High-stakes postseason action continues across PWHL, NHL, and NBA

The GIST: There’s no season quite like the postseason, especially after last night’s triple-header of Game 1s in the PWHL, NHL, and NBA. The stakes couldn’t be higher — let’s dive in.

🔥 Ottawa Charge take Game 1 in overtime (OT): Charge forward Emily Clark found the back of the net just three minutes into OT, securing a hard-fought 2–1 Game 1 dub over the Minnesota Frost last night. Ottawa — specifically netminder Gwyneth Philips — have been dominant on home ice during the franchise’s first-ever postseason, winning all three games at TD Place.

• The best-of-five series continues from Canada’s capital tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET, with the Charge looking to deFrost Minnesota once more. But it won’t be easy, especially considering the top four playoff point scorers, including friend of The GIST Taylor Heise, wear purple.

🐱 Florida Panthers weather the Carolina Hurricanes: Ultimately, the only stat that matters in hockey is goals — good news for Florida, who had fewer shots, power plays, and faceoff wins than the Canes, but still skated away with a lopsided 5–2 win on the road. Expect an extra spicy Game 2 tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET as the Canes try to avoid repeating history.

• And there’s more hockey where that came from: The puck drops on the Western Conference finals tonight at 8 p.m. ET, with the (completely healthy) Dallas Stars skating for revenge after falling in six games to the Connor McDavid–led Edmonton Oilers this time last year.

⛈️ Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shines: From picking pockets to dropping dimes, the MVP candidate did it all for OKC last night, recording a 31-point, nine-assist masterpiece to top the Minnesota Timberwolves 114–88. Unexpectedly quiet (for him)? Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, who’ll need to match SGA’s energy in tomorrow’s 8:30 p.m. ET Game 2.

• Tonight’s 8 p.m. ET Eastern Conference finals showdown between the NY Knicks and Indiana Pacers is a blast from the past. After last year’s injury-riddled conference semis, this decades-old rivalry is ready to catch fire again. Something about those 90s trends.