Gary Bettman is shedding some light on what the NHL plans to do to address inappropriate behavior by its coaches and those involved in the game.

On Monday after the league's Board of Governors meetings in California, the commissioner laid out the initial steps the NHL will take in the wake of a series of revelations that have resulted in Bill Peters' resignation from the Calgary Flames and the Chicago Blackhawks' investigation into assistant coach Marc Crawford.

Bettman said NHL clubs are on notice that they must immediately advise the league office if they become aware of an incident involving league personnel that is "clearly inappropriate, unlawful, or demonstratively abusive," or if they're made aware of an incident that may violate the NHL's policies on or off the ice.

"There will be zero tolerance for any failure to notify us and in the event of such failure, the club and individuals involved can expect severe discipline," he added.

Bettman said inappropriate conduct by club personnel "will be disciplined, either by the team, the league, or both," and that the discipline has to be severe to ensure the conduct doesn't happen again.

The commissioner also announced the league will institute a mandatory annual program on counseling, consciousness-raising, education, and training on diversity and inclusion. The program will be required for all head coaches, minor-league bench bosses under contract with NHL clubs, assistant coaches, general managers, and assistant general managers.

Bettman explained that the program's structure will be created by outside professionals and that the league will consult with the NHLPA to determine the extent that it should be presented to the players.

Lastly, the NHL will create a platform - "perhaps a hotline," according to Bettman - on which incidents of inappropriate conduct connected to the league can be reported either anonymously or for attribution.

In November, former NHLer Akim Aliu revealed Peters hurled the N-word at him multiple times when the two were with the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate in 2009-10. Former Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Michal Jordan also said Peters kicked him and punched another player in the head during a game when Peters was behind the bench in Carolina.

Peters admitted directing "offensive language" toward Aliu and stepped down as Calgary's head coach days later.

Following Bettman's remarks Monday night, Aliu tweeted that he was pleased to see the commissioner taking action. Aliu met with Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly at the NHL offices last week, after which the former player said he was optimistic about the coming changes.

Chicago is investigating Crawford following an allegation by former enforcer Sean Avery that the former NHL head coach kicked him during a game while the two were with the Los Angeles Kings in 2006.

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Colorado Avalanche phenom Cale Makar is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, the team announced.

He won't play against the Calgary Flames on Monday, but head coach Jared Bednar said there's a possibility Makar could return later in the week, according to The Athletic's Ryan S. Clark.

Makar left Saturday's game against the Boston Bruins after taking a hard hit into boards from Brad Marchand.

The 21-year-old blue-liner has taken the league by storm in his rookie season. His 28 points are tied for second among NHL defensemen and the most among all rookies.

Goaltender Philipp Grubauer is also considered day-to-day after exiting Saturday's tilt with a lower-body injury. Pavel Francouz is expected to handle starting duties in the meantime.

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Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section

It was another profitable slate over the weekend as our preview returned a 4-2 record in game bets, though we had to settle for a 1-1 split with our props.

Let's keep our nose to the grindstone and continue to build that bankroll ahead of the holidays.

Game betting

Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers (Tuesday)

This will the Lightning's second game of a back-to-back, and their third in four nights. That means Curtis McElhinney will likely get the start against the high-scoring Panthers. Tampa is perfectly equipped to enter into a shootout, and all signs point to that being the case here. Its last five trips to take on the Panthers have produced 45 goals (and five overs), and the Bolts typically trend to the over when closing out a back-to-back.

Montreal Canadiens at Pittsburgh Penguins (Tuesday)

The Canadiens seem to be turning a corner over their last four games, allowing just nine goals since being berated by coach Claude Julien following a string of embarrassing defensive efforts. Meanwhile, the Penguins have kept a shutout in each of their last two at home as they shift their focus to playing good defensive hockey in light of injuries up front. The under is a strong play here at anything six or higher.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Vancouver Canucks (Tuesday)

There will be nights when the Leafs put it together, their big guns show up, and they roll over a team like the Blues. But the consistency isn't there, nor is the depth to put in those performances on a regular basis. Still, the talent on their roster means their price is constantly inflated, which offers plenty of value in backing their opponents. The Canucks remain a tough team to beat on home ice, and we can back them at a very short price here. Take them at anything -130 or lower.

Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals (Wednesday)

Losers of two in a row, the Bruins open the week in Ottawa on Monday night before visiting D.C. and Tampa. They beat the Capitals 1-0 in Washington in February last season, ending a seven-game skid at Capital One Arena. Boston's scoring has dried up a bit of late, but the team is surviving on strong defensive play. Washington is also allowing very few goals (seven over its last four). The under looks good here despite all the firepower that these clubs possess.

Boston Bruins at Tampa Bay Lightning (Thursday)

This is a statement game for the Lightning, hosing a Bruins team on the second leg of a back-to-back. Tampa needs to build back its fractured reputation and a good way to do that is by beating a conference powerhouse. The Bolts are catching Boston at a good time, with less than a 24-hour turnaround from the Bruins' contest in Washington the night before. Back the Lightning to win a fifth straight home game over the Bruins as short favorites. Don't lay anything over -140.

Vegas Golden Knights at St. Louis Blues (Thursday)

The Golden Knights have been one of the NHL's unluckiest teams this season, while the defending champion Blues continue to march on despite a litany of injuries. Eventually, the bounces will start going Vegas' way - the underlying numbers are too good for them not to - and this is a good spot to back the Knights as 'dogs, as well as consider a bet on the contest to go to overtime at +300 or higher. Each of Vegas' last two games as 'dogs have required more than 60 minutes.

Game props

Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights (Tuesday)

There's usually no shortage of fireworks when these two teams face off. In eight all-time meetings, the first-period over has hit seven times, including in all four of the Blackhawks' trips to Vegas. Bank on it happening again Tuesday.

Ottawa Senators at Montreal Canadiens (Wednesday)

Despite dominating for close to 60 minutes, the Canadiens fell 2-1 in overtime to the Senators in their most recent meeting Nov. 20. Still, the most important streak for our sake stayed alive as Ottawa has now scored two or fewer goals in seven straight visits to Montreal and nine of its last 10. Go with the under 2.5 on the Sens' team total here, regardless of whether it's Carey Price or Cayden Primeau starting for the Habs.

Player props

Toronto Maple Leafs at Vancouver Canucks (Tuesday)

Tyson Barrie, who hails from Victoria, British Columbia, should have no shortage of family and friends in attendance when the Leafs visit Rogers Arena. He's notched five points in eight contests since Sheldon Keefe became head coach. He should be buzzing for a trip back to his hometown Tuesday night and is a sneaky play to get a goal in this game, which should be offered between +2000 to +2500.

Ottawa Senators at Montreal Canadiens (Wednesday)

This might seem somewhat contradictory given our under play for this game, but take it in stride. Jean-Gabriel Pageau is a Canadiens killer. He's managed nine goals in his career against Montreal, three more than his next biggest victim. He scored at the Bell Centre already this season and is worth backing to do so again.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

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Boston Bruins veteran Patrice Bergeron will return from injury Monday night versus the Ottawa Senators, head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed after the team's morning skate.

Bergeron hasn't played since Nov. 23 due to a lower-body injury.

The first-place Bruins still managed a 5-1-1 record without their top pivot.

Bergeron has posted 24 points in 21 games this season while averaging nearly 19 minutes of ice time per night on Boston's top line.

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This is the sixth edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for 2019-20. Check back for updated rankings every second Monday during the regular season.

In this edition, we identify one standout statistic from each team so far this season.

1. Washington Capitals (22-4-5)

Previous rank: 2

The NHL's best team comes with no shortage of notable numbers, but the most staggering statistic is that the Capitals have somehow gone 14-2-1 on the road.

2. Boston Bruins (20-4-6)

Previous rank: 3

A loss to the Avalanche on Saturday was the Bruins' first home defeat of the season in regulation. More amazingly, it was the first home loss in regulation by any of the four major Boston-area sports teams since the Red Sox fell to the Baltimore Orioles on Sept. 28.

3. Colorado Avalanche (19-8-2)

Previous rank: 10

Nathan MacKinnon's 17-point lead over teammate Cale Makar marks the largest gap between any club's top two scorers. Despite fellow stars Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog missing extended time due to injuries, MacKinnon's MVP-level play has kept the Avs near the top of the standings.

4. New York Islanders (19-7-2)

Previous rank: 1

The Islanders have enjoyed tremendous success in tight contests. They lead the NHL with a .769 winning percentage in one-goal games.

5. St. Louis Blues (18-7-6)

Previous rank: 5

The Blues have taken care of business against division rivals, going 6-1-1 versus Central Division opponents. Their only losses came in matchups with the Nashville Predators.

