Draisaitl scores in OT, Oilers beat the Panthers in overtime in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl scored on the power play in overtime, Stuart Skinner made 29 saves and the Edmonton Oilers erased a multigoal deficit to beat the defending champion Florida Panthers 4-3 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final rematch. After Tomas Nosek’s penalty for putting the puck over the glass, Draisaitl’s goal 19:29 into OT sent the home fans into a frenzy and made sure the Oilers would not start this series like they did a year ago, when they fell behind three games to none.
Trump’s support of Rose among the voices Manfred listened to in ruling MLB ban ended with death
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump’s support of Pete Rose was among the factors Major Legaue Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred weighed when he decided last month that permanent bans by the sport ended with death, which allows the career hits leader to be considered for the Hall of Fame. Manfred announced the new interpretation on May 13, a decision that allows Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson to be considered for a Hall committee vote in December 2027. Manfred also said computer technology to appeal ball/strike calls could be in place for the 2026 regular season.
French Open: Novak Djokovic beats Alexander Zverev to set up a semifinal showdown with Jannik Sinner
PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic has eliminated 2024 runner-up Alexander Zverev in the French Open quarterfinals 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Djokovic’s victory Wednesday night allowed him to reach his 51st Grand Slam semifinal and move two wins away from his record 25th major trophy. Next up is a showdown for Djokovic on Friday against No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Sinner beat No. 62 Alexander Bublik 6-1, 7-5, 6-0 earlier Wednesday. Not only hasn’t Sinner ceded a set yet, he only has dropped a total of 36 games through five matches over the past 1 1/2 weeks. The other men’s semifinal will be Carlos Alcaraz against Lorenzo Musetti.
Pacers, Thunder got to the NBA Finals fueled by doubters. A title will give 1 team the last laugh
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — In these NBA Finals, a team is four wins away from getting the last laugh. Ask anyone on the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers if they’re still fueled by doubters, and the answer is probably going to be an immediate “yes.” Thunder star and NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went 11th in his draft. Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton went 12th in his. Both sides have undrafted players in their rotation. Here they are: The NBA Finals, which start Thursday night in Oklahoma City. The Thunder have, by far, the NBA’s best record this season. The Pacers have the league’s second-best record since Jan. 1, including playoffs. And both teams have rolled through the postseason.
Suns hire Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott as head coach, AP source says
PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns have hired Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott as their head coach, opting for a young, emerging leader to rebuild a franchise that has regressed over the past few seasons. That’s according to a person familiar with the search who spoke Wednesday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the hire hasn’t officially been announced. Ott will be the team’s fourth head coach in four seasons and replaces Mike Budenholzer, who was fired following a miserable 36-46 season. The 40-year-old Ott has worked for the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and the Cavaliers.
Knicks shed stability of Thibodeau era by seeking a new coach after they had gotten good
NEW YORK (AP) — Tom Thibodeau’s firing brought back some of the confusion and chaos the New York Knicks had seemingly left behind. After an era of stability and more success than they had enjoyed in a quarter of a century, the Knicks opened a coaching search few could have predicted when they fired Thibodeau on Tuesday. Coaching searches weren’t unusual in New York for much of the 2000s, but the Knicks weren’t winning then. This time, they had just reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years before losing to Rick Carlisle’s Pacers, and were an early favorite to do it again next year. So changing course brought swift and strong reaction.
Atwood’s hit on intentional walk attempt gives Texas a 2-1 win over Texas Tech in WCWS finals opener
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Reese Atwood hit a go-ahead, two-run single for Texas when Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady was trying to walk her intentionally in the sixth inning, and the Longhorns beat the Red Raiders 2-1 in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series finals. Teagan Kavan pitched a three-hitter for Texas, which can secure its first national title with a victory in Game 2 on Thursday night. Texas Tech would have to win two straight to claim its first championship in its first WCWS appearance. The Red Raiders scored with the help of an obstruction call in the fifth inning.
Rory McIlroy explains decision to duck media at PGA, saying he didn’t want to discuss driver issue
CALEDON, Ontario (AP) — Rory McIlroy has explained his decision not to speak to the media during last month’s PGA Championship. McIlroy said Wednesday he was annoyed that news had leaked about his driver failing to pass inspection before the tournament. McIlroy said the results of equipment tests are supposed to be confidential and noted that Scottie Scheffler’s driver had also failed before the championship, but that was not reported until afterward. McIlroy says he didn’t want to discuss his driver or say something he regretted. He also says he was unhappy with his poor play and the long days he spent at Quail Hollow.
FanDuel bans bettor over heckling incident with Olympic champion sprinter Gabby Thomas
A sports bettor who heckled Olympic champion sprinter Gabby Thomas during a Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia has been banned by the betting site FanDuel Sportsbook. In a statement sent Wednesday to The Associated Press, FanDuel wrote that it “condemns in the strongest terms abusive behavior directed towards athletes.” Thomas finished fourth in a 100-meter race won by Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. The bettor wrote in a social media post that he “made Gabby lose by heckling her. And it made my parlay win.” He posted a picture of his parlay that had Jefferson-Wooden winning the 100. Thomas, the 200-meter Olympic champion at the Paris Games last summer, explained the heckling incident on X.
Why bettors are avoiding the favored Thunder in the NBA Finals
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder are such heavy favorites to win the NBA title that many bettors are looking for other wagers instead. Professional bettors, in particular, have searched out player propositions and hit the under on the totals rather than take the Thunder at -700 at BetMGM Sportsbook or -650 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Indiana is listed at +500 at BetMGM and +475 at DraftKings for the NBA Finals that open Thursday. The Thunder have won seven games this postseason by double digits, four by at least 30 points.