skriniar and Ederson Moraes of Fenerbahce during the Trendyol Super League match between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce at Rams Park on April 26, 2026, in Istanbul, Turkey.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35405603/related

Galatasaray post about 'evil' refereeing during vital win over Fenerbahce

HOUSTON (AP) — Amen Thompson scored 23 points, Tari Eason added 20 and the Houston Rockets avoide...

HOUSTON (AP) — Amen Thompson scored 23 points, Tari Eason added 20 and the Houston Rockets avoided elimination with a 115-96 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference playoff series Sunday night.Game 5 is Wednesday night in Los Angeles.The Rockets got their first win in the series after falling into an 0-3 hole despite missing Kevin Durant for a third game thanks to a balanced scoring attack. Durant sat out a second straight game with a sprained left ankle after missing Game 1 with a bruised right knee.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“I’m proud of the guys,” Thompson said. “Backs against the wall, us coming to perform, but we know we can do that all the time. And I feel like today we were making shots. It’s the first time we were really making shots and we were capitalizing on the turnovers.”Houston’s entire starting lineup scored at least 16 points with Alperen Sengun adding 19, Reed Sheppard 17 and Jabari Smith Jr. 16.The Lakers were led by Deandre Ayton, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds before being ejected with about 5½ minutes left in the third quarter for a flagrant foul 2 on a hit to Sengun’s head. His output wasn’t nearly enough to allow the Lakers to close the series out on a night when LeBron James didn’t have his best game.He had 10 points on 2-of-9 shooting with nine assists and eight turnovers before sitting with about 7½ minutes to go after scoring 19, 28 and 29 points in the first three games. But he wasn’t the only Laker who struggled. Los Angeles made just five 3-pointers after combining for 35 through the first three games. James was 0 for 3 from long range, Marcus Smart missed both of his attempts and Luke Kennard was 0 for 3.The Lakers had 23 turnovers Sunday night. “If we want to win this series, we have to protect the ball and we have to defensive rebound and we have to be able to obviously bring that toughness which we did tonight,” James said. “I’m not worried about that. But the turnovers obviously killed us from start to finish.”Houston looked good from the start in this one after squandering a six-point lead in the final 26 seconds of regulation in a devastating 112-108 overtime loss Friday night.“The focus was good today and I think just in general guys have pride,” coach Ime Udoka said. “You obviously don’t want to get swept. And we understood how well we played last game and that was a big picture and the perspective we had was we played a really good three quarters, don’t let that last 30 seconds take away from what you did and I think it was a good carryover tonight.”The Rockets led by nine at halftime and used a 12-4 run to start the third and make it 68-51 with about 8½ minutes to go in the quarter. They were up by 19 later in the quarter before going on a 9-3 run to end the quarter and push the lead to 90-65 entering the fourth.Houston led by 23 with about 7½ minutes remaining when coach JJ Redick cleared the Lakers' bench. Ayton was ejected with about 5½ minutes left in the third quarter after receiving a flagrant foul 2 for hitting Sengun in the face with his elbow and forearm. The referee announcing the foul called the contact “unnecessary and excessive.” Durant was on the bench Sunday night to support his team after he was absent Friday night because Udoka said he was receiving treatment on his injured ankle.___AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/NBA">https://apnews.com/NBA</a>

HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 26: Reed Sheppard #15 and Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets react during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35404278/related

Rockets stave off elimination with Game 4 win over Lakers

MONTREAL (AP) — Brandon Hagel scored his Stanley Cup Playoff-leading fifth and sixth goals in the...

MONTREAL (AP) — Brandon Hagel scored his Stanley Cup Playoff-leading fifth and sixth goals in the third period and the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Sunday night in Game 4 to tie the series.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WHO ELSE?! 🤯 Brandon Hagel's sixth goal of the series gives the <a href="https://twitter.com/TBLightning?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TBLightning</a> the lead in the third! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> 🇺🇸: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn</a> 🇨🇦: <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/TVASports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TVASports</a> <a href="https://t.co/dYnqGcCeMb">pic.twitter.com/dYnqGcCeMb</a>— NHL (@NHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL/status/2048579169236217917?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2026</a>
</blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>After the first three games in the first-round series went to overtime, Tampa Bay overcame a two-goal deficit to end it in regulation.Hagel gave the Lightning the lead with 4:43 left, deflecting Nikita Kucherov’s shot past Jakub Dobes.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Jake Guentzel had a goal and assist, and Kucherov added two assists on the top line with Hagel. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 16 saves.Game 5 is Wednesday night in Tampa.The Lightning rebounded after falling 3-2 on Friday night on defenseman Lane Hutson’s OT slap shot.Hagel tied it on a power play at 1:40 off a centering pass from Kucherov. The Lightning got the man advantage when Oliver Kapanen was sent off for high-sticking Dominic James.Guentzel cut it to 2-1 with 54 seconds to go the second, beating Dobes from the left side off a feed from defenseman J.J. Moser.Zachary Bolduc and Cole Caufield scored for Montreal in 3:23 span in the second. Caufield scored for the first time in the series after having 51 goals in the regular season. Dobes made 17 saves.Bolduc opened the scoring with 9:54 left in the second. He took a long pass from defenseman Kaiden Guhle, held off Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh and had the puck deflect in off his body as he cut across the front of the goal.Caufield struck on a power play with 6:31 left in the period, with Guentzel off for slashing Dobes’ glove. Caufield took Nick Suzuki’s centering pass in the slot and redirected the puck in.

