Take it to the floor now, woo

The GIST: At long last, the puck drops on Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final tonight at 8 p.m. ET, with the defending champ Florida Panthers taking on the impressive Edmonton Oilers. And if you think you’ve seen this film before, you’re right — here’s two questions ahead of this best-of-seven series rematch.

• P.S. Despite the déjà vu, this was not a popular matchup in our men’s pro hockey bracket challenge: Only 69 GISTers picked Edmonton to win it all, while 27 went with Florida. Bria’s hot on Nicole’s trail for the lead, and this could come down to the wire.

🔁 Can the Panthers become the third team to repeat this century?: Only two squads — the Pittsburgh Penguins (2016, 2017) and Tampa Bay Lightning (2020, 2021) — have won consecutive Cups in the 2000s. As their quest to join them continues, Florida will rely on star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to stay shiny and mid-season addition Brad Marchand to keep on living in the moment.

👀 Can the Oilers end Canada’s 32-year Cup drought?: Much to the dismay of the hockey-loving nation, a Canadian squad has not hoisted the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens did it in 1993. That said, there are a few reasons why that could change: Edmonton’s home-ice advantage, their strong roster, and captain Connor McDavid’s revenge tour.

The GIST: While one recently eliminated team makes headlines for a head-scratching coaching decision, the attention turns to the court, where the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers are gearing up for a championship battle starting tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. ET.

• And for the second straight season, the Finals has red-and-white footprints all over it: Four Canadians — reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort of OKC and Indy’s Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin — will suit up. Let’s hoop.

👟 Indiana Pacers’ Cinderella run continues: The upstart Pacers had already pulled off the biggest upset of the postseason before dismantling the NY Knicks in six conference finals games. And they played their signature style of basketball to do it: fast, relentless, and high-scoring behind a superhuman run from Tyrese Haliburton and Eastern Conference Finals MVP Pascal Siakam.

• However, a big part of Indiana’s success is its depth: The Pacers are one of the best passing teams in the league, leveraging ball movement and selfless play to generate open scoring opportunities. Teamwork does, in fact, make the dream work.

⚡ Anything Indiana can do, OKC can do better: No, really. You already know the Pacers are deep, young, and explosive, but the Thunder are deeper, younger, and more talented. Led by the dynamic duo of SGA and All-NBA third-teamer Jalen Williams, OKC aren’t just good — they may be one of the best teams ever.

• The Thunder haven’t lost four games in any seven-game span this season, and they notched two regular-season wins over these very same Pacers. These young, scrappy, and hungry Finals are a go in three, two, one…

An exclusive McLaren Formula 1 Team fan experience to jumpstart the race weekend in Canada? Priceless. That’s why Mastercard is bringing racing to life at the luxurious Four Seasons Montréal on June 11th.

Here’s what’s up for grabs:

🔥 A fireside chat with a McLaren Formula 1 Team driver

🛞 Hands-on access to racing simulators and the notoriously tricky Batak board

🍷 Snacks and sips on the house

Mastercard’s all about connecting people (like you) to their passions (like racing). Enter here for your chance to kick it in Montréal with Mastercard and McLaren — just don’t forget to pack that Papaya orange.

The GIST: And then there were two. The best-of-three Women’s College World Series (WCWS) championship series begins tonight at 8 p.m. ET, featuring last year’s runner-up, No. 6 seed Texas, vs. No. 12 Texas Tech, fresh off a stunning upset of the sport’s greatest dynasty. Let’s tee it up.

💪 Red Raiders helmed by $1M woman, pitcher NiJaree Canady: ICYMI, Canady is that girl. The two-way star inked a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal exceeding $1M to transfer to Texas Tech from Stanford last season, and it’s more than paid off — she’s led her squad to their first-ever WCWS, let alone championship series appearance, with her nation-leading 0.90 ERA.

• The hurler also helped put an end to No. 2 Oklahoma’s quest to five-peat as national champs, stymieing a signature Sooners comeback attempt in Wednesday’s semis. Kansas City Chiefs QB (and Texas Tech alum) Patrick Mahomes is all of us.

🐂 Longhorns hunting revenge behind their depth: Across the diamond, Texas returns to the title series after falling short to Oklahoma last season. Hitting against Canady is quite the challenge, but the Longhorns boast the NCAA’s second-best batting average, plus a 2-0 record against the Red Raiders this season (although both games notably happened in February).

• And while Texas Tech will almost certainly ride with their, ahem, Lone Star in the circle, Texas counters with a dynamic pitching duo: Teagan Kavan and Mac Morgan have both been stellar, against all odds. Everything’s bigger in Texas Oklahoma City.

Searching for the ultimate McLaren Formula 1 Team fan experience? Look no further: Our pals at Mastercard are hosting an exclusive Mastercard Ultimate McLaren Fan Experience on June 11th at the Four Seasons Montréal — and you could be there to experience it all, including:

🧡 Meeting a McLaren Formula 1 Team driver

🛞 Testing your reflexes on cutting-edge simulators and the infamous Batak board

🥂 Indulging in gourmet bites and drinks

Don’t let this once-in-a-lifetime moment speed by. Hit the gas pedal and enter now for your chance at this luxurious race week experience. Vroom, vroom.