What Every Rangers Fan Should Know About The Playoffs
1. Take it from The Maven who goes back to The Original Six, these playoffs are as intense – and hard-fought – as any from "The Good Old Days."
2. Kudos to Brad Marchand who made his move to Florida look good with the critical OT goal that saved the Panthers last night.
3. My thinking was that overtime would favor the Leafs who were playing with house money in Game Two.
4. Winnipeg could have swooned under all the raves for its miracle win over St. Louis. But Connor Helleybuyck returned to form just in time last night to give the Jets a decisive win. This one could go to seven games.
5. Edmonton's Corey Perry is the pro's pro. Stan Bonman made a genius move getting the hard-nosed winger,
6. His team keeps winning but it strikes me that Connor McDavid has yet to find his highest gear.
7. Calvin Pickard is seeing his first consistent playoff action in seven years and is merely playing out-of-your mind goal. (Another Stan Bowman gem!)
8. Oilers Cup-winning odds, according to The Hockey News Yearbook, went at 11/1. For Vegas it's 18-1.
9. There should be no concern about Joseph Woll in goal for Toronto. He was regarded as the Leafs starter last Fall. And he is right now, whatever happens to Anthony Stolarz.
10. The Maven's only regret about the Leafs is that defenseman Conor Timmins does not hail from Timmins, Ontario. (He's from St. Catherines.)
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New York Times
37 minutes ago
- New York Times
Red Bull's F1 Academy car takes on a bold look ahead of 2025 Canadian Grand Prix
Red Bull Racing's F1 Academy car demands attention. Driven by Alisha Palmowski, it's normally uniform with Red Bull's Formula One RB21 – navy blue, red and yellows etched across the chassis that's similar to a Formula Four challenger. It's simple and static. However, during the upcoming 2025 Canadian Grand Prix weekend, when F1 Academy will serve as F1's support series, movement and vibrancy have been breathed into a bespoke livery for Palmowski's car. It's a design that nods to Canada's history, Palmowski's story and F1 Academy's purpose. Advertisement The red bull on the yellow background is still visible on the air box and nose of the car, but the remainder, designed by Canadian muralist Kirsten McCrea, is in bolder colors — blue for Quebec and red for Canada. A royal blue coats the car's body, while a lighter blue streak stretches across the middle of the car, connecting the bulls. The first sign of movement comes from this section, as yellow dandelion seeds float in the dynamic turquoise. The shapes are inspired by the logo of Expo 67 – the world's fair that celebrated Canada's centennial, and why Île Notre-Dame (now the home of Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve) was built. They symbolize new ideas and dreams taking shape and spreading. At the rear of the car, etched on the wing and around the tires, multiple red rings are spaced out to form a ripple. 'The red ripple at the back, that represents what Alisha is doing,' McCrea explained, 'Like, the ripple effect of women entering fields that they haven't been in before and how that makes it possible for others to even have the imagination and the idea that that's something that they could want for themselves. And the ripple effect that results from a woman succeeding in what has traditionally been a male-dominated field.' Palmowski, who is in her first full-time season in F1 Academy in 2025, echoed a similar sentiment, though putting the spotlight on the championship's impact rather than herself. The inaugural season of the all-women racing series took place in 2023 without F1 team involvement or even live broadcasting. Now, all 10 F1 teams support drivers, broadcasts are aired in more than 160 territories and there's a Netflix docuseries similar to 'Drive to Survive.' There are similarities with the other junior categories, such as Formula Two and Formula Three, in terms of how races are arranged as support on F1 weekends. Advertisement During the Miami Grand Prix weekend last month, at an autograph session, numerous young female fans told Palmowski how she inspired them. To Palmowski, the ripples represent just that — 'the movement that F1 Academy is doing within motorsport in terms of us being role models and increasing female participation within the sport.' Knowing that the F1 Academy car would be a canvas in motion did impact how McCrea created the design. Not only did it need to work while the car was navigating the track at speed, but it also had to be readable at a distance, whether in person or on TV. McCrea's eyes lit up as the rendering of her design popped up on the screen during the exclusive interview with The Athletic. It was the first time she'd seen the drawing mocked up since submitting the final design. McCrea initially began with around 80 different ideas. She looked at past motorsport liveries, drew inspiration from Palmowski's story, and considered whether Palmowski would want to stand out even more in this male-dominated space. But password management company 1Password, a partner of the F1 team and the Red Bull Racing Pepe Jeans Academy Programme, helped McCrea narrow down the concepts as a cohesive story took shape. As Palmowski put it, this design 'represents just a celebration as well of female excellence and talent within sport, design and technology.' 