Sports Photos of the Year by Mark Blinch
Shooting sports can be very rewarding as much as it can be punishing. Everything happens so fast, and if you miss it, it’s gone. Very similar to the athletes competing, photographers compete to find the best moment to tell the story within a frame. In order to get those pictures, you have to play the percentages in predicting what position or angle that moment may come from. I try my best to predict where to put my two feet in order to get the story of the game. Shooting sports never gets old. The constant carrot dangling in front of you to get the next great picture is highly addicting, especially because you just never know when it might happen.
Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs shoots to score on Cory Schneider #35 of the New Jersey Devils as his teammates Andy Greene #6 and Adam Henrique #14, along with James van Riemsdyk #25 of the Toronto Maple Leafs follow the play at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Leo Komarov #47 of the Toronto Maple Leafs is grabbed by Dmitry Kulikov #77 and Brian Gionta #12 in front of goaltender Robin Lehner #40 of the Buffalo Sabres at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Connor Brown #12 of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Julian Melchiori #71 of the Winnipeg Jets play at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Tyler Bozak #42 of the Toronto Maple Leafs is mobbed by teammates after scoring the game winning goal during overtime in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals checks Nazem Kadri #43 of the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Leo Komarov #47 of the Toronto Maple Leafs goes to the net against Nico Hischier #13 and Cory Schneider #35 of the New Jersey Devils at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Oscar Klefbom #77 of the Edmonton Oilers battles with James van Riemsdyk #25 of the Toronto Maple Leafs as Laurent Brossoit #1 of the Edmonton Oilers looks for the puck at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Fans march to the match before the Toronto FC play the Columbus Crew in MLS eastern conference semi-final playoff soccer action in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Toronto FC Michael Bradley hoists the trophy with teammates after defeating the Seattle Sounders to win the MLS Cup final in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Toronto Raptors goes to the basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during Game 5 of their playoff basketball game at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Toronto Wolfpack players sing their song to celebrate defeating the Barrow Raiders during their Kingstone Press League 1 rugby match against at Lamport Stadium in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Toronto Wolfpack player Fuifui Moimoi poses for a portrait at Lamport Stadium in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Toronto Blue Jays Steve Pearce throws the bat in celebration after hitting a walk off grand slam to defeated the Oakland Athletics during the 10th inning of MLB baseball action in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
Toronto Blue Jays centre fielder Kevin Pillar climbs the wall but can't make the catch on a solo home run by New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez in Toronto.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail