Usually Iga Swiatek is the one dishing out the bagels.

In recent years, the five-time major champion has become known for the ruthless manner of her victories, subjecting many opponents to the ultimate embarrassment of losing a set without winning a game.

Now 23-year-old Swiatek finds herself in the position of being on the wrong end of a 6-0 scoreline - having lost to Jelena Ostapenko for the sixth time in a row.

Ostapenko extended her flawless head-to-head record against the world number two in the Stuttgart quarter-finals on Saturday.

So what's behind the one-sided results?

Having won the 2017 French Open, Ostapenko certainly has the pedigree and her explosive ball-bashing - when it works, and the winners outweigh the unforced errors - can have devastating consequences.

Swiatek has encountered trouble against aggressive ball-strikers, too, so that adds further weight to the explanation.

You also wonder whether there is a mental block against an opponent who a player knows has their number.

Swiatek disputed that afterwards, saying her head "was much more clear" against Ostapenko in Stuttgart than her previous defeats.

While the agony was prolonged in Stuttgart, you can't imagine a player of Swiatek's quality will suffer a career-spanning hex.

There is a long way to go until Swiatek enters the conversation of being on the receiving end of the most dominant head-to-head record.

Gael Monfils has lost all 20 of his matches (so far) against Novak Djokovic, while Richard Gasquet's 18-0 record against Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer's 14-0 against Roger Federer are other notable lopsided match-ups in recent years.

In fact, Swiatek could shake off the hex as early as next week, with Ostapenko slated to be a prospective last-16 opponent in Madrid.

Five series of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs have begun, and two more will begin Monday. Meanwhile, the two matchups in the Central Division are on to Game 2.

Here's the four-pack of games on the calendar:

• Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals, Game 1 | 7 p.m., ESPN

• St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets, Game 2 | 7:30 p.m., ESPN2

• Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars, Game 2 | 9:30 p.m., ESPN

• Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings, Game 1 | 10 p.m., ESPN2

What are the key storylines heading into Monday's games? Who are the key players to watch?

Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down last night, and the Three Stars of Sunday Night from Arda Öcal.

Matchup notes

Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals
Game 1 | 7 p.m., ESPN

You might've heard about the 2010 playoff matchup between these two teams a time or so in the past week.

In that postseason, the overwhelming favorite (and No. 1 seed) Capitals, led by Alex Ovechkin, were upset by the No. 8 seed Canadiens, due in large part to an epic performance in goal from Jaroslav Halak. Halak isn't walking out of the tunnel for the Habs this time around (we assume); instead it'll be Becancour, Quebec, native Sam Montembeault, who allowed four goals on 35 shots in his one start against the Caps this season.

Washington's goaltender for Game 1 has yet to be revealed, as Logan Thompson was injured back on April 2. But there's no question that there is a disparity between the offensive output of the two clubs, as the Caps finished second in the NHL in goals per game (3.49), while the Canadiens finished 17th (2.96). Can Montreal keep up in this series?

St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets
Game 2 | 7:30 p.m., ESPN2

The Blues hung with the Jets for much of Game 1 and even looked like the stronger team at certain times, so pulling off the series upset remains on the table. But getting a win on the unfriendly ice at the Canada Life Centre would be of some benefit in shifting momentum before the series moves to St. Louis for Game 3. The Blues proved that Connor Hellebuyck is not invincible in Game 1, and they were led by stars Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas, who both got on the board.

The Jets have a mixed history after winning Game 1 of a playoff series, having gone 3-3 as a franchise (including the Atlanta Thrashers days) on such occasions. Like the Blues, the Jets were led by their stars, Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, but the game-tying goal came from Alex Iafallo, who has played up and down the lineup this season.

Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars
Game 2 | 9:30 p.m., ESPN

The Stars might like a redo on Game 1 after the visiting Avalanche essentially controlled the festivities for much of the contest. Stars forward Jason Robertson missed Game 1 because of an injury sustained in the final game of the regular season, and his return sooner than later would be excellent for Dallas; he scored three goals in three games against Colorado in the regular season. Also of note, teams that have taken a 2-0 lead in best-of-seven series have won 86% of the time.

Slowing down the Avs' stars will be critical in Game 2, which is a sound -- if perhaps unrealistic -- strategy. With his two goals in Game 1, Nathan MacKinnon became the third player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to score 50 playoff goals, joining Joe Sakic (84) and Peter Forsberg (58). In reaching 60 assists in his 73rd playoff game, Cale Makar became the third-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach that milestone, behind Bobby Orr (69 GP) and Al MacInnis (71 GP).

Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings
Game 1 | 10 p.m., ESPN2

This is the fourth straight postseason in which the Oilers and Kings have met in Round 1, and Edmonton has won the previous three series. Will the fourth time be the charm for the Kings?

L.A. went 3-1-0 against Edmonton this season, including shutouts on April 5 and 14. Quinton Byfield was particularly strong in those games, with three goals and an assist. Overall, the Kings were led in scoring this season by Adrian Kempe, with 35 goals and 38 assists. Warren Foegele -- who played 22 playoff games for the Oilers in 2024 -- had a career-high 24 goals this season.

The Oilers enter the 2025 postseason with 41 playoff series wins, which is the second most among non-Original Six teams (behind the Flyers, with 44). They have been eliminated by the team that won the Stanley Cup in each of the past three postseasons (Panthers 2024, Golden Knights 2023, Avalanche 2022). Edmonton continues to be led by Leon Draisaitl -- who won his first Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's top goal scorer this season -- and Connor McDavid, who won the goal-scoring title in 2022-23 and the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs last year, even though the Oilers didn't win the Cup.

Arda's Three Stars of Sunday

Toronto's Core Fore
Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares

For the last several seasons, much of the postseason narrative for the Leafs has been the lack of production from the Core Four. So this was a dream Game 1 against Ottawa for Marner (one goal, two assists), Nylander (one goal, one assist), John Tavares (one goal, one assist) and Matthews (two assists) in Toronto's 6-2 win over Ottawa.

Logan Stankoven
C, Carolina Hurricanes

Stankoven's two goals in the second period put the game out of reach, with the Canes winning 4-1 in Game 1. Stankoven is the second player in Hurricanes/Whalers history to score twice in his first playoff game with the club (the other was Andrei Svechnikov in Game 1 of the first round in 2019)

Brett Howden
C, Vegas Golden Knights

Howden had two third-period goals in the Golden Knights' victory over the Wild in Game 1, including a buzzer-beating empty-netter to make the final score 4-2.

Sunday's results

Hurricanes 4, Devils 1
Carolina leads 1-0

The Hurricanes came out inspired thanks in part to the raucous home crowd and took a quick lead off the stick of Jalen Chatfield at 2:24 of the first period. Logan Stankoven -- who came over in the Mikko Rantanen trade -- scored a pair in the second period, and the Canes never looked back. On the Devils' side, injuries forced Brenden Dillon and Cody Glass out of the game, while Luke Hughes left in the third period but was able to return. Full recap.

Maple Leafs 6, Senators 2
Toronto leads 1-0

The first skirmish in the Battle of Ontario goes to the home side, as the Leafs never let the Senators get very close in this one. Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Mitch Marner scored in the first, John Tavares and William Nylander tallied in the second, while Morgan Rielly and Matthew Knies put the game away in the third. Drake Batherson and Ridly Greig -- scorer of a controversial empty-net goal against Toronto in 2024 -- scored for Ottawa. Full recap.

Golden Knights 4, Wild 2
Vegas leads 1-0

In Sunday's nightcap, the two teams played an evenly matched first two periods, as Vegas carried a 2-1 lead into the third. Then, Brett Howden worked his magic, scoring a goal to pad the Knights' lead 2:28 into that frame, and putting the game to bed with an empty-netter that beat the buzzer. The Wild were led by Matt Boldy, who had two goals, both assisted by Kirill Kaprizov. Full recap.

Georgia picked up a trio of transfers Sunday, including one of the top linebackers available in the spring transfer portal window.

Army outside linebacker Elo Modozie, Illinois running back Josh McCray and Miami defensive lineman Josh Horton have signed with the Bulldogs, sources told ESPN.

Modozie, the No. 8 player in ESPN's spring transfer rankings, enjoyed a breakout year during the Black Knights' 12-win season in 2024, producing a team-high 6.5 sacks and earning third-team All-AAC honors.

McCray was Illinois' leading rusher last season with 609 yards on 5.2 yards per carry and 11 total touchdowns.

The Bulldogs were seeking an experienced back to complement rising sophomore Nate Frazier and secured their top target in the spring window. Georgia backup running back Branson Robinson, a former top-50 recruit, entered the portal Thursday after three seasons with the program.

Horton (6-foot-4, 295 pounds) played a total of 58 snaps over eight games during his two seasons at Miami and will provide added depth and size for the Bulldogs' defensive front.

The defending SEC champions are looking to reload after a first-round exit in last season's College Football Playoff and brought in six transfers during the winter transfer portal window, highlighted by wide receivers Zachariah Branch (USC) and Noah Thomas (Texas A&M).