MONTREAL, CANADA- APRIL 26: Brandon Hagel #38 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates after scoring a goal during the third period of Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Bell Centre on April 26, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35403680/related

Hagel scores twice as Lightning rally past Canadiens to even series

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Payton Pritchard hit six of Boston’s 24 3-pointers and scored 32 points and J...

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Payton Pritchard hit six of Boston’s 24 3-pointers and scored 32 points and Jayson Tatum had 30 points and 11 assists to help the Boston Celtics spoil <a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-76ers-joel-embiid-76e103e3c71ce9d3982936e74840fa24">Joel Embiid’s return</a> from an appendectomy and beat the Philadelphia 76ers 128-96 on Sunday night for a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
PRITCHARD DELIVERED OFF THE BENCH IN GAME 4! 32 PTS (career-high in a postseason game) 4 REB 5 AST 6 3PM (career-high in a postseason game) Only Kevin McHale (34 on May 17, 1991) scored more points as a Boston reserve in a postseason game 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/XEmOo5ZKMS">pic.twitter.com/XEmOo5ZKMS</a>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/2048581939930583254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2026</a>
</blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Game 5 is Tuesday night in Boston.Jaylen Brown scored 20 points for the Celtics, who thumped the Sixers by 20-plus points for the second time in the series.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Embiid scored 26 points in 34 minutes just 17 days after having an <a href="https://apnews.com/article/76ers-embiid-appendicitis-26b2f62c0531faa75fa09ff33adaf0be">appendectomy</a>. Embiid wasted little time scoring in his first game since April 6. The two-time NBA scoring champion sank two free throws for the Sixers’ first points of the game, added a monster two-handed jam and scored the team’s first eight points.Embiid withered after the fast start and missed seven straight shots before he converted a three-point play in the third quarter. That cut the Sixers' deficit to 23 points.The Celtics hardly needed much production from Brown or Tatum — they combined for 50 points in a Game 3 win and only 13 in the first half of Game 4 — and used a whopping 14-rebound edge in the first half that sparked a 13-0 shutout in second-chance points to build a 21-point lead.Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points for the Sixers.Embiid had an appendectomy in Houston on April 9 after Philadelphia’s star big man was stricken with appendicitis overnight. He returned to the court Sunday wearing a protective brace around his midsection and was cleared to play about 40 minutes before the scheduled tipoff.Whatever emotional lift he provided lasted only minutes into the first quarter.Pritchard, who adjusted his game, first as a starter and then by returning to the bench role that earned him Sixth Man of the Year honors last season, buried a long 3 on one leg to end the first quarter and give Boston a 34-18 lead. Embiid made 3 of 5 shots in the first quarter while the rest of the Sixers missed 10 of 13 shots.The Celtics won Game 1 by 32 points and the Sixers responded with a surprise 111-97 win in Boston in Game 2. Maxey scored 31 points and shot the Sixers into a fourth-quarter lead in Game 3 before Tatum and Brown took over down the stretch for the Celtics in a 108-100 victory.There were some questions about how <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jayson-tatum-celtics-debut-7d53a8eb7eaf0770f597195da9c2e83b">Tatum’s return in early Marc</a> h from the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/celtics-offseason-jayson-tatum-nba-2b466863560915055dfe580bff606f00">ruptured Achilles tendon</a> he suffered in the playoffs last May would affect the flow of a group that had learned to adjust and thrive without the six-time All-Star.Instead, Tatum has reacclimated himself in short order and the Celtics are dominating like a team that feels as though the East will go through Boston.Embiid's gutsy return mattered little, and now the Celtics can clinch the series at home and wait for the winner of the Atlanta Hawks-New York Knicks series.___AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a>

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates with Payton Pritchard #11 against the Philadelphia 76ers during game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 108-100.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35403271/related

Celtics spoil Embiid's return to go up 3-1 on 76ers

TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — Carson Hocevar ensured the Talladega Superspeedway fans who witnessed his ...

TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — Carson Hocevar ensured the Talladega Superspeedway fans who witnessed his first <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nascar-racing">NASCAR Cup Series</a> win would remember it.After outdueling Chris Buescher with a last-lap pass Sunday, Hocevar celebrated <a href="https://x.com/NASCARONFOX/status/2048539982718189617?s=20">with one of NASCAR's most unconventional victory laps</a>. While sitting on the windowsill of his No. 77 Chevrolet to salute the crowd with fist pumps and waves, the lanky Hocevar managed to keep his left hand on the wheel while driving down the frontstretch.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Iconic. Carson Hocevar celebrates at Talladega hanging out the window. <a href="https://t.co/Na2Qf3EPuE">pic.twitter.com/Na2Qf3EPuE</a>— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASCARONFOX/status/2048539982718189617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a>
</blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>He steered the car nose-first into the outside wall to perform a burnout before climbing onto the roof.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"He looked like Shamu hanging out the window," said Jeff Dickerson, a co-owner of Hocevar's Spire Motorsports car.The unique revelry was appropriate for the rising star <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-michael-jordan-carson-hocevar-aa5663e6a48b4d143538673c41940328">who has made headlines by angering veterans with aggressive moves</a>."I've had this thought up for a while," Hoecvar said after becoming the 13th driver to earn his first Cup win at Talladega. "I've messed it up every which way to not be able to do it. I was going to figure out how to do it. It took me a while."I'm so thankful. This is the biggest dream I've ever thought of. Thank you, everybody. I couldn't have done it any better way."Hocevar joined Ty Gibbs (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-bristol-ty-gibbs-dd8ea72a4b491d8db1fa9d20ad561e4f">who won two weeks ago at Bristol Motor Speedway</a>), as the second first-time winner this season by winning his 91st start in NASCAR's premier series.The 23-year-old from Portage, Michigan, used a drafting push from Alex Bowman's No. 48 Chevrolet to edge past Buescher's No. 17 Ford by 0.114 seconds.Buescher had been getting drafting help from Erik Jones, who spun after contact from Hocevar while battling for second with seven laps remaining. Jones' No. 43 Toyota stalled to bring out the final yellow and set up a three-lap shootout in which Buescher and Hocevar ran side by side virtually all the way to the checkered flag."That was a fun race," Buescher said. "I felt really good where we were at coming off Turn 4. Felt like we were in a spot to take this Ford Mustang into victory lane. Man, it was close."Bowman finished third (his best finish <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-bowman-vertigo-bristol-d08cd42b36bff968753470092158cdb3">since missing four races with vertigo</a>), followed by Chase Elliott and Zane Smith."To be blunt, it just feels good to get out of here without crashing," Bowman said. "I'm getting old and don't have much of that left in me. Glad to get out of here clean."Big wreckWith tight packs at nearly 200 mph, Talladega is known for massive wrecks, and some contact at the front involved 26 of the 40 cars in the field.Bubba Wallace was leading on Lap 115 when he lost control of his No. 23 Toyota on a push by the No. 1 Chevrolet of Ross Chastain. Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson were among those eliminated from contention in the crash, along with Wallace, who finished outside the top 30 for the third time in five races."It's a bummer," said the 23XI Racing driver, who was making his 300th Cup start. "But we've got to figure out how to be pushed better, so I take responsibility on that. And we'll have a good debrief and figure out what we can do to make our Toyotas a little bit better at being pushed and maybe not have that happen."Mileage still mattersIn an attempt to blunt the fuel conservation strategies that have become prevalent at superspeedways, NASCAR instituted a 98-lap first stage that covered more than half the race distance (which is typically the length of the final stage). The change resulted in an opening segment that ran for 85 minutes under green as drivers cautiously raced well below their maximum speeds to achieve optimum mileage.They opened the second stage at full throttle, and the big pileup erupted only 10 laps later."It's frustrating," Logano said. "What do you want? Save fuel or crash? Pick one. That's what it feels like right now. You've got round bumpers on these things. The cars are unstable. And once everyone starts pushing and racing aggressive, it's going to happen. So until we fix that stuff, we're going to continue seeing it, unfortunately."New dealPoints leader Tyler Reddick <a href="https://x.com/NASCARONFOX/status/2048474639735878021?s=20">announced on the Fox prerace show</a> that he had finalized a multi-year contract extension with 23XI Racing. Team co-owner Denny Hamlin <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-martinsville-elliott-hamlin-da4e7412cdbe79a570e17593d9eff2b9">recently had guaranteed the return of Reddick</a>, who has 10 of his 13 career wins (including five this season) since joining 23XI Racing in 2023."Excited to have it all done and be able to continue building on what we've done," Reddick said. "Just really glad that myself and 23XI were able to get to a good place and get the deal done. So I'll be here for hopefully a long time."Up nextThe NASCAR Cup Series will race May 3 at Texas Motor Speedway, the lone stop this season at the 1.5-mile oval near Fort Worth. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-texas-penske-logano-3d9d9da3488849b4bf2a3f0ed8a04b71">Joey Logano won at Texas last year</a>, the most recent Cup victory for the three-time series champion.___AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>

TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Chili's Ride the 'Dente Chevrolet, poses with the winner sticker on his car in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35402079/related

Hocevar earns 1st Cup Series victory with last-lap pass at Talladega

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks in his return...