6. Philadelphia Flyers (17-8-5)

Previous rank: 17

Despite three-on-three overtime usually yielding a winner, the Flyers have found themselves in a league-high eight shootouts through 30 games.

7. Edmonton Oilers (18-10-4)

Previous rank: 7

After owning the NHL's second-worst penalty kill in 2018-19 (74.8%), the Oilers boast the league's second-best rate this season with a stellar 87% mark.

8. Pittsburgh Penguins (17-9-4)

Previous rank: 13

Despite going without Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and now Sidney Crosby for long stretches, the Penguins lead the NHL with a 55.81 rate of expected goals for and feature the league's third-best goals for rate of 57.48.

9. Arizona Coyotes (18-10-4)

Previous rank: 7

While many expected Darcy Kuemper to build on his impressive 2018-19 campaign, few figured he'd be this good. The Coyotes netminder leads all NHL goalies who've made at least 12 appearances with an incredible .935 save percentage.

10. Carolina Hurricanes (18-11-1)

Previous rank: 9

These "bunch of jerks" are the NHL's possession darlings. Carolina owns a league-best 54.67 Corsi For rating at five-on-five.

11. Winnipeg Jets (18-10-2)

Previous rank: 8

The Jets have remained competitive despite icing one of the NHL's worst power plays. Winnipeg has converted just 15.4% of its opportunities with the man advantage, the league's fifth-worst rate.

12. Calgary Flames (15-12-4)

Previous rank: 26

Following the Bill Peters mess, which resulted in his resignation, the Flames have gone 4-0-0 under interim head coach Geoff Ward.

13. Dallas Stars (17-11-3)

Previous rank: 4

Dallas' four highest-paid players (Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Joe Pavelski, and Alexander Radulov) have scored just 27 goals this season. With a combined annual cap hit of $32.6 million devoted to them, the Stars have paid more than $1.2 million per goal from that quartet so far this season.

14. Vegas Golden Knights (15-12-5)

Previous rank: 20

Have doctors found a cure for the Vegas flu? The Golden Knights were dominant at T-Mobile Arena during their first two years of existence, but they're just 7-6-3 at home this season compared to 8-6-2 on the road.

15. Vancouver Canucks (15-11-4)

Previous rank: 16

Is it crazy to say the 2019-20 Canucks are the best offensive team the franchise has featured in the last 10 years? Considering the club has scored 103 goals to date - its highest total of the decade through 30 games - it's starting to look that way.

16. Toronto Maple Leafs (14-13-4)

Previous rank: 18

The Maple Leafs are 14-7-3 when Frederik Andersen starts and 0-6-1 when he doesn't. Toronto desperately needs a quality backup goalie.

17. Minnesota Wild (14-12-4)

Previous rank: 24

Bruce Boudreau is viewed as an offensive-minded coach, but he doesn't get enough credit for his team's defensive structure. The Wild have surrendered the fewest high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes at five-on-five.

18. Florida Panthers (15-9-5)

Previous rank: 12

Is Sergei Bobrovsky feeling the pressure? His save percentage is currently 20 points lower than it was last season after he signed a seven-year, $70-million contract with the Panthers in the offseason. If Bobrovsky can regain his form, look out for Florida.

19. San Jose Sharks (15-15-2)

Previous rank: 11

It's been a trying season in the Bay Area. On the bright side, the Sharks' penalty kill is operating at a league-best 89.9% clip.

20. Tampa Bay Lightning (14-10-3)

Previous rank: 15

The NHL features some weird scheduling quirks. To date, the Lightning have played a league-low 27 games, while 23 other teams have already played at least 30.

21. New York Rangers (15-11-3)

Previous rank: 23

The Rangers have torched opponents for a league-leading six shorthanded goals after scoring just seven of them in 2018-19. However, the club's penalty kill has clicked at a subpar rate of 77.5%, which suggests New York may be wise to ease up on the aggression when shorthanded.

22. Nashville Predators (13-10-5)

Previous rank: 22

Goaltending has been the Achilles' heel of the Predators this season, as Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros have combined for an .895 save percentage and a 3.01 goals-against average. At this rate, Nashville will finish in the bottom half of the league in goals against for the first time since 2013-14.