Monday's Serie A fixtures have been postponed following the death of Pope Francis, the Italian league has announced.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church and a lifelong football fan has died, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday. He was 88.

"Following the passing of His Holiness, Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A can confirm that today's league games in Serie A and Primavera 1 have been postponed," the league said in a statement.

"The date of the rearranged fixtures will be announced in due course."

Torino were set to host Udinese, Cagliari were due to face off against Fiorentina, while Lazio -- fresh from their Europa League quarterfinal disappointment in midweek -- were meant to travel to Genoa and Parma were scheduled to play Juventus.

LAS VEGAS -- NHL linesman Bryan Pancich left Sunday night's Minnesota-Vegas playoff game 3:37 into the second period after a collision with Golden Knights forward Brett Howden.

Backup official Frederick L'Ecuyer took Pancich's place in the opening game of the first-round Western Conference series.

Howden was trying to bat down a puck in the offensive zone when he appeared to make contact with Pancich's head with both by the boards. Howden briefly kneeled down to check on the official before joining his team as the Wild went on an offensive rush.

The Golden Knights beat the Wild 4-2.

HOUSTON -- Silence enveloped the Houston locker room shortly after the Rockets fell 95-85 to the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series Sunday night.

Down the hall in front of the assembled media, Rockets coach Ime Udoka discussed how his team "guarded well enough to win."

"[If] you hold someone to 95 [points], you'd expect to win if you have a decent offensive night," Udoka said after Houston scored its fewest points of the season, and its fewest in a playoff game since Game 3 of the 2018 Western Conference finals, also against the Warriors.

"Some guys did struggle offensively -- you're not going to overreact to one game," Udoka said when asked if he might change the starting lineup.

"But if guys do play better, we have a chance there. Ten-point loss and like I said, holding somebody to 95; it was an offensively poor showing. The defense was good enough. But I'm not going to overreact to that game. It's some of those guys' first times and we had our chances."

Five players (Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr.) in Houston's eight-man rotation made their playoff debuts.

"It's my first [playoff] game," Green said. "I'm not too worried about it. I got a taste of what it was, and I've just got to answer back. I've got to take my time, make the right reads, get the pacing I want and just hunt the shots that I need to get. I feel like I've already seen what they're doing out there throughout 82 games. Just got to be better. We're doing our job defensively. We've just got to score the ball, and we can't leave [Sengun] out there by himself just to score the ball."

The Warriors employed an aggressive defensive game plan that featured plenty of physicality while sending two defenders to the ball handler in pick-and-rolls. In addition to jamming the passing lanes and the paint, Golden State defended Sengun one-on-one for much of the night. He finished with a team-high 26 points. Dillon Brooks and Smith contributed 11 points apiece as Houston's second-highest scorers.

Golden State forced Houston to settle for dreadful shots. Fred VanVleet and Green became the third starting backcourt since 2000 to each shoot 25% or worse (minimum 15 attempts) in the same playoff game, joining the Milwaukee duo of Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton (2019 against Toronto) and Chicago's Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler (2015 against the Bucks).

Entering Sunday night, Warriors superstar Stephen Curry was 0-10 in road playoff games in which his team failed to score 100 points. Houston helped Curry, who scored a game-high 31 points, secure his first win under those conditions.

"We just didn't execute," VanVleet said. "Maybe the physicality was an issue. But I thought we matched that for the most part. They definitely heat the ball up, but they didn't do anything differently tonight than they've done all season. They heat the ball up. They crowd the paint. They obviously tried to take Jalen out."

They succeeded, too, limiting Green to seven points on 3-of-15 shooting, the worst field goal percentage (20%) by a Rocket with at least 15 field goal attempts since 2019, when James Harden shot 15% in Game 3 of the opening round of the playoffs against the Utah Jazz.

Houston shot 39.1% from the field and was 6-of-29 from 3-point range Sunday. The Rockets committed 17 turnovers that Golden State turned into 25 points.

Despite the Warriors taking a 23-point lead in the third quarter, the Rockets gradually whittled it down to four points with 2:38 left on VanVleet's 3-pointer off an assist from Thompson.

Houston finished with an offensive rebounding percentage of 46.6%, the highest percentage in a postseason loss since Game 6 of the 2014 opening-round playoff series between the Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers. Houston lost in six games on a series-ending buzzer-beater.

The Rockets also squandered numerous fast-break opportunities. Golden State outscored Houston 16-4 in fast-break points, but the Rockets went just 2-of-7 in those opportunities after ranking seventh during the regular season in fast-break scoring (17.0).

