Wild One Win Away From First Playoff Series Win in a Decade
Minnesota Teams
Minnesota Wild are rolling in the playoffs. After falling behind the Dallas Stars 2-1 in their first-round NHL series, the Wild have won back-to-back games — including a 4-2 victory Tuesday night — to take a 3-2 series lead. They're now one win away from advancing past the first round for the first time since 2015, which is a big deal for a franchise that's been knocking on the door for years.
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NFL
The 2026 NFL Draft is in the rearview mirror, and the talk turns to quarterbacks. In Cleveland, Deshaun Watson is reportedly ahead of first-round pick Shedeur Sanders in the race for the starting QB job — surprising given the Browns used a top draft pick on Sanders. Watson has had a turbulent few years with injuries and legal issues, so this one is worth watching.
Russell Wilson might be heading to the Jets. The veteran QB — who's bounced around a few teams recently — visited the Jets, reportedly at the suggestion of starter Geno Smith, who wanted a reliable backup. It's a bit of a full-circle moment since Smith and Wilson both played for the Seahawks.
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NBA
The NBA playoffs are heating up. The Lakers and Magic both had chances to close out their first-round series on Wednesday night in Game 5s. Meanwhile, Joel Embiid put on a gutsy performance for the Philadelphia 76ers — just 19 days after emergency appendectomy surgery — to keep their season alive. That's the kind of "how is he even playing?" story that cuts through even for casual fans.
Jalen Brunson of the Knicks is also turning heads, taking over games and leading New York deep into their series. New York vs. Atlanta is going to a Game 5 as well, so it's a big week for hoops.
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MLB
A month into the season, some big-spending teams are underperforming. The Red Sox, Mets, and Phillies — all teams with high expectations and big payrolls — are off to disappointing starts, and the hand-wringing is already beginning. It's early, but in baseball, early holes can be hard to climb out of.
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NHL
Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are in the playoff mix. The Penguins' legendary captain is still going, and he's generating enough buzz that oddsmakers are putting him in their prop bet conversations for Wednesday's games. At 38, Crosby making deep playoff runs is always a storyline worth following.
The Wild's series win would be the big hockey headline today (see Minnesota Teams above) — Dallas will have to win or go home in Game 6.
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College Sports
March Madness is getting bigger — whether fans like it or not. The NCAA has officially announced the men's and women's basketball tournaments will expand to 76 teams starting in 2027 (up from 68). Critics say the power conferences essentially bullied the NCAA into it, while fans of mid-major programs might benefit from more at-large bids. More games, more Cinderella potential, more controversy.
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Other Sports
The Kentucky Derby is this weekend, and the favorite is a horse named Renegade, who drew the No. 1 post position. Twenty horses are in the field — post position No. 1 has historically been tricky, so it'll be interesting to see if Renegade can overcome that.
Arsenal are one win away from the Champions League final (that's European soccer's biggest club tournament). They played to a scoreless draw at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, meaning they just need a narrow win at home to advance. Bayern Munich and PSG are in the other semifinal.