TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Tempo didn’t treat fans to beautiful basketball in their inaugural game, but they managed to keep it close all the way to the final buzzer.
Shakira Austin made four free throws down the stretch and the Washington Mystics held on to beat the Tempo 68-65 on Friday night, disappointing a sellout crowd of 8,210 at Coca-Cola Coliseum.
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Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey, center, wrestles for the ball with Washington Mystics' Sonia Citron (22) and Kiki Iriafen, bottom, during second-half WNBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, May 8, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey, center, high fives-fans as she comes off the court after her team's first WNBA basketball game, against the Washington Mystics, in Toronto Friday, May 8, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello, center right, speaks to her team as they take on the Washington Mystics in WNBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, May 8, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
The Toronto Tempo and the Washington Mystics line up for the tip-off at a WNBA basketball game in Toronto, Friday, May 8, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Tempo's Temi Fagbenle (14) high-fives fans as she comes off the court after her team's first WNBA basketball game, aganst the Washington Mystics, in Toronto, Friday, May 8, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
“It was a great moment,” Tempo coach Sandy Brondello said. “Sad that we didn’t win the game, didn’t close it out, but the fans were fantastic. It was a very ugly game. Hopefully they get way prettier than that as we move forward.”
The Tempo shot 5 for 25 from long range and finished with 10 assists on 17 baskets.
“We were poor on offense,” Brondello said. “We didn’t share the ball, we didn’t play as a team as much as we would have liked.”
Brittney Sykes scored the first points in Tempo history on a pull-up jumper in the first quarter but went 0 for 5 from distance, missing a 3 with 14 seconds left that would have given Toronto the lead.
One of the loudest cheers came when Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair was shown on the video screen.
Almost as loud was the reaction when Marina Mabrey’s 3-pointer with 4:19 remaining in the fourth put Toronto up 57-56, its first lead of the second half.
“To have them have our back, cheering for us every time we figure it you, it kind of helps us feel like we’re getting something going," Mabrey said.
The Tempo finished with 16 turnovers.
“We’ve just got to execute a little bit better with how we want to play,” Brondello said.
The Tempo get another chance at their first win when they host the Seattle Storm on Wednesday night.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey, center, wrestles for the ball with Washington Mystics' Sonia Citron (22) and Kiki Iriafen, bottom, during second-half WNBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, May 8, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey, center, high fives-fans as she comes off the court after her team's first WNBA basketball game, against the Washington Mystics, in Toronto Friday, May 8, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello, center right, speaks to her team as they take on the Washington Mystics in WNBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, May 8, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
The Toronto Tempo and the Washington Mystics line up for the tip-off at a WNBA basketball game in Toronto, Friday, May 8, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Tempo's Temi Fagbenle (14) high-fives fans as she comes off the court after her team's first WNBA basketball game, aganst the Washington Mystics, in Toronto, Friday, May 8, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Alex Newhook had two goals, again providing Montreal with some much-needed secondary scoring, and the Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-1 on Friday night to even their second-round playoff series at one game apiece.
Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier and Nick Suzuki, with an empty-netter, also scored for the Canadiens. Rookie goalie Jakub Dobes made 27 saves, and Montreal extended its trend of alternating wins and losses after doing so in a seven-game first-round series win over Tampa Bay.
Montreal advanced to the second round on Newhook's game-winner 11:07 into the third period of a 2-1 series-clinching win on Sunday. Meantime, the Canadiens' top offensive threats continue to struggle. Cole Caufield extended his point drought to five games, while Juraj Slafkovsky has one assist in his past eight outings.
“I think as a group we knew we needed a big effort tonight, a bounce-back, a bounce-forward game,” said Newhook, who gave the team a pregame boost with an energetic reading of the starting lineup. “When you get the lineup read you just try to supply some energy there early and just try and carry that into the game.”
Zach Benson scored for Buffalo, but Alex Lyon allowed four goals on 27 shots. He previously allowed seven goals in six-plus appearances since replacing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who was was pulled after two periods in a 4-2 loss to Boston in Game 2 of their first-round series.
The series shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on Sunday night.
It’ll be the Canadiens' first trip home after being on the road since traveling to Tampa Bay last weekend. The team stayed in Florida for two days before flying directly to Buffalo on Tuesday.
The Sabres dropped to 2-3 at home this postseason, but they won all three games — including the Game 6 series clincher — at Boston.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first period of Game 1, Montreal flipped the script.
Peyton Krebs’ turnover in Buffalo’s zone led to Newhook scoring at 1:36 by sneaking a shot under Lyon’s blocker arm. Matheson scored 2:51 later by floating in a shot from the left point that beat Lyon over his right shoulder.
“Awful game. Not acceptable,” Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin said. “They wanted to compete the first 10 (minutes), and then that’s what kind of set the tone for the whole game. It’s hard to come back, especially in the playoffs, when an opponent is up two. So, can’t happen.”
Dobes said the difference between Games 1 and 2 was the Canadiens' ability to adjust to a much faster opponent in Buffalo after a grueling, tight-checking series against the defensive-minded Lightning.
“You play Game 7, I feel like we didn’t have much chance to prepare and kind of settle everything together and reset our minds,” he said. “I feel like we adjusted today really well. And yeah, I feel we catch a breath in the series. And I feel that we are ready to play our hockey and compete against the team for the rest of the series.”
Buffalo’s power play came up empty on five chances after going 2 for 3 in Game 1. The Sabres have converted just three of 32 power-play opportunities this postseason.
Newhook’s second goal, scored 4:47 into the second period, came four seconds after the Sabres' power play failed to register a shot with Carrier off for hooking.
Carrier’s goal 3:54 into the third was emblematic of Buffalo's evening. With the Sabres buzzing the Montreal net, Tage Thompson kept the puck in at the right point only to lose his balance and spin down to the ice. Carrier picked up the loose puck and scored to put Montreal up 4-1.
Benson whiffed on a tip-in chance two minutes later. In the first period, Buffalo’s Alex Tuch had the puck roll off his stick while attempting a shot breaking up the right wing, and Jack Quinn shot over the top of the net after being set up alone in the slot.
“Trying to chase the game, try and force plays that aren’t there, and just wasn’t executing,” Thompson said. “I think everything I touched turned into disaster tonight. So, tough one. Got to be better. It’s as simple as just flush that one, move on.”
Thompson then gave a blunt response when asked if he was playing with an injury by saying: “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Montréal Canadiens right wing Zachary Bolduc (76) and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) battle for the puck during the first period in Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Friday, May 8, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres left wing Jason Zucker is tripped during the first period in Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) watches the puck during the first period in Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Montreal Canadiens center Alex Newhook (15) puts the puck past Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) during the second period in Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Friday, May 8, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Montreal Canadiens center Alex Newhook (15) celebrates his goal with defenseman Alexandre Carrier (45) during the second period in Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres Friday, May 8, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
