Carolina Hurricanes edged the Ottawa Senators 2-1 in Game 3 on Thursday night in Ottawa, taking a 3-0 lead in the first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series and placing the Senators on the brink of elimination. Logan Stankoven opened the scoring for the third straight game and Jackson Blake netted the eventual winner late in the second period after a cross-ice feed from K’Andre Miller. Frederik Andersen made 21 saves for Carolina; Linus Ullmark stopped 25 for Ottawa. Drake Batherson scored Ottawa’s lone goal. The Senators finished with limited success on the power play, failing to convert on the man advantage through three games (0-for-12). Ottawa also lost top defenseman Jake Sanderson in the second period after a hit to the head from Taylor Hall; Hall was assessed a minor penalty and Sanderson did not return. The series returns to the Canadian Tire Centre for a potential Carolina sweep in Game 4 on Saturday afternoon.

Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett each scored a playoff-career high 33 points as the Toronto Raptors routed the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-104 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first-round series, cutting Cleveland’s lead to 2-1. Barnes added 11 assists and five rebounds in a standout all‑around effort while rookie reserve Collin Murray-Boyles poured in 22 points, the most by a Raptors rookie in a playoff game. Toronto forced 22 Cleveland turnovers, converting them into 23 points, and outscored the Cavs 43-23 in the fourth quarter to pull away. Cleveland’s top scorers were James Harden (18), Donovan Mitchell (15), Evan Mobley (15) and Max Strus (15). Toronto guard Immanuel Quickley remained sidelined with a strained right hamstring. Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, where the Raptors will try to level the series.

The 2026 NFL Draft opens April 23 in Pittsburgh with the Las Vegas Raiders widely expected to take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1. First-round coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network; rounds 2-3 follow Friday and rounds 4-7 on Saturday. The New York Jets hold the No. 2 pick and five selections in the top 103, leaving open the prospect of staying put or trading. Oddsmakers and sportsbooks have shifted attention to edge rusher David Bailey — who tied for the NCAA lead with 14.5 sacks last season — overtaking Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese as the favorite to go No. 2 after rapid betting-market moves. Other top prospects include Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., Ohio State’s Sonny Styles and Spencer Fano. The league shortened first-round pick windows to eight minutes this year, tightening trade and negotiation timelines. Pittsburgh is hosting large fan festivities near Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park, with heightened security, road closures and expanded transit as hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected.

At TD Garden on Thursday night (April 23, 2026) the Buffalo Sabres came from behind to beat the Boston Bruins 3-1 and take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series. Tanner Jeannot opened scoring for Boston in the second period, but a Viktor Arvidsson penalty shot attempt was stopped by Alex Lyon at 9:50. Sixty-eight seconds later Bowen Byram tied the game on a one-timer. Alex Tuch broke the deadlock early in the third (4:03) with a screened wrist shot and rookie Noah Östlund sealed the win with an empty-net goal late. Lyon, making his first start of the postseason, stopped 24 shots and delivered the pivotal penalty-shot save; Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves for Boston. The game continued Buffalo’s extended power-play drought that carried over from the regular season, while Boston again struggled to find secondary scoring despite Swayman’s strong goaltending. Buffalo, the Atlantic Division winner that ended a 14-year playoff drought last season, will return to Boston for Game 4 on Sunday before the series shifts back to Buffalo.

On April 23, 2026 the BBC announced it will end long‑running Saturday lunchtime programme Football Focus at the close of the 2025‑26 season after 52 years on air. Launched in 1974, the magazine show — which has been presented by figures including Bob Wilson, Gary Lineker, Dan Walker and currently Alex Scott — has provided interviews, features and pre‑match analysis ahead of the afternoon kick‑offs. The corporation cited “changing audience behaviours” and a long‑term decline in linear television viewing since 2018 as the rationale, and said it will expand multi‑platform and digital output, including exclusive YouTube shows. The BBC said the decision was taken before a recent announcement on wider savings and that Scott will remain with the corporation and be involved in a new project. Schedule changes next season will see Kelly Somers’ The Football Interview move to 12:45 BST on Saturdays and Final Score start earlier at 15:45. Reported audience figures have fallen markedly in recent years — from roughly 849,000 in 2019 to about 564,000 by 2023 — underscoring the shift to on‑demand and social platforms.

On April 23, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, CJ McCollum sank a 15-foot fadeaway with about 12.5 seconds remaining to lift the Atlanta Hawks to a 109-108 victory over the New York Knicks and a 2-1 edge in their first-round NBA playoff series. McCollum finished with 23 points. Jalen Johnson paced Atlanta with 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists while Jonathan Kuminga contributed 21 off the bench and Jonathan Kuminga forced the final turnover that ended New York’s last chance. For the Knicks, OG Anunoby scored 29, Jalen Brunson had 26 and Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points with 17 rebounds. The Hawks led most of the game, building an 18-point first-half advantage before New York rallied late. Game 4 is scheduled for Saturday in Atlanta, where the Knicks will try to avoid falling into a 3-1 hole in the best-of-seven series.