FRIDAY · OCTOBER 30, 2026 · SPORTS, IN SMALL SIPS

If you can't beat 'em. In the ECHL, hockey's double-A-level league, two pairs of rivals are set to swap colors. Starting Nov. 28, the Florida Everblades will wear Orlando Solar Bears colors, and the Solar Bears will return the favor. The Indy Fuel and Bloomington Bison will also trade jerseys. These mash-up uniforms, made with the anti-hate group PACT!, will be auctioned for charity after the games. The league's commissioner says they will be "visually stunning on the ice."

Rain check. Atlanta's Dream hit 13 three-pointers, matching the most ever by a WNBA Finals team facing elimination, and beat the Golden State Valkyries 80-69. Now, for the first time, the Finals will go to a Game 7. The celebration planned for Thursday is on hold until Saturday.

Love, in triplicate. Jordan Love threw three touchdown passes, and Josh Jacobs scored twice as the Packers beat the Panthers 27-19 at Lambeau Field on Thursday night.

Warm-up acts. Steph Curry scored 44 points in Minnesota on Wednesday, and Luka Doncic put up 52 against Utah on Sunday. Tonight, they’ll be on the same court. (Your Call It is below.)

Brewed awakening. The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 on Wednesday, winning the World Series four games to one. This is the franchise's first championship in 58 seasons, dating back to its single year as the 1969 Seattle Pilots. Milwaukee finished the regular season with 103 wins and went 11-2 in October.

The MVP wears a mask. Catcher William Contreras hit .381 in the series and threw out four of nine runners who tried to steal, becoming the first catcher to win World Series MVP since Salvador Perez in 2015. Rookie starter Jacob Misiorowski threw a 103.5 mph fastball in Game 1—the fastest pitch in World Series history—and secured the final win in front of 40,489 fans at Tropicana Field.

Zoom out. Enjoy the parade while you can, because baseball’s schedule gets tough from here. Free agents can start signing with any team on Monday. The league’s labor agreement ends on Dec. 1, and owners are expected to lock out the players the next day. A 154-game season and a salary cap, which the players’ union says it will never accept, are already being discussed.

See you in March—maybe. If there’s a lockout, all trades and signings will stop until a new agreement is reached. Opening Day, scheduled for March 25, could be used as leverage in negotiations.

— Landen Hull

Last call. Wednesday’s pick was a shutout. The Oilers beat the Flames 4-0, and Edmonton’s Tristan Jarry saved all 24 shots.

Round two. The NBA Cup, the league’s in-season tournament, starts group play tonight with a rematch. The Lakers beat Golden State by 22 on opening night. Make your pick below. You get one free entry in N1 (Apple or Google sign-in), on the same game card as the weekly Pick’em.

Clocks fall back Sunday at 2 a.m. Spend the extra hour wisely.

Bottoms up. See you Monday.