Sports Express | October 10, 2026 — Valkyries Sweep Aces to Reach First WNBA Finals

1. Valkyries Sweep Aces in Overtime to Reach First WNBA Finals

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

The Golden State Valkyries beat the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces 87-77 in overtime Friday night in Las Vegas, completing a 3-0 semifinal sweep to reach the WNBA Finals in just the franchise's second season. Earlier Friday, the Atlanta Dream eliminated the New York Liberty. The Finals open Oct. 17 at Chase Center, with the Valkyries facing the Dream.

Kayla Thornton led Golden State with 18 points and Gabby Williams added 16, while center Kiah Stokes had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Newly minted MVP A'ja Wilson scored 21 for the Aces, who also got 18 from Jackie Young and 17 from Chelsea Gray. The Valkyries' bench outscored Las Vegas's reserves 27-13 and outscored the weary Aces 16-6 in overtime. Head coach Natalie Nakase called her team's depth "a superpower" and its style.

Golden State trailed 47-36 early in the third quarter before ripping off 17 straight points. Tied 71-71, Gray's potential game-winner at the buzzer rattled out to force OT. The Aces have won three of the past four championships.

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2. Dream Sweep Liberty to Reach First WNBA Finals Since 2013

Source: CBS Sports

The Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 85-83 Friday to complete a three-game sweep and reach the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013. They will meet the Golden State Valkyries in the Finals, which begin Oct. 17. The Dream have reached the Finals three times but were swept on every occasion, and will now chase the first title in franchise history.

Angel Reese had 22 points and nine rebounds; Jordin Canada finished with 19 points, 11 assists and no turnovers; DeWanna Bonner added 13 points and 13 rebounds. For the Liberty, Jonquel Jones had 26 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks, while Breanna Stewart scored 26 — she was swept for the first time in her career. The game was extremely physical and nearly got out of hand on multiple occasions.

The Dream dominated the margins: they forced 19 more turnovers, scored 41 more points off turnovers, grabbed nine more offensive rebounds and scored 26 more fastbreak points, taking 33 more field-goal attempts. Allisha Gray played just 11 minutes due to a hand injury and Rhyne Howard shot 19 of 61, yet the Dream still completed the sweep.

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3. NFL Legend Mike Ditka Dies at 86

Source: theScore

NFL legend Mike Ditka died Friday at 86, his family announced in a statement. A Pro Football Hall of Famer who revolutionized the tight end position as a player, he later coached the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl title and became the iconic, mustached "Iron Mike" and "Da Coach."

The Bears said Ditka's impact on the organization as a player, coach and ambassador was "immeasurable." NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called him "an ambassador for the game" who brought intensity, authenticity and an unmistakable personality. Current Bears coach Ben Johnson called him the "gold standard" of the franchise. The New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers and University of Pittsburgh also paid tribute. Jarrett Payton, son of the late Walter Payton, wrote: "Chicago won't be the same."

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4. Ducks Hand Jets First Regulation Loss, 5-1

Source: Sportsnet

Rookie Judd Caulfield scored his first NHL goal and added an assist as the Anaheim Ducks beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-1 Friday night, handing Winnipeg its first loss of the season in regulation. Tim Washe and Mikael Granlund each had a goal and an assist, while Sam Colangelo and Nikita Nesterenko (empty net) also scored for Anaheim.

Midway through the third period, Connor scored on a breakaway in his 700th NHL game — his sixth goal of the season and the 329th of his career, moving him past Ilya Kovalchuk for sole possession of third place in franchise history. But Granlund scored at 14:06 to snuff out Winnipeg's hopes. Goalie Clay Stevenson made 12 saves for the Jets (3-1-1) before 13,693 fans at Canada Life Centre.

Head coach Scott Arniel praised Connor post-game, saying "we have a special player." Winnipeg played without injured defenceman Josh Morrissey (upper body), with Haydn Fleury replacing him, and went 0-for-4 on the power play.

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5. Canadiens Trade Jayden Struble to Nashville for a Second-Round Pick

Source: Montreal Gazette

The Montreal Canadiens announced Friday evening that they have traded defenceman Jayden Struble to the Nashville Predators in exchange for a second-round pick at the 2027 NHL Draft. Struble, 25, played the first three games this season on the third defence pairing with Arber Xhekaj, but was a healthy scratch for Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Predators at the Bell Centre, with Adam Engstrom taking his spot.

With Kaiden Guhle getting close to making his season debut following adductor muscle surgery this summer — he has practised in a full-contact sweater this week — trading Struble opens up a spot on the blue line.