23. Chicago Blackhawks (12-12-6)

Previous rank: 21

Despite boasting some of the best shootout specialists of all time in Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, the Blackhawks are 0-5 in the skills competition this season. Goaltender Robin Lehner is having a fantastic campaign, but he'll be the first to tell you that shootouts aren't his cup of tea. Considering Chicago's spot in the standings, those valuable extra points could be the difference between making the playoffs and hitting the links early.

24. Montreal Canadiens (13-11-6)

Previous rank: 14

The Canadiens have lost 17 games this year, but they've held a lead in more than half of them (nine). The Habs have no issues putting the puck in the net, but they'll miss the playoffs for a third straight year if they can't clean up their defensive issues.

25. Buffalo Sabres (14-11-6)

Previous rank: 27

The first 40 minutes have been vital for the Sabres this season. Buffalo is a perfect 12-0 when leading after two periods but has yet to win a game when trailing entering the final frame.

26. Anaheim Ducks (12-14-4)

Previous rank: 29

The Ducks own one of the most inexplicable stats of the season. The club has been outshot in each of its 12 victories (12-4-1) but has yet to pick up a win when outshooting its opponent (0-9-3).

27. Ottawa Senators (12-17-1)

Previous rank: 19

We knew this young Senators team would struggle, but nine power-play goals through 30 contests is just plain ugly.

28. Columbus Blue Jackets (11-14-4)

Previous rank: 25

Boy, do the Blue Jackets ever miss Artemi Panarin. Through 29 games, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Gustav Nyquist share the team lead in points with 18, making Columbus the only squad in the league without a 20-point producer.

29. Los Angeles Kings (11-18-2)

Previous rank: 28

The Kings have recorded just two road victories this season, and they've lost 11 straight away from home. Considering eight of L.A.'s next 11 games will come on the road, this team will need to figure out a way to win without the bright lights of Staples Center. Otherwise, its season will be over.

30. New Jersey Devils (9-15-5)

Previous rank: 30

The Devils have received an NHL-low 42 points from their defensemen. That's less than Norris Trophy favorite John Carlson has recorded on his own. P.K. Subban, Sami Vatanen, Damon Severson, and Will Butcher are all talented offensive players, so perhaps interim head coach Alain Nasreddine should put his blue-liners in more scoring situations.

31. Detroit Red Wings (7-21-3)

Previous rank: 31

The rebuilding Red Wings are finding themselves on the wrong side of history. Jeff Blashill's club has dropped 11 straight games, marking the franchise's longest losing streak since 1981-82.

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With the decade drawing to a close, theScore looked back and voted on 100 moments that defined the sports world in the 2010s. We're counting down every Monday in December, and below are moments 80-61.

100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 (Dec. 16) | 40-21 (Dec. 23) | 20-1 (Dec. 30)

80. It was 4-1 😲

May 13, 2013

It's one of the greatest implosions of all time. The phrase "It was 4-1" was heard around the hockey world. The Toronto Maple Leafs blew a three-goal lead over the Boston Bruins in the third period of Game 7 and lost in overtime. The Leafs were eliminated from their first playoff appearance in eight years in horrific fashion, marking the start of a modern, albeit one-sided, rivalry: Toronto's dropped two more playoff series to the Bruins since, both in seven games. - Kayla Douglas

79. Ibra's wonder goal vs. England 🇸🇪

Nov. 14, 2012

Derided for his poor record against English clubs in the Champions League, Zlatan Ibrahimovic answered his critics by scoring one of the most spectacular goals of the decade. The towering Swede actually put four past England in that memorable friendly, but it's the last one that was seen and heard around the world. An overhead kick from some 30 yards out, it soared into the net. "Last night, the world woke up to the mighty Zlatan," wrote English pundit Jamie Redknapp. - Anthony Lopopolo

78. Did Dez catch it? 🙅

Jan. 11, 2015

One of the NFL's all-time most controversial calls occurred with under five minutes left in an NFC divisional-round game. Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant leaped over Packers cornerback Sam Shields and made what appeared to be a spectacular grab on fourth down. However, following a review, officials determined Bryant failed to complete the catch "process," as the ball squirted loose when he hit the ground. The throw was ruled incomplete, and Dallas was eliminated. - Mike Alessandrini