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks in his return from a concussion and the San Antonio Spurs took a 3-1 lead in their first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers with a 114-93 victory on Sunday.De’Aaron Fox added 28 points for the Spurs, who will return home for Game 5 on Tuesday night.The Spurs announced about an hour before the game that Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 Defensive Player of the Year, would play <a href="https://apnews.com/article/victor-wembanyama-spurs-trail-blazers-nba-playoffs-ac2c32bf8e9916a453eafad06d21f119">after clearing the league’s concussion protocol</a>.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Spurs trailed the Blazers by 17 points at the half, but the game was knotted at 74 going into the fourth quarter. Fox and Keldon Johnson hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Spurs up 90-77 with 7:14 left.Johnson’s dunk with 4:31 remaining made it 101-81 for San Antonio and all but sealed the win.Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 26 points. There was tense moment with 2:13 left when Avdija and Stephon Castle exchanged shoves. They were given offsetting technical fouls.Wembanyama sustained a concussion in the first half of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-spurs-score-3d9f5778a1088a9b305b93b62ba621b1">San Antonio’s 106-103 loss</a> on Tuesday and was unavailable Friday night for Game 3. But the Spurs rallied in the third quarter and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/spurs-trail-blazers-score-cc5369b365af408fdaaf82773c409566">won 120-108</a> to take the series lead.Wembanyama, who was listed as questionable going into the game, started and drew gasps from the crowd at the Moda Center with an emphatic dunk with 9:58 to go in the first half.Portland went ahead 45-28 in the first half on an 18-3 run. Robert Williams III dunked before a pair of quick 3-pointers from Jerami Grant and Scoot Henderson. Avdija capped the run with a fadeaway jumper.The Blazers led by as many as 19 in the half and were ahead 58-41 at the break.Castle, who had 33 points in San Antonio’s Game 3 win, appeared to injure his left hand in the first half but returned.The Spurs went on a 13-0 run to open the second half and closed the gap to 58-54 as the Blazers went cold. Devin Vassell’s jumper with 4:38 tied it at 62 for the Spurs. He hit another to put San Antonio in front.___AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/NBA</a>

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 26: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during Round 1 Game 4 of the 2026 Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35401203/related

Spurs erase 19-point deficit vs. Blazers to take 3-1 series lead

HOUSTON (AP) — Nelly Korda won The Chevron Championship on Sunday with a performance worthy of he...

HOUSTON (AP) — Nelly Korda won The Chevron Championship on Sunday with a performance worthy of her return to No. 1 in women's golf.Staked to a five-shot lead at the start, Korda was efficient as ever and no one could get closer than four shots all afternoon at Memorial Park. She closed with a 2-under 70 for a five-shot victory to capture the third major of her career.The victory was her 17th on the LPGA and 21st worldwide, and it was enough for the 27-year-old American star to move back to the top of the women's world ranking for the first time since August.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Korda not only won wire-to-wire, it was never really a contest. She hit 5-iron to 5 feet for birdie on her 16th hole of the opening round Thursday to take the lead and never trailed again.As easy as Korda made it look, it felt like a struggle.“That was a hard weekend,” she said. “Honestly, having that big of a lead, it’s not easy. It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to do mentally. ... Just happy to get it done."She celebrated in the best manner possible — a cannon ball into the 4 1/2-foot pool built to the right of the 18th green to keep with the tradition at this major that dates to 1988 when the winner jumped into Poppie's Pond at Mission Hills in the California desert.Korda's lead was four shots after a tentative three-putt bogey on the 12th. She followed by hitting wedge to 2 feet on the 13th, and then hammered a 3-wood just short of the green on the par-5 14th for a simple up-and-down for her final birdie.She joined Juli Inkster (1989) and Amy Alcott (1991), both at Nabisco Dinah Shore, as the only players in the last 50 years to win LPGA majors when leading by multiple shots after each round.And by the look of it, Korda might just be getting started on another stellar season. She has played in the final group all five tournaments she has played this year, winning the season opener and the first major, finishing runner-up in the other three.About the only drama in the final hour — all weekend, really — was whether Korda could break Dottie Pepper's 72-hole scoring record that has stood since 1999. Korda was playing it safe with a big lead, hitting to the fat of the green and settling for pars, along with another three-putt bogey.She finished at 18-under 270, one short of Pepper's record at Mission Hills.Korda made a 25-foot birdie putt on the 12th hole Friday, and didn't make another putt over 10 feet the rest of the week. That included a trio of 4-foot misses that kept it from being a blowout.But that was part of Korda's new outlook. Don't worry about mistakes, knowing she could make up for them, and she did.‘What I was telling myself was I really want to hoist this trophy because I want to show the kids at home that it’s OK to miss short putts and still win a major championship," she said with a laugh. "You’re going to make mistakes. You have to mentally still be in it 100%, and that’s really what I wanted show.“I wanted to show it to myself and I wanted to show it everyone looking up to me.”Ruoning Yin (69) and Patty Tavatanakit (70) tied for second. They were the only ones who could even think about having a chance on Sunday.Tavatanakit walked in a 25-foot birdie on the sixth hole to get within four shots, only to make bogey with a wedge on the par-5 eighth. Yin went 56 consecutive holes without a bogey until making one on the 17th.Korda won $1.35 million for a victory that puts her back as the best in women's golf without any debate. She won seven times in 2024, including a record-tying five in a row she capped off with a victory at The Chevron when it was at Carlton Woods.This was the first time the LPGA's opening major was held at Memorial Park, a big golf course that had been redesigned for the Houston Open on the PGA Tour.

HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Nelly Korda of the United States plays her shot from the fifth tee during the final round of The Chevron Championship 2026 at Memorial Park Golf Course on April 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35400646/related

Korda goes wire to wire at Chevron for 3rd career major title

BOSTON (AP) — Josh Doan had a goal and an assist during Buffalo’s four-goal first-period, and Ale...

BOSTON (AP) — Josh Doan had a goal and an assist during Buffalo’s four-goal first-period, and Alex Lyon stopped 21 shots to lead the Sabres to a 6-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday for a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.Peyton Krebs, Zach Benson and Bowen Byram also scored to help Buffalo open a 4-0 lead against a Boston team that needed a win at home to avoid moving to the brink of elimination. Beck Malenstyn and Alex Tuch scored 84 seconds apart in the third period to make it 6-0 and chase Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman.The Sabres, who won the Atlantic Division to end an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought, can finish off the best-of-seven series in Game 5 on Tuesday night in Buffalo for their first playoff series win since 2007.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Krebs scored 4:17 into the game, Doan’s goal came less than three minutes later and Benson followed two minutes after that. When Byram made it 4-0 just 14:24 into the game, it was Buffalo’s second four-goal period of the series; the Sabres rallied from a 2-0 third-period deficit to win 4-3 in Game 1.The last time the Bruins allowed four goals in the first period of a playoff game, they were facing the Hartford Whalers in the first round of the 1991 postseason. Sean Kuraly scored a short-handed goal in the final minute to avert the Bruins' first shoutout of the season.Swayman stopped 23 shots in 46 minutes, 41 seconds for Boston, which returned to the postseason under first-year coach Marco Sturm after a one-year absence. Joonas Korpisalo stopped all six shots he faced the rest of the way.Buffalo’s power-play woes continued — sort of. After failing to score on their first 13 man advantages in the series — and their last 22 in the regular season — the Sabres’ second goal came just after a Boston penalty expired, but before Viktor Arvidsson had gotten back into play.But they were officially 0 for 2 on the power play, extending their drought to 15 in the series and 37 overall.Up next The Sabres will have a chance to eliminate Boston in Buffalo on Tuesday night, with a Game 6 back at the TD Garden on Friday, if necessary.

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 26: Peyton Krebs #19 of the Buffalo Sabres skates by the bench after opening the scoring during game 4 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Boston Bruins and the Buffalo Sabres on April 26, 2026, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35400024/related

Sabres wallop Bruins to take 3-1 series lead

LONDON (AP) — Sabastian Sawe of Kenya has become the first person to break the fabled 2-hour barr...