"They are not a typical modern NBA team in terms of spreading you out, playing fast, shooting a million 3s," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "They're kind of old-school. In many ways, they're in the image of their coach. Ime, he was grimy as a player. He was tough, physical and that's what Houston is. It felt like 1997 out there to me, [a] completely different NBA game than what we're used to, and we've got to be ready for that. This is what this series is going to be."

HOUSTON -- Jimmy Butler sized up Alperen Sengun, milked the shot clock down and hit a turning 19-foot stepback jumper over the Houston Rockets big man with 1:03 left to play.

After Butler's shot sealed Golden State's 95-85 win over Houston in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series, the Warriors star nodded with confidence in a gesture that let his teammates, including Stephen Curry, know they have another star closer.

In his first playoff game with the Warriors, Butler delivered 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals to give the seventh-seeded Warriors a 1-0 lead over the second-seeded Rockets. Butler scored six of his points in the final 1:43 to put the game away.

"There were several moments where they cut the lead," Warriors forward Draymond Green said. "... [But each time we] did a great job of getting Jimmy the ball. It always just settles the offense down. Even that last one, he hit over Sengun. That's what we want. And I think we got to do the better job of making sure we're getting him the ball.

"But overall, he's such a huge calm force for us. Just calms everything down, get us to our spots and get us a good look."

Butler is the first player to have 25 points and 5 steals in a playoff debut with a franchise since steals became official in 1973-74. He also tied Allen Iverson for the third-most playoff games with 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals.

In game in which the Warriors trailed by eight early after a furious Houston start that was punctuated by an early Sengun poster dunk on Green -- and then built a 66-43 lead midway through the third quarter, only to see Houston slice that deficit to three in the fourth -- Butler helped Curry and the Warriors when they needed it the most by making a play to stabilize things on the floor.

"He has that impact every game," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who secured his 100th playoff coaching victory. "He calms things down. He's very confident, he's very poised. He always believes we're going to win.

"Jimmy is, he's one of the best players in the league, and that's what the best players in the league do. It's not just about scoring or stats. It's about settling the game down, having the presence and the nature to compete and win games like this."

The first game of the Rockets and Warriors series might be a preview of things to come. It was physical, low-scoring and defensive-minded. Kerr likened it to a game out of "1997."

In other words, it was a game that Butler was suited for.

"They're an incredible team," Butler said. "Definitely a physical one. But I would like to think that we don't back down from any challenge anyways and we met brute force with brute force. Maybe a little bit of finesse in there as well. I think we handled their pressure incredibly well knowing that coming out the next game is probably going to be two to three times even more physical."

The Warriors know they will have to find a way to keep Houston off the offensive glass. The Rockets had 22 offensive rebounds and 22 second-chance points.

They also know Houston will throw more at Curry. Much of the talk entering the series was how Houston can smother Curry with long and athletic wing defenders. The Warriors star point guard was able to overcome the physical defense by hitting 12 of 19 shots, including five 3-pointers, for 31 points. It was his seventh career 30-point game against the Rockets in his postseason career, tied for his most against a single opponent, according to ESPN Research.

When Houston loaded up on Curry, the point guard knew the ball would find Butler. The Warriors are 25-8 since Butler made his debut in Chicago on Feb. 8. They also had the top-ranked defense during that span as well.

In their first playoff game together, Curry got to watch "Playoff Jimmy" work.

"Just a continuation of what it's been like since he's been on our team from February," Curry said of what he saw in Butler in their first playoff game together. "He has a knack for big moments, even if it's not him finishing the play, he had a big shot at the elbow, but just the guy that is composed with the ball, his poised out there, his presence and if they're going to swarm and try to take me out of plays in the half quarter times, you have a guy that can create a lot of looks and defensively as well.

"He plays way bigger than the size. So just it's obviously a great addition and it has been since February and we want to continue that."

CLEVELAND -- When the Cleveland Cavaliers first assembled for this season there was a collective shock at the trash talk coming from Ty Jerome, a career role player who played just 15 total minutes last year because of a bad ankle injury.

"He was talking his s---," Cavs All-Star Darius Garland remembered. "[I was like] 'slow down buddy'."

"[The players] laughed at him because first he was this bit player and he still doing the swag stuff," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. "And they're kind of like 'who's this guy think he is?'"

Sunday evening the Miami Heat felt that side of Jerome, who ran his mouth and flexed on them as he scored 28 points in just 26 minutes off the bench for a masterpiece in his first-ever playoff game. He was at his best in the fourth quarter, scoring or assisting on 24 consecutive Cavs points to turn a close game into a 121-100 victory to stake the Cavs to a 1-0 series lead.