77. Saints win Super Bowl XLIV 🏈

Feb. 7, 2010

The Saints needed a spark while trailing the powerhouse Colts to start the second half of Super Bowl XLIV, and head coach Sean Payton delivered with one of the boldest decisions in NFL history: "Ambush," an onside kick. Miraculously, his master plan worked, and New Orleans was able to take control of the game from there. Peyton Manning was still lurking, though, ready to orchestrate another signature comeback, until Tracy Porter got the best of him to polish off the Saints' dream season. - Sean O'Leary

76. Women's gold-medal hockey game in Sochi 🥇

Feb. 21, 2014

The Canada-USA women's rivalry was at its finest in Sochi. The Americans seemed poised to knock Canada off its long-held Olympic perch, holding a 2-0 lead with three minutes to go. But Brianne Jenner scored to cut the lead in half, then the U.S.'s empty-net dagger attempt somehow clanked iron. Marie Philip-Poulin took over from there, burying the equalizer and the overtime winner to clinch Canada's fourth consecutive gold medal. - O'Leary

75. Rodgers' Hail Mary TD 🙏

Jan. 16, 2016

When Aaron Rodgers asks the Football Gods for a miracle, his prayer is answered more often than not. The quarterback's divisional-round Hail Mary against the Arizona Cardinals - his second of the 2015 season after an unreal play versus the Detroit Lions in Week 13 - didn't lead to a Packers win, but it will forever be held up as one of the NFL's best-ever throws. Only a few QBs to walk this Earth could complete the perfect 61-yard heave that Rodgers launched while falling to his left. - Jack Browne

74. Roll Tide 🌊

Jan. 8, 2018

Alabama went to the locker room down 13 points with quarterback Jalen Hurts playing his worst game of the season. Facing an unfamiliar situation, head coach Nick Saban benched Hurts for then-freshman Tua Tagovailoa in the second half. That decision rewrote the 2018 CFP National Championship's final script, as Tagovailoa led the Crimson Tide to 20 second-half points, and he later tossed a 41-yard walk-off touchdown to DeVonta Smith in overtime to complete the 26-23 comeback victory over Georgia. - Caio Miari

73. Jeter says goodbye in iconic fashion 😘

Sept. 25, 2014

"Now batting for the Yankees. No. 2. Derek Jeter." The legendary introduction from late PA announcer Bob Sheppard resonated through Yankee Stadium one last time when Jeter stepped to the plate for his final at-bat at home. After the Orioles tied the game with three runs in the ninth inning, The Captain stroked a walk-off single through the first-base side to score pinch-runner Antoan Richardson. The game-winner was one of 3,465 hits Jeter collected during what will soon be announced as a Hall of Fame career. - Bryan Mcwilliam

72. Deshaun dethrones 'Bama 🏆

Jan. 9, 2017

One year after Alabama defeated Clemson and celebrated its fourth national championship in seven years, Deshaun Watson brought the Tigers to the Crimson Tide's level. Clemson stormed back after falling behind 14-0, with Watson producing one of the greatest championship-game performances of all time (420 passing yards and 43 rushing yards). Trailing 31-28 with six seconds to go and facing a first-and-goal from the 2-yard line, Watson rolled to his right and found an open Hunter Renfrow for the game-winning score. We could look back on that night as an evening when one dynasty replaced another. - Mark Cooper

71. The Sherman Swat 🙋

Jan. 19, 2014

The NFL identifies it as one of the league's greatest game-winning plays. The "Swat heard around the world" propelled the Seahawks to the Super Bowl and the first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. Richard Sherman, the Legion of Boom's leader, backed up his brash talk with flashy play, then produced an all-time great postgame interview. "I'm the best corner in the game," he said. "When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that's the result you gon' get!" - Michael McClymont

70. Barcelona's unbelievable comeback 💥

March 8, 2017

After winning the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona 4-0, Paris Saint-Germain headed to the Catalan capital for the reverse fixture with a near-insurmountable aggregate advantage. Players joked, quarterfinal plans were made, and the media painted Barcelona as a club in decline. What could go wrong? Spoiler alert: Everything. Barcelona scored thrice in the final minutes to cement La Remontada (The Comeback) and snatch victory courtesy of a 6-5 aggregate win. - Michael J. Chandler

69. Miggy wins Triple Crown 👑

Oct. 3, 2012

The Detroit Tigers slugger became only the 15th hitter in baseball history to earn the Triple Crown and the first since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. Cabrera led the American League with a .330 batting average, 44 home runs, and 139 RBIs during his historic campaign. "That'll probably be the greatest thing that I'll ever see in my career," teammate Alex Avila told The New York Times. Cabrera's otherworldly performance culminated in him winning the first of back-to-back AL MVP Awards. - Tom Ruminski