LONDON (AP) — Sabastian Sawe of Kenya has become the first person to break the fabled 2-hour barrier in an official marathon.In a huge, once-inconceivable moment in sports history, Sawe smashed the men’s world record by 65 seconds in winning the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday.“What comes today is not for me alone,” Sawe said of his extraordinary feat, “but for all of us today in London.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Remarkably, the second-place finisher, Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia, also dipped under 2 hours by crossing the line in 1:59:41 in his first-ever marathon, while Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda broke the previous world-record time - set by Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in 2023 - by seven seconds, finishing in 2:00:28.The 29-year-old Sawe, who retained his title in London, said it was a “day to remember for me” and thanked the huge crowds who lined the streets of the British capital to cheer him on.“I think they help a lot,” he said, “because if it was not for them you don’t feel like you are so loved ... with them calling, you feel so happy and strong.”In an exhilarating sight, Sawe ran quicker as the race went on, covering the second half of the marathon in 59 minutes and 1 second. He pulled clear with Kejelcha after 30 kilometers and then made his solo break in the final two kilometers, sprinting along the finish on The Mall to loud cheers.Under two hours has been done before — unofficiallyBreaking two hours in a marathon has been a long time coming - and has been done before.However, when Eliud Kipchoge - the Kenyan long-distance great - achieved the feat in Vienna in 2019, it was in a specially tailored race called the 1.59 Challenge that was arranged by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe in favorable conditions, on a 6-mile (9.6-kilometer) circuit, and using rotating pacemakers.That meant it wasn’t classed as an official race setting, so Kipchoge’s time of 1:59:40 didn’t go in the record book.In any case, Sawe surpassed that time by 10 seconds on a mostly flat course across London in dry, sunny conditions.“The goalposts have literally just moved for marathon running,” Paula Radcliffe, a former winner of the London Marathon, said during commentary of the race for the BBC.At the turn of the century, the world’s best time for the men’s marathon was 2:05:42, set by Khalid Khannouchi in Chicago in 1999.Khannouchi broke his own record by four seconds in 2002 - the last time the fastest men’s marathon was run in London - and it has been whittled down gradually over the last 24 years by a succession of Kenyan and Ethiopian runners, including Haile Gebrselassie, Wilson Kipsang, Kipchoge and most recently Kiptum.Assefa wins fastest-ever women’s-only marathonA record was also set in the women’s race, with Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa pulling away with about 500 meters remaining to win in 2:15:41 to defend the title in the fastest-ever time in a women’s-only marathon.However, it was 16 seconds slower than the course record set by Paula Radcliffe in 2003 when it was a mixed race.___AP sports: <a href="https://apnews.com/sports">https://apnews.com/sports</a>

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 26: Sabastian Sawe of Team Kenya celebrates crossing the line and winning with a new World Record time during the Men’s 2026 TCS London Marathon on April 26, 2026 in London, England.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35393793/related

Kenya's Sawe 1st to run sub-2-hour marathon to win in London

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago in February,...

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago in February, they expected to get a strong defender and savvy offensive player. If he wants to be an elite scorer, they’ll take that, too.Dosunmu scored a career-high 43 points, stepping up after leg injuries to Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo with the highest-scoring playoff performance by a reserve in 50 years, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 112-96 on Saturday night to take a 3-1 series lead.“Ayo was just out of this world, man,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “Just play after play after play.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Dosunmu made 13 of 17 shots, going 5 of 5 from 3-point range, and all 12 of his free throws in a season-high 42 minutes.“He goes places quick. He’s an unbelievable finisher. He makes big shots,” Finch said. “He’s not afraid. Just was going to ride him until he collapsed, really.”<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
AYO DOSUNMU GIVES WOLVES 3-1 LEAD WITH NIGHT FOR THE AGES. 🔥 43 PTS, most he's scored in NBA 🔥 13-17 FGM, 5-5 3PM, 12-12 FTM 🔥 68 PTS in Games 3+4 Dosunmu is the first player since Steph Curry in 2016 to score 40+ off the bench in the NBA Playoffs presented by <a href="https://twitter.com/Google?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Google</a>! <a href="https://t.co/myApdo2aRg">pic.twitter.com/myApdo2aRg</a>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/2048249572397363709?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>It was the best performance by a sub since Fred Brown scored 45 off the bench for Seattle in a 116-111 loss to Phoenix on April 15, 1976.“I know it sounds cliche, but I can’t and won’t take this moment for granted,” Dosunma said, “because I understand how long and how hard it is to get here.”The game ended with the ejections of Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Minnesota’s Julius Randle after Jokic became angry when Jaden McDaniels made a meaningless layup with 2.1 seconds remaining and confronted the Wolves’ swingman near his bench.Jamal Murray led Denver with 30 points. Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. The Nuggets were just 6 for 27 from 3-point range.The Wolves have won the last three games and can end the series in Game 5 on Monday night in Denver.“I expect us to have a great effort in Game 5,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “I really trust our two best players will find a rhythm, and they have to find that at home.”Jokic and Murray were 6 of 24 from the field in the second half.“We had the opportunity to score easier, get open looks, and we didn’t,” Jokic said. “And in the fourth quarter the momentum is on their side. They were making shots, they were playing with some energy and we didn’t have that.”The Nuggets led by seven in the third quarter before the Timberwolves used a disruptive defense to get back into the game. Bones Hyland and Dosunmu scored breakaway layups on consecutive possessions after Minnesota forced the Nuggets to turn it over near halfcourt — two of nine second-half turnovers for the Nuggets.Randle added a steal and fast-break dunk to put the Wolves up by four after three quarters.Dosunmu had another steal and layup as part of a 9-0 run early in the fourth quarter that gave Minnesota a 95-82 lead. The basket that pushed the lead into double digits was a 3-pointer by 38-year-old Mike Conley, who played 20 minutes while filling in for DiVincenzo and Edwards.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 25: Ayo Dosunmu #13 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates during the game against the Denver Nuggets during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35392239/related

Dosunmu's career night lifts resilient T-Wolves to 3-1 lead over Nuggets

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang each scored goals and the three-time Stanley Cu...

