Sports
Lazerus: Unstoppable, unmissable Connor McDavid reaches the Stanley Cup Final. Don't blink
EDMONTON — You’re Miro Heiskanen. You’re one of the best defensemen in the world. And not that modern kind of “defenseman” who is basically a fourth forward on the ice, racking up most of his Norris Trophy votes in the offensive zone. You’re a Defense Man. You play defense, man. Better than probably all but a handful of guys alive today. You know what you’re doing out there.
So when you see Connor McDavid take a pass from Leon Draisaitl up top, you prepare accordingly. You know his speed. You know his shot. You know his creativity. And as he blows by Sam Steel — a very good penalty killer, mind you — around the outside by simply barreling through a helpless stick check, you start to turn to the outside. McDavid is going out wide, to attack the net from the side. Maybe he’ll try to stuff it in the corner, maybe he’ll try to wheel around the cage and do a wraparound, maybe he’ll try one of those reverse-VH-busting sharp-angle roof jobs that are all the rage these days. But he’s going out wide.
There’s no other way for him to go, right?
Suddenly, McDavid stops on a dime and it’s already over. You’re toast. You have to turn your neck 90 degrees to the left just to see the guy, and all you see is a blue-and-orange blur vanishing from your peripheral vision. You sort of stick your backside out in a futile attempt to knock him off balance, but he’s already pulled the puck back and dragged it all the way across your body, wedging his way like a seasoned spelunker through an impossibly narrow path between you and Steel, who’s still hopelessly trying to catch up.
By the time you whip your head around and offer a desperate one-handed stick flail at where you think — guess? hope? — McDavid might be, the puck is already in the net, McDavid having somehow placed the puck with pinpoint precision over the left shoulder of Jake Oettinger — no slouch himself in goal — with a shovel maneuver. Not a wrist shot. Not a clean backhand in open space. Not a tuck job. A shovel. The guy looked like he was mucking a stall at Belmont, and he still got off a perfect, unstoppable, unbelievable shot.
By the time you spin all the way around, all you can do is slump your shoulders and then shrug them half-heartedly, you and Steel and Esa Lindell and Wyatt Johnston loitering around the crease exchanging blank glances wordlessly, as if to say, “What the hell just happened?”
Just nasty, tbh 😤 pic.twitter.com/KRcj2GF3El
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 3, 2024
“Tried to get to the middle of the rink, and that was the best way I thought possible,” McDavid said with a literal shrug.
Yeah. Ho-hum.
McDavid added a delicate little saucer pass to tee up Zach Hyman’s power-play goal later in the first period. That was enough for a 2-1 Game 6 victory that sent the Dallas Stars home. That’s how you win a game in which you’re outshot 35-10, a record low in shots and a record high in shot differential for a series clincher. That’s how you defeat consecutive division champions to reach the Stanley Cup Final. That’s how you get one step closer to living up to the impossible hype that accompanied you into the league nearly a decade ago. Well, that and a penalty kill that’s somehow killed off 28 straight power plays, and a goaltender in Stuart Skinner who’s playing well above expectations, and a first-year coach in Kris Knoblauch who’s pushed all the right buttons, and having another of the five best players in the world in Draisaitl on the same power-play unit as you, and, well, OK. The Edmonton Oilers have a lot going for them.
But every team has a lot going for it this time of year. But they don’t have McDavid. Nobody does. Nobody ever has. And finally, after nine seasons of this human highlight GIF toiling in the relative obscurity of northern Alberta — pretty much as far from American prime-time television as possible, thanks to a general lack of vision from American rights holders — McDavid gets to ply his trade and fly and evade in front of the biggest audience possible.
He’s earned it, and the hockey world deserves it. We all deserve to see the best on the biggest stage.
The best ever? Well, hockey protocol dictates that a Stanley Cup is a requirement for inclusion in that conversation, so maybe we have to wait a couple of weeks. Or, you know what, maybe we don’t. Look, there’s always a recency bias at play, but go watch what an NHL goaltender looked like in the early 1980s, all 5-foot-something, playing that awkward stand-up style with scrawny little pads. Imagine what this McDavid would do against those goalies, against all the pylons that used to populate the league. Sure, he’d be headhunted every night by the fourth-line goons that used to roam the hockey world like plodding dinosaurs, but could they even get within a neutral zone of the guy?