'Without partners like 1Password, I wouldn't even have the opportunity to be on the F1 Academy grid this year,' Palmowski later added. 'They create real chances for young talent, emerging talent, and the next generation of racers, leaders, engineers.' STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) remains one of the fields where women are underrepresented. Data from the World Bank shows that 35 percent of STEM employees in the U.S. identify as women, per the Women Tech Network. But according to a 2024 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission report, the number of women working in the high-tech industry hasn't budged much since 2005. Jeannie De Guzman, 1Password's COO, acknowledged progress being made, though she said 'we're not where we want to be,' and that what is being done in motorsports and tech might help increase the number of women in the STEM workforce. Advertisement 'Seeing that representation, I think, really matters,' she said, touching on watching the Netflix docuseries on F1 Academy with her daughter. 'And so F1 Academy exudes that. So that's really great. The partnership that we have with Alisha's team directly supports that mission of recognition, of letting people know that it exists, that we're investing and that it's going to bring together that next generation of really powerful women, and they need to be there and stay there. 'We're meant to be there.' But barriers to entry remain considerable. Motorsports is one of the most expensive sports in the world, creating an obstacle for many competitors and team employees. But F1 Academy has helped save some drivers' careers. Abbi Pulling mentioned in the docuseries, 'F1: The Academy,' how she might not have been able to compete again without winning the championship in 2024, and she sold merchandise to help pay for her further career (Pulling now competes in the 2025 GB3 championship). In Palmowski's case, Red Bull is providing 'a huge financial backing,' along with the team sponsors such as 1Password. 'We put a lot in as well, by personal sponsorship, by support, travel, hotels,' she said. 'I think I've done 36 flights this year, which is a lot more than I have ever done in my whole life. I know it's not on a par with F1 drivers, but it's still a lot more than I've ever done before. So, it's extremely expensive.' F1 Academy is still only in its third season, but has resulted in tangible progress, as seen by the subsequent driver career progression of Pulling, Bianca Bustamante and Marta García (2023 champion) progressing in their careers. But the series still faces criticism, such as the car's speed perhaps not being the best preparation for the drivers to step up the ladder, or accusations that the series is just a PR push that won't help their development. 'We can see progress being made, and it's because of people that think to invest, to put money where their mouth is, to actually put together programming, having an actual program that has coaches and support system, a series on TV,' De Guzman said. 'This is not just somebody spending a little money to check the box. This is real infrastructure around this. And so I think that today, for example, I am optimistic that, despite the critiques, everything that we do at 1Password, that Alisha's team is doing, is going to continue to bring up that percentage of female individuals in the workforce – whether it's motorsport or tech, to grow.' Advertisement It all starts as a thought, an idea, a dream taking flight — a dandelion seed carried by the wind. For Palmowski, the seeds represent her growth journey in the all-women series over the last few months and the learning curve she navigates lap after lap. And the thing about art is that it carries depth and symbolism, yet people can interpret it in many different ways, finding parts that call to them or tug at their heartstrings. As personal as it is, the livery on her car in Montreal this weekend carries the weight of a movement, not a moment, as F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff always says about the series. 'I want people to look at this car,' McCrea said, 'and look at Alisha and say, 'This is smashing the stereotype of what F1 racing can be.'' (Top image: ???)