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang each scored goals and the three-time Stanley Cup champion teammates are headed back to Pittsburgh after they helped the Penguins avoid a first-round series sweep with a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 on Saturday night.Game 5 is Monday in Pittsburgh."It's only one," Crosby said. "But I think it gives us some life. That looked more like our game."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Rickard Rakell also scored, and Connor Dewar sealed the win with a late empty-netter for the Penguins. Penguins coach Dan Muse made the right call with the season on the line to bench starting goalie Stuart Skinner in favor of Arturs Silovs, who responded with 25 saves."I thought he played great," Muse said. "Big saves. I got a lot of confidence in both guys."The 38-year-old Crosby, a career-long foil for the Flyers, not only scored his first goal of the series, but he also set a savvy screen in the third period on defenseman Travis Sanheim that allowed Letang to have a clean look when he ripped his first goal of the series past Dan Vladar for a 3-1 lead.The goal was crucial after Travis Konecny scored to make it 3-2 and ignite the "Let's go Flyers!" chants that had largely been dormant with the Flyers down early.The Penguins received a solid effort from Silovs in the net after Skinner was ineffective with three losses and an .873 save percentage. Silovs, who went 19-12-8 this season, made his 11th career playoff start; the previous 10 came with Vancouver in 2023-24 when it was coached by Rick Tocchet.Tocchet worked wonders with the Flyers in his first season on the bench and it was his fiery postgame speech after an overtime win in March that sparked an R-rated rallying cry.The Flyers winked at the unprintable battle cry and gave away Game 4 T-shirts to every fan that read: "Puck Everybody."Crosby said, not tonight.Crosby scored on a one-timer against Vladar only 5 seconds into a power play late in the first period for a 1-0 lead.Vladar, voted the Bobby Clarke team MVP, stayed in the lineup after he suffered an unspecified arm injury in Game 3. Vladar took off both days of the series break and showed no sign of any physical discomfort.Vladar, incredulously, let a mental gaffe cost the Flyers a goal only 63 seconds into the second period when he misplayed the puck behind the net. Well out of place, an aggressive Rakell jostled the puck free and poked in an empty-netter for the 2-0 lead for Pittsburgh’s first multigoal lead of the series."Nobody’s perfect," Vladar said.Denver Barkey deflected Trevor Zegras’ shot past Silvos, who had 25 saves, that cut it to 2-1 with 4:20 left in the second period. Barkey and Zegras are roommates — and jelled just as well as linemates.They can now mull over what went wrong on the plane ride back to Pittsburgh. The Flyers won three straight games seven times this season but hadn’t won four straight games since February 2024."I like the fight back," Tocchet said. "That’s a good hockey team over there. It’s hard to win every game."NHL playoff history is still against Crosby and the Penguins. Only four teams that trailed 3-0 in a seven-game series have come all the way back to win — the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders, 2010 Philadelphia Flyers and 2014 Los Angeles Kings.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 25: Kris Letang #58 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with Sidney Crosby #87 and Rickard Rakell #67 after scoring a goal on Dan Vladar (not pictured) #80 of the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period in Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 25, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35391965/related

Penguins win Game 4 to stave off elimination vs. Flyers

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Matt Boldy scored on a deflection with 28.9 seconds left in the first over...