It feels wildly hyperbolic to say that nobody else in the history of the game could have scored that goal in that way, but then again, is it? Why do we always feel compelled to check ourselves, to qualify, to couch, to waffle, to fence sit? This is a talent we’ve never seen, doing things we never thought possible. It’s hockey heresy to say that McDavid is the greatest hockey player who’s ever lived, because it’s hockey heresy to say he’s even the greatest Edmonton Oiler who’s ever lived. Wayne Gretzky was the most dominant athlete in the history of North American team sports. Full stop. One of one. The greatest career ever.
But could he do that?
Can we at least acknowledge McDavid is the most talented, the most gifted, the most jaw-dropping hockey player who ever lived? That’s not hyperbolic. That’s obvious. That’s right in front of us. Say it out loud. Acknowledge it. Embrace it. Celebrate it. What a time to be a hockey fan. What a time to be alive.
“That was nice — seen it before, but nice,” Draisaitl deadpanned, while hundreds of delirious fans chanted “We want the Cup!” shaking the windows that peer into the Oilers’ news conference room at Rogers Place from 104 Avenue. “There’s one player in the world that can make things like that happen.”
One player. One player in this game. In this league. In this world. Maybe in this sport’s history.
The grandest stage awaits, and it’ll be a must-see. With McDavid, it always is.
(Photo: Andy Devlin / NHLI via Getty Images)
Sports
NBA bans two fans for life after court invasion during Knicks-Spurs Game 1
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The fan who ran onto the court during the New York Knicks’ 105-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night at Frost Bank Center has been banned for life.
About midway through the fourth quarter, a fan ran onto the court looking for a selfie with Victor Wembanyama. A second fan was also banned for his involvement, the NBA said in a news release.
“The individual who entered the court area during Game 1 of The Finals was arrested and will be banned for life from all NBA arenas,” an NBA spokesman said in a news release. “A second individual will also receive a lifetime ban for his role in the incident.”
A fan is detained by security after running onto the court during the fourth quarter of Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 3, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
With just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Spurs guard Dylan Harper had his pass deflected by Mikal Bridges when the fan raced onto the floor. The fan went straight to Wembanyama while the play was occurring, and the Spurs star was unsure how to act.
“I’ve never been in that situation,” Wembanyama said. “I didn’t know how to act.”
Security quickly raced out, enveloped the fan and whisked him off the floor.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
A fan is detained by security after running onto the court during the fourth quarter of Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 3, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Play was stopped for one minute, 29 seconds before the game resumed with a jump ball. The fan who entered the playing area was taken out of the court area through a baseline tunnel.
“I don’t think it was an event at all,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “I thought security got him out of there. I think everybody moved on to the next play.”
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A fan runs onto the court and takes a photo with Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter of Game One in the 2026 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 3, 2026. (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
The NBA hopes there are no further fan incidents for the remainder of the series. Game 2 between the Knicks and the Spurs is on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Sports
How Myles Garrett’s arrival has the Rams — and even Cooper Kupp — talking Aaron Donald return
The Rams’ trade for Myles Garrett and subsequent intrigue about whether Aaron Donald would unretire to place two future first-ballot Hall of Famers on the same defensive line has served as an unmistakable reminder that some folks don’t change.
Rams castaway Cooper Kupp still boasts an unexpected wry sense of humor.
Donald’s wife, Erica, can still toss a wet blanket on fiery hearsay by posting a few well-chosen words on social media.
Rams architects Les Snead and Sean McVay can still adroitly motivate a player without pressing too hard.
As for Donald himself, it seems he still harbors a desire to play 26 months after he retired at age 32 at the top of his mayhem-creating game.
The acquisition of Garrett was the tipping point that Donald fueled by telling NFL insider Jordan Schultz in a text: “I’m for sure flirting with the idea. Helluva an opportunity with the Super Bowl in SoFi this year. If I can find the fire, it’s a possibility.”
Kupp, a receiver now with the Seattle Seahawks, was Donald’s fellow All-Pro teammate when the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2022. They remain friendly enough for Kupp to reach out to Donald a few days ago with tongue-in-cheek advice to stay retired.
“I already texted him and told him he’s not allowed. So we’re good,” Kupp told sportscaster Rich Eisen while laughing. “I texted Aaron and said, ‘Don’t even think about it.’ I left it at that, so we’re good. I’m not worried about it. I already nipped it in the bud. No one has to worry.”
Erica Donald’s three-word rebuttal on X to speculation about her husband playing football again was also light-hearted. But it carried the weight of coming from the mother of two of Donald’s four children.
“Y’all are hilarious,” Erica posted.
Enough said?
Responses were respectful but hoped she was kidding.
One fan asked, “MRS.Donald can Aaron come out and play pretty please.”
Another took a similar courteous tone: “Erica, queen of them all… please let the mister give it one more go!”
Ardent Donald fans recall his wife’s response when he retired in 2024, and followers were incredulous that he would do so with seemingly plenty of outstanding football ahead of him.
Erica put the kibosh on the notion that he might change his mind in a 16-second video where she sits next to her husband, who appears to be sleeping while a television in the background is tuned to football.
Looking at her phone camera but speaking to her husband, she says, “Aaron, the people are still asking if you are coming back,” at which point she breaks into laughter because he doesn’t budge. She continues, “All right, guys, I hope that answers your question, ’cuz he is not.”
Less certain now are McVay, the Rams coach since 2017, and Snead, the team’s general manager since 2012. The mere thought of the eight-time All-Pro Donald lining up alongside the five-time All-Pro Garrett is too delicious to ignore.
“If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35, I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip,” McVay said during the news conference introducing Garrett.
Snead sounded even more hopeful.
“I do think for the first time since he retired, he’s maybe tempted,” he said. “‘Oh, let’s maybe do one last stand.’ I don’t know if he’s been tempted since he has been retired and I think if you know Aaron at his core, he’s one of those humans that if he doesn’t think he can really, really help, he probably doesn’t want to try.
“But for the first time, I’m betting that he’s tempted. I can sense that. That’s cool that Aaron’s excited, like a lot of our fans, Aaron’s excited about [acquiring Garrett] and he’s probably tempted for the first time.”
For his part, Garrett told Rams broadcaster J.B. Long that he plans to speak to Donald soon.
“I don’t know what his plans are, and I’m not gonna pretend to know,” Garrett said. “I know a lot of people are excited and thrilled about the idea of him coming back, but just being able to talk to him, learn from him, and know that I’ll take all the advice I can.”
Donald’s longtime former teammates are speaking the loudest. Former Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers, perhaps Donald’s closest friend on the team for seven years, said on a podcast that he has “knowledge that others might not have…. My guy is staying ready so he doesn’t have to get ready.”
And even while kidding, Kupp couldn’t help but say out loud what many Rams followers are thinking.
“I love Aaron, he’s such a good football player, great dude,” he said. “I loved taking the field with him in L.A. I don’t know what’s going to happen. That would be crazy. He’s a very, very good football player.”
Kupp laughed again.
“I don’t care how old he is, how long he’s not played, Aaron Donald is Aaron Donald. But it doesn’t matter because I told him he can’t.”
Sports
Fan disrupts NBA Finals Game 1 while trying to take selfie with Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama
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The New York Knicks began their pursuit of their first title since 1973 on Wednesday night in a matchup against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs clung to a seven-point lead at halftime, setting up a back-and-forth second half and a tight fourth quarter. But amid the tension of a tightly contested fourth quarter, an overexcited fan briefly stole the spotlight in pursuit of what he hoped would be a once-in-a-lifetime photo.
The unidentified fan ran onto the court midway through the game’s final quarter, appearing to try to take a selfie next to Wembanyama.
A fan is detained by security after running onto the court during the fourth quarter of Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 3, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The fan came from the sideline opposite the team benches, starting from behind the play and running into San Antonio’s offensive end. The person was quickly pulled from the court by two security guards, and it did not appear the person made any contact with Wembanyama or any New York players.
A fan runs onto the court and takes a photo with Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter of Game One in the 2026 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 3, 2026. (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
Play was stopped for about a minute before the game resumed with a jump ball. The fan was taken out of the court area through a baseline tunnel.
KNICKS FANS WOULD SAVE MONEY FLYING TO SAN ANTONIO FOR NBA FINALS GAMES INSTEAD OF BUYING MSG TICKETS
Earlier in the game, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson limped to the locker room after Spurs forward Harrison Barnes was pushed into his right knee. Brunson returned in the second quarter with his knee heavily wrapped, then appeared to tweak his left ankle later in the game after a Spurs player stepped on him while he contested a shot. He stayed in the game after the second scare.
Jalen Brunson attacks the basket during the Knicks’ 105-95 Game 1 victory over the Spurs in the NBA Finals (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) ((Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images))
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Brunson finished with 30 points, leading the Knicks in scoring.
The Knicks ultimately secured a 105-95 win over the Spurs in Game 1, marking New York’s 12th consecutive playoff victory.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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