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6. Rangers Goalie Igor Shesterkin Leaves With Lower-Body Injury

Source: NHL.com

New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin was helped off the ice with a lower-body injury in the second period and did not return in a 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Friday. Coach Mike Sullivan said he had no update afterward, calling it "concerning, obviously. He's an elite goaltender."

With Washington on the power play, the 30-year-old appeared to injure his right leg at 8:20, looking like he jammed his right skate into the post while scrambling back into his net, his right leg bending awkwardly as he fell. He stopped 13 of the 14 shots he faced before being replaced by Dylan Garand, who made 11 saves. Garand was called up from AHL Hartford on Oct. 1.

Defenceman Adam Fox said "it definitely isn't a good feeling for anyone" to see a teammate go down, especially "the pillar on the back end." Backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo is also week to week with a lower-body injury. Shesterkin was 3-1-0 with a 1.75 GAA and .926 save percentage in four starts this season, and scored his first NHL goal on Oct. 1 against Tampa Bay.

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7. Tavares Out for Maple Leafs After Birth of Son

Source: NHL.com

Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares will not play at the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday (9 p.m. ET) following the birth of his son, Tucker — his fourth child. Tavares has three points (one goal, two assists) in Toronto's first five games (2-2-1), and Nick Paul is expected to slide into his top-six role.

Elsewhere, New York Islanders center Bo Horvat continues to be evaluated after an illegal check to the head by Chicago Blackhawks center Frank Nazar in the closing moments of Thursday's 4-1 win at UBS Arena; Nazar received a five-minute match penalty. Los Angeles Kings forward Mats Zuccarello, 39, is week to week with an undisclosed injury, and Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey (upper body) is day to day after missing Friday's 5-1 loss to the Ducks.

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8. Rookie Allen Graves a New Variable as Raptors' Window Opens

Source: Sportsnet

VANCOUVER — With Kawhi Leonard back in Toronto for his reunion tour, the Raptors have reopened their contention window — and rookie Allen Graves is one variable in that picture. The 19th pick in June's draft impressed in Summer League, but a minor groin injury kept him out of the Raptors' first pre-season game last Saturday in Quebec City. There is optimism he will be available when Toronto hosts the Los Angeles Clippers this Saturday in Vancouver.

Leonard won't play as he works himself into game shape, and could return when the Raptors host the Knicks on Tuesday in Toronto. Head coach Darko Rajakovic said the roster has real depth, with "a lot of young guys that we expect to contribute" on any given night. Graves said that whatever his role, he will keep working to help the team.

Graves averaged 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 steals in Summer League while shooting better than 50 percent. He shot 41.3 percent from three in college but on just 92 attempts, and the team hopes he can add outside shooting.

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9. Guardians Erupt for Six in Sixth, Force Game 5 of ALDS

Source: CBS Sports

The Cleveland Guardians came from behind on the road Thursday night to beat the Chicago White Sox 9-5 in Game 4 of the ALDS, forcing a deciding Game 5 back in Cleveland on Saturday night. The winner moves on to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS. Cleveland fell behind 2-0 early and 4-3 after five innings, but pushed six runs across in the sixth to flip a one-run deficit.

Patrick Bailey hit a solo home run for the Guardians and Jose Ramirez crushed a two-run homer. For the White Sox, Munetaka Murakami, Sam Antonacci, Brenton Doyle and Kyle Teel all contributed as Chicago briefly took a 4-3 lead, but could not hold it. The White Sox have not clinched a postseason series at home since the 1906 World Series.

The Guardians broke it open in the sixth: Angel Martinez was hit by a pitch and stole second, Travis Bazzana doubled him home, Bailey singled home the go-ahead run, and after two walks Ramirez and Chase DeLauter added RBI singles before Jo Adell delivered a two-RBI single to make it 9-4. Miguel Vargas homered to open the ninth, but Cleveland held on.

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10. Red Sox's Garrett Whitlock Pitched Through a Fracture

Source: Boston Herald

Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock told the Boston Herald on Friday that he pitched this season on a fractured right tibia that was not properly diagnosed until after Boston was eliminated from the postseason last week. The 30-year-old right-hander worked with team staff over the final month to manage ongoing pain in his right leg so he could keep pitching.

Whitlock will be in a boot for about six weeks, but surgery is not required and he expects to be ready for spring training. He posted a career-best 1.72 ERA over 52 regular-season appearances, with 59 strikeouts and nine walks in 52 1/3 innings; on the fractured tibia in September, he posted a 0.00 ERA over eight appearances.

He is the second Red Sox player in as many weeks to disclose that he played through pain for weeks without being sent for imaging — after Roman Anthony underwent imaging following Game 1 of the wild card round, which revealed a reaggravation of his hand injury along with additional muscular damage in his wrist.

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