It was the cornerstone of a dominating performance by the Cavs' guards. Donovan Mitchell and Garland both looked fresh after a week off, attacking the Heat's interior as part of a clear game plan -- get inside looking to score or open up kick-outs to teammates. Mitchell scored 30 points, going 9-of-10 on 2-point shots as part of an elite interior scoring display. Garland put in 27 points, drilling five 3-pointers and handing out five assists.

Jerome made 5-of-8 3-pointers himself and knocked down three in the fourth quarter run that broke what had been an effective stretch of zone defense from the Heat. Jerome, Garland and Mitchell are just the fourth guard trio in NBA playoff history to each score 25 or more points.

It was part of a memorable day for Jerome, who was named a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year earlier in the evening.

"It's definitely special after last year, not being able to play the whole year, not being able to play the playoffs, just watching," Jerome said. "It speaks to the time my teammates have empowered me and how my coaching staff empowered me since day one for sure."

The Cavs appeared to target Heat guard Tyler Herro on offense, repeatedly looking to create matchups to get him in isolation and then attacking. Jerome, who made 10-of-15 shots, several times flexed after scoring on Herro.

"This is who Ty is. This is not a shock," said Mitchell, who first played with Jerome on an AAU team when they were eight years old. "I know everybody's going to react like this is a shock that he'd been doing this for us all year."

Herro was coming off two brilliant games as the Heat became the first-ever 10-seed to win the play-in tournament, scoring 38 points in a win in Chicago and 30 in Atlanta. He scored 17 points in the first half Sunday but the Cavs swarmed him in the second half, aggressively denying him the ball and trying to make sure he couldn't shake open when the Heat attempted to swing him the ball on the weakside. He finished with 21 points on just 7-of-18 shooting.

Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 24 points and nine rebounds. Heat guard Davion Mitchell, who also had a strong performance in the play-in games, had 18 points off the bench but the Heat's guards lost the backcourt battle in Game 1 overall.

"We've got three guys who are very talented with the basketball," Mitchell said. "So it's like you kind of have to pick your poison in that regard. Tonight was just an example of it, but we got to do it again [in Game 2]."

The first possession of Alperen Sengun's NBA playoff career began with an offensive foul drawn by Draymond Green on Sunday in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.

Two possessions later, the Houston Rockets center got revenge, slamming home a dunk over the Golden State Warriors forward.

Rockets guard Jalen Green found a driving Sengun, who gathered, then levitated over Green for a poster jam. The highlight-reel play came less than two minutes into the game.

ALPEREN SENGUN CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF

RIM-ROCKING POSTER SLAM EARLY IN GAME 1!!!

Warriors/Rockets underway on TNT. pic.twitter.com/mi9EmtKMvM

NBA (@NBA) April 21, 2025

The two have history dating back to a recent game. Green was hit with a flagrant foul 1 after he elbowed Sengun when the two teams matched up on April 6.

Sengun averaged 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds during the regular season, earning All-Star honors for the first time in his career. Houston is playing in its first playoff series since 2020.

The New Jersey Devils' injury woes are reaching alarming new heights.

Defenseman Brenden Dillon and forward Cody Glass exited during the second and third periods, respectively, in Game 1 of the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, a 4-1 loss for New Jersey. The Devils were also briefly without defenseman Luke Hughes, who left in the third period but was able to return.

New Jersey entered the postseason already undermanned. Top forward Jack Hughes, Luke's brother, had season-ending shoulder surgery in March, and defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler is also not expected to be available in the first round.

Coach Sheldon Keefe remained optimistic, though, about one of the team's latest injured bodies.

"[Dillon] was eager to get back out there," Keefe said by way of an update. Doctors ultimately held Dillon out for "precautionary reasons."

The veteran blueliner was taken to the ice by Carolina forward William Carrier while battling in front of the Devils' net. Dillon remained down for several minutes before being helped off by New Jersey's training staff.

It was a disastrous third-period sequence that shortened New Jersey's bench further. Hughes went flying into the Devils' net after tripping over Hurricanes' forward Andrei Svechnikov, and ran off the ice cradling his right arm. Then, Devils' goaltender Jacob Markstrom accidentally clipped Glass with his stick while appearing to aim for Svechnikov. Glass left and did not return, while Hughes finished the game.

New Jersey will have to wait and see who is available when it takes on Carolina in Game 2 on Tuesday. For now, Keefe won't let the Devils dwell on what they can't control.

"To a man, myself included," he said, "we're all going to have to be better."