68. FIFA bribery scandal 💰

May 2015-present

FIFA was in crisis mode ahead of its annual meeting in 2015 as U.S. federal prosecutors raided a luxury hotel in Zurich and arrested several executives of the world football governing body on corruption charges. Among the various charges, the FIFA officials were accused of accepting bribes related to bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The fallout of the investigation eventually ended Sepp Blatter's reign as FIFA president; the disgraced Swiss international was banned from football-related activities for eight years the following December. - Gordon Brunt

67. NCAAF playoff signals end of the BCS

June 26, 2012

Resentment for the BCS reached a fever pitch in 2011 after Alabama edged Oklahoma State for No. 2 in the final ranking, turning the national championship game into a rematch between LSU and the Crimson Tide. Less than six months after the title game, conference commissioners and university presidents came together in Washington to present a new format: the four-team College Football Playoff. It replaced the BCS formula, which combined polls and computer rankings, with a 13-person committee that watched the games. But it couldn't get rid of the fierce debates every November and December. - Cooper

66. Chloe Kim wins halfpipe gold 🏂

Feb. 13, 2018

Chloe Kim was under immense pressure to win the women's halfpipe in her Olympic debut - at the age of 17, she was already a four-time Winter X Games winner. Kim's parents were originally from South Korea and many family members - including her grandmother - had never seen the American snowboarder compete live. But no moment was too big for her. Kim had wrapped up the gold medal before her final run, and she was tweeting about being "hangry" prior to becoming the youngest woman to land back-to-back 1080s at a Winter Games. - Chicco Nacion

65. Andrew Luck's shock retirement 😱

Aug. 24, 2019

The reigning Comeback Player of the Year stood on the Indianapolis sideline during a preseason game wearing street clothes and a smile, unaware that his name was trending worldwide. As rumblings inside Lucas Oil Stadium grew, Luck realized the news was out. Colts fans booed as the game ended. Afterward, the former No. 1 pick confirmed he was walking away from football at 29 due to injury-related exhaustion. "I'm in pain," he said. "Still in pain." - Alex Chippin

64. 'I'm coming home,' LeBron announces 🏠

July 11, 2014

There are scoops, and then there are revelations, like the one then-Sports Illustrated writer Lee Jenkins landed regarding LeBron James' 2014 free agency. James shocked the world with an open letter announcing he was leaving the Heat to go home to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The news was a bombshell not only because his choice hadn't been definitively reported, but because it was a drastic contrast to James' controversially televised decision four years prior. - Jonathan Soveta

63. Gotze's goal, Messi's heartbreak ⚽💔

July 13, 2014

Poor Leo Messi. Mario Gotze was the hero of the hour at the Maracana - his exquisite extra-time goal that secured the 2014 World Cup for Germany is the type of moment dreams are made of - but it was impossible not to focus on a crestfallen Messi at the final whistle. The cameras certainly did. His search for a major international title, and its accompanying status as a beloved figure in Argentina, continues. Adding to the cruelty, the Argentines went on to suffer heartbreaking defeats in successive Copa America finals over the next two years. - Gianluca Nesci

62. Russia busted for doping 💉

July 18, 2016

In what the World Anti-Doping Agency called "a shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport and on the Olympic Games," Russia - bent on dominating the Sochi Games in 2014 - planned and carried out a state-sponsored doping program that would include 15 medal winners. Whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov implicated the FSB and just about every other major Russian government entity, and his testimony eventually led to those famous "Olympic Athletes from Russia" uniforms meekly worn in PyeongChang. - Devang Desai

61. Rousey knocked out 👊

Nov. 14, 2015

With one second-round kick, the unstoppable freight train known as Ronda Rousey came to a screeching halt at UFC 193. The brutal kick to the neck/head of the champion was delivered by 7-1 underdog Holly Holm, producing one of mixed martial arts' biggest upsets. Rousey was in the midst of a three-year reign as bantamweight champion, and she couldn't bounce back from the gut-wrenching loss. She left MMA to become a professional wrestler two years later. - Mcwilliam

100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 (Dec. 16) | 40-21 (Dec. 23) | 20-1 (Dec. 30)

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