Boom, roasted

The GIST: The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is officially in the books and only two Canadian teams remain as the conference semis get underway. Heartbreak feels good in a place like this.

Game 7s weekend recap: Somebody check on Justin Bieber because the Toronto Maple Leafs once again lost in devastating fashion, suffering a 2–1 overtime (OT) loss to their archrivals, the Boston Bruins, on Saturday. The Buds started the scoring in the third period, but the Bruins responded a minute later, with right winger David Pastrňák ultimately delivering the OT game-winner.

• With eyes on another big offseason, the question is: is it finally time to break up the Maple Leafs’ core? Considering Saturday marked the team’s sixth straight Game 7 loss dating back to 2013, change seems imminent as Toronto hopes to end their 57-year Stanley Cup drought.

• Elsewhere, the Dallas Stars eliminated the reigning champion Vegas Golden Knights, winning last night’s Game 7 2–1 in front of their home crowd. Center Radek Faksa lit the lamp early in the third period, sending the Stars into a second-round meeting with the Colorado Avalanche.

Second round preview: The Presidents’ Trophy–winning NY Rangers are still undefeated this postseason following last night’s 4–3 Game 1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The Metropolitan Division foes clash again from the Big Apple in Game 2 tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET.

• The Bruins, meanwhile, will dress for revenge as they head to the Sunshine State to face the Florida Panthers in Game 1 tonight at 8 p.m. ET.

• As for those two remaining Canadian teams, the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers will meet for their first playoff battle since 1992. The Canucks swept the regular-season series, but don’t count out Connor McDavid’s squad, who put up a flurry of goals in the first round. The Game 1 action begins Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET.

The GIST: With an epic first round done and dusted, the NBA conference semifinals have arrived and are already bringing the early upsets. No more horsing around.

Eastern Conference: In the latest example that the 90s are so back, the NY Knicks and Indiana Pacers face off in Game 1 tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET. Jalen Brunson’s gritty Big Apple squad has been setting the pace, but can NY’s battered roster shut down Indy’s resident Hercules, Tyrese Haliburton? TBD.

• Elsewhere, the Cleveland Cavaliers punched their first semis ticket since LeBron James departed in 2018, defeating the Orlando Magic 106–94 in Game 7 yesterday.

• The reward for Donovan Mitchell’s heroics? A matchup with the regular-season best (and well-rested) Boston Celtics, starting in Boston tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET.

Western Conference: Anthony Edwards scored 43 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a feisty Game 1 win over the defending champion Denver Nuggets on Saturday — no small feat in the Mile High arena. Now trailing in a playoff series for the first time since 2022, the Nugs will try to defend home court tonight at 10 p.m. ET.

• Then tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. ET, rising stars will collide when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder host Luka Dončić’s Dallas Mavericks. Two MVP contenders facing off in the second round? Say less.