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Matt Boldy scored on a deflection with 28.9 seconds left in the first overtime and the Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 on Saturday in Game 4 on Saturday to tie the first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series.Jared Spurgeon took a shot that Boldy, unmarked in front of the net, tipped with his stick shaft to guide the puck past goalie Jake Oettinger after the Wild lost Game 3 in double overtime.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
MATT BOLDY WINS IT FOR THE WILD <a href="https://t.co/JiqwuT0MKO">pic.twitter.com/JiqwuT0MKO</a>— x - Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) <a href="https://twitter.com/mnwild/status/2048205915753468374?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Boldy, who had a goal waved off in regulation when teammate Joel Eriksson Ek pushed Miro Heiskanen into Oettinger and another discounted in overtime because he made a kicking motion at the puck, has three goals in the series.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Game 5 is in Dallas on Tuesday night.Marcus Foligno tied it for the Wild on a second-effort tip-in with 5:20 left in the third period, and Jesper Wallstedt made 43 saves.Jason Robertson and Heiskanen scored on the only two regulation power plays for the Stars, who continued their special teams mastery of the Wild and are 8 for 19 in the series.Oettinger stopped 40 shots in another steely performance in his home state.Brock Faber had the first goal for the Wild, who were again without first-line right wing Mats Zuccarello due to an upper-body injury that occurred in Game 1 and felt his absence on their flagging power play. The Wild were 0 for 4 in regulation, with just one goal in their last 15 opportunities.Seconds after a near-miss by Wyatt Johnston during a scrum around the Wild goal, Nico Sturm’s shot took a fluky bounce off the end boards toward the goal mouth as Foligno jarred it loose from Oettinger and poked it in as he tumbled over the top of the goalie’s shoulder.The power-play disparity has been the difference, much like in the first round in 2023 when Dallas downed Minnesota in six games.Ryan Hartman, long one of the Wild’s most-penalized players, was whistled for goaltender interference just 4:31 into the game. Robertson responded by snapping in a rebound after Matt Duchene — who has seven points in four games — muscled a shot from just outside the crease that ricocheted off Wallstedt.The Stars, who are playing without top center Roope Hintz, have managed to get shots through the screens and attack the net far more effectively.After the Wild had two empty power plays in the first period with just three seconds between them, the home crowd that has seen this script many times before booed the last group off the ice.Even strength is where the Wild must live if they’re going to mount a comeback. They’re up 9-4 in 5-on-5 goals, including Faber’s wrister that tied it later in the first period by glancing off Heiskanen’s glove.Wallstedt has been a bulwark all series. The Wall of St. Paul thwarted plenty more prime chances, but playing 4-on-5 doesn’t help. After Faber took a high-sticking penalty, Heiskanen zipped a shot from the slot that eluded Wallstedt’s shoulder and scraped the top of the net.Stars defenseman Nils Lundkvist left during the second period after taking an inadvertent skate to the face by Michael McCarron as Lundkvist was being called for tripping McCarron.

ST PAUL, MINNESOTA - APRIL 25: Matt Boldy #12 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal while Jake Oettinger #29 of the Dallas Stars looks on during overtime of Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Grand Casino Arena on April 25, 2026 in St Paul, Minnesota.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35389984/related

Boldy tips winner in final minute of OT as Wild even series vs. Stars

PHOENIX (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42 points in a brilliant shooting performance, Ajay...

PHOENIX (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42 points in a brilliant shooting performance, Ajay Mitchell added 15 in place of the injured Jalen Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 121-109 on Saturday to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round series.Gilgeous-Alexander — the league’s reigning MVP — hit 15 of 18 shots on a variety of tough looks, frustrating a Suns defense that actually played decently for much of the game. Alex Caruso added 13 points off the bench while Chet Holmgren had 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
SGA ERUPTED WITH EFFICIENCY 🤯 42 PTS (15-18 FGM) 8 AST Along with setting his career-high for points in a postseason game, SGA became the first player in Thunder franchise history to score 40+ PTS on 80%+ shooting in a postseason game! Thunder win Game 3 to take 3-0 series… <a href="https://t.co/1lXBvfXPGB">pic.twitter.com/1lXBvfXPGB</a>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/2048165626808529262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2026</a>
</blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>The defending champion Thunder will go for the sweep in Game 4 on Monday in Phoenix.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 33 points on 11-of-21 shooting while Jalen Green added 26.Oklahoma City took an 87-79 lead after three quarters and never trailed in the fourth. Gilegous-Alexander hit a difficult fallaway 19-foot jumper to put the Thunder up 102-87 with about five minutes left, deflating the Suns crowd and pretty much ending any hope for a comeback.The Thunder were leading 69-60 early in the third quarter when Suns guard Devin Booker hurt his left ankle on a drive to the basket. He stayed on the floor for a few seconds in obvious pain before getting up and hobbling back to the locker room.The five-time All-Star returned a few minutes later to huge cheers from the home crowd, making a short baseline jumper and a 3-pointer to cut the Thunder’s lead to 75-69.Oklahoma City scored the next six points to turn back the rally. Booker finished with 16 points and seven assists.The Suns took an early 24-15 lead but the Thunder erased the deficit in a hurry, hitting four 3-pointers during a 16-3 run. The game was tight throughout the rest of the first half with Oklahoma City surging ahead late in the second quarter for a 62-53 lead.Gilgeous-Alexander made all seven of his shots before the break to lead the Thunder with 17 points. Brooks scored 13 for the Suns.The Thunder were without Williams, the high-scoring guard who hurt his left hamstring in Game 2. Mitchell started in his place and shot just 5 of 20 from the field, but added six rebounds and two assists.The Suns were without center Mark Williams (foot) and guard Jordan Goodwin (calf). Grayson Allen returned from a hamstring injury and scored seven points in 17 minutes.___AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/NBA</a>

PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 25: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 and Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma City Thunder high five during the game against the Phoenix Suns during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/35385632/related

Thunder take 3-0 series stranglehold on Suns

https://rich-content.thescore.com/authors/the-associated-press/content_cards