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Blue Jays Turn Heads With Announcement After Cardinals Game
Blue Jays Turn Heads With Announcement After Cardinals Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Toronto Blue Jays opened their inter-league series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday with a dramatic 5-4 extra-inning victory in St. Louis. The win improved the Blue Jays to 36-30, keeping them third in the American League East. Advertisement In the bottom of the eighth, reliever Yariel Rodríguez surrendered a three-run homer to Ivan Herrera, giving St. Louis a 4-3 advantage. But the Blue Jays responded in the ninth when No. 9 hitter Jonatan Clase launched a 415-foot, game-tying solo shot off Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley. In the tenth, Alejandro Kirk doubled home Addison Barger (the automatic runner) and Jeff Hoffman shut the door with a clean 1-2-3 inning, securing Toronto's 10th win in 12 games. Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider (14)© Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images Following the victory, the Blue Jays announced on social media that they have recorded twenty comeback wins this season, the most in the American League. Advertisement 'TWENTY COMEBACK WINS! The MOST in the American League 😤,' the team posted on X. The post sparked a wave of responses, as fans wasted no time reacting to the impressive feat: "Damn thats never giving up," one fan wrote. "Fun team 🔥," another fan wrote. "WORLD SERIES BOUND," another fan declared. "And to think they had 25 comeback wins the entire season last year," another fan noted. "THE COMEBACK KIDS," another fan added. Some of Toronto's most notable comebacks include their stunning 7-6, 10-inning win over the Boston Red Sox on May 1, after trailing 6-0, and a 7-6 extra-inning victory in Baltimore on April 13, overcoming a 6-3 deficit. Advertisement The Blue Jays' next challenge comes Tuesday night as they continue the series against the Cardinals. Toronto is looking to extend its winning momentum and further climb the standings, while St. Louis is aiming to split the series and remain competitive in the NL Central. Related: Blue Jays Receive Major Daulton Varsho News Related: Blue Jays Facing Backlash After Announcement Before Phillies Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
'A UFC fight': Tensions rise in Stanley Cup Final as the Panthers get the upper hand on the Oilers
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Things got chippy in the Stanley Cup Final late in Game 3 when the Florida Panthers were well on their way to blowing out the Edmonton Oilers. Brawls ensued, Darnell Nurse and Jonah Gadjovich dropped the gloves, and eight guys got sent to the showers early with misconduct penalties. 'When we get into garbage time, those things happen, and I don't mind when those things happen,' Oilers captain Connor McDavid said. 'It's what good teams do: fight your way out of the rink. I don't mind that in garbage time.' Long before garbage time, Florida took it to Edmonton, with the defending champions dictating their style of play and knocking their opponents off kilter to take a 2-1 series lead with a 6-1 laugher. If more of that continues in Game 4 on Thursday night, it's advantage Panthers because they thrive on making other teams feel uncomfortable. 'We played our game, our style, stuck up for each other when we needed to,' Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said. 'If you have to take a punch, take a punch. If you have to take a cross-check, take a cross-check — a spear, a slash, whatever the case is, you've got to take it.' It should not be surprising that tensions boiled over given the lopsided score in the 10th game in the Cup final between these two teams over the past year. The Oilers and Panthers have grown a healthy distaste for each other with all that familiarity. With that comes plenty of hits, shoves and jabs that lead to slashes, punches and gear strewn all over the ice. The 140 combined penalty minutes in Game 3 were the most in a final since Game 4 between Montreal and Calgary in 1986. 'The game's over with 11 minutes left,' Oilers star Leon Draisaitl said Tuesday after practice. 'Then all hell breaks loose. It's a UFC fight.' The penalties that mattered to the result came early. The Oilers were not shy about criticizing the officiating and the Panthers for allegedly influencing it. Goaltender Stuart Skinner said, 'Some guys are flaking and going down trying to cause penalties,' and Evander Kane questioned some of the calls. 'There seems to be a little bit more attention on our group,' said Kane, who took two minor penalties in the first period alone. 'They seem to get away with it more than we do. It's tough to find the line.' Toeing that line is what the Panthers do best, and it is a recipe that has them in the final for a third consecutive year under coach Paul Maurice, who credited Tkachuk for having 'a little bit more impact on the tenacity of the team than the guy who wears a suit behind the bench and never takes a shift.' Florida's roster is full of truculence with talent to match. Sam Bennett delivered a big, open-ice hit that led to his breakaway and playoff-leading 14th goal, and finishing checks on John Klingberg has hampered the veteran defenseman's play in the series compared to the first three rounds. 'That's part of their DNA, that's what they do,' Draisaitl said. 'It's an emotional time. It's two teams that want to win, two teams of doing it their own way, but I don't think anybody is going crazy here. They're good at what they do.' Maurice did not buy into the idea that Game 3 was the Panthers showing what they can do at their best. The opener went to overtime and Florida needed double OT to win Game 2. 'I think the first two games are indicative of what Game 4 is going to look like,' Maurice said. 'We're not going to look at (Game 3) and say, 'That's the way it should look if we play our game.'' The Oilers certainly look at it as the opposite, discombobulated and nothing resembling the group that had gone 12-2 since a couple of losses to open the first round. They've dropped two in a row for the first time since. 'We just got to play our game,' Nurse said. 'We got guys that can do all that kind of stuff. But is that our game? So I think we just got to stick to play the way that we play. We're such a good hockey team when we just play hockey, and we just got to do that.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and