Chris Adamski stories, Page 111
Brian Dumoulin, Mark Jankowski, Evan Rodrigues return to Penguins practice
Sidney Crosby was not at Pittsburgh Penguins practice Wednesday. But everybody else was. A day after being placed on the NHL’s covid-19 list and missing a win against the Philadelphia Flyers, Crosby sat out Wednesday’s practice in Cranberry Township. Still, the news regarding participation and availability largely was positive for...
Move over, JuJu – TikTok announces partnership with Penguins
Could we start seeing Sidney Crosby dancing on the Philadelphia Flyers’ logo before faceoff at Wells Fargo Center? Highly unlikely, but the Pittsburgh Penguins announced a formal partnership with the social-media company local sports fans became familiar with after some pregame logo dances in the fall. Until Wednesday, the most...
Gregory Polanco homers, drops fly ball as Pirates win Grapefruit League opener
It was an eight-inning game that had the first half-inning called after only two outs were recorded. And, yet, the aspect of Sunday’s Grapefruit League opener for the Pittsburgh Pirates that perhaps stood out most was there were 1,750 spectators on hand to see it. It had been 353 days...
Kevin Newman to lead off Pirates’ Grapefruit season; Todd Frazier in lineup vs. Orioles
Kevin Newman is both the answer to the questions of who will be the Pittsburgh Pirates first 2021 starting shortstop and to who will take their first at-bat of the Grapefruit League season. Newman is in the leadoff spot for Sunday’s 1:05 p.m. game against the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota,...
Penguins staying in playoff race by way of success in 1-goal games
When games with empty-net goals are accounted for, more than 70% of NHL games last season were decided by one goal. It makes sense, then, that success in one-goal games is imperative for teams that aspire to finish with a strong win-loss record. The Pittsburgh Penguins are the league’s best...
Steelers’ Art Rooney II: Roethlisberger still capable, contract delay not about performance
Two days after releasing a statement that he and his team’s longtime quarterback are in agreement about Ben Roethlisberger playing in 2021, Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II reiterated that the organization believes Roethlisberger, even at age 39, remains a high-level NFL starter. “We think Ben played at a high...
Penguins notes: Evgeni Malkin ‘trending the right way;’ Juuso Riikola practices fully
Is Evgeni Malkin — finally — emerging from his season-long slump? His coach saw signs of that during Tuesday’s Pittsburgh Penguins victory. “I do think his game is trending in the right way,” Mike Sullivan said Wednesday. Sullivan cited, in particular, Malkin’s work during the first period of Tuesday’s 3-2...
Penguins prepare for apparent stretch without injured forward Jason Zucker
Among the Pittsburgh Penguins’ top-six forwards, Jason Zucker ranks sixth in points, fifth in goals, fifth in plus/minus and sixth in attempted-shot percentage metrics. But his lofty spot in the lineup remained secure, in large part, because of the lofty stature he has held in the locker room since the...
Penguins claim D Mark Friedman off waivers from Flyers
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ new management team made its first external player acquisition, claiming defenseman Mark Friedman off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. The 25-year-old, right-handed-shooting Friedman appeared in four games for the Flyers this season and 11 games since his NHL debut in April 2019. He has one...
Art Rooney II, Ben Roethlisberger in agreement Steelers QB returns for 18th season
The long-anticipated meeting between the president and franchise player of the Pittsburgh Steelers finally took place Tuesday. And the two are in agreement their on-field relationship should continue for at least one more season. In a statement released via the verified Twitter account of Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten, Art Rooney...
Steelers’ Mike Tomlin discusses NFL minority coach hiring in HBO segment
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is cooling on the idea of speaking at “diversity workshops” in his profession, and he’s also growing weary in regards to repeated attempts by the NFL to encourage more minority hiring among its head coaches. Asked, in a colorful way, on a new episode of...
Penalty-killing rounding into form for Penguins
It, by some standards, was a modest streak, one that covered a mere one full game. But for the Pittsburgh Penguins penalty kill, denying nine consecutive opponent power plays was a sign the unit is rounding into form after a bumpy start to the season. A late goal after the...
NCAA proceeding with Frozen Four in Pittsburgh in April
The coronavirus pandemic has led to a dearth of events at PPG Paints Arena over the past 11 months. But “plans are moving forward” for a major collegiate event to be held at the facility in April. Organizers Robert Morris and SportsPittsburgh are proceeding with preparations for the Frozen Four...
Sidney Crosby reiterates desire to play entire career for Penguins
With a new management team and an accompanying possible change in the franchise’s big-picture direction, for the first time during his 16 years with the Pittsburgh Penguins there have been whispers about Sidney Crosby’s future with the organization. But if the longtime team captain has his way, he’ll retire as...
Jusso Riikola returns to Penguins practice, albeit in non-contact jersey
Slowly but surely, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ battered blue line is returning to full strength. Friday’s practice was the first in more than a month that featured Jusso Riikola since the defenseman suffered an undisclosed injury believed to be to his upper-body. Though he had worked with the Penguins’ taxi squad...
Healthy, trim, determined Zach Aston-Reese tapping full potential for Penguins
A long offseason of rehab and commitment has left Zach Aston-Reese appearing noticeably trimmed down. And yet he’s playing a “big” game. Big in regards to a physical style. Big in regards to production. Big in regards to the quality of his work at both ends. In his first regular-season...
Penguins notes: Marcus Pettersson again a full participant, Casey DeSmith stays home
Although Mike Sullivan on Monday said “all the injured players are just status quo,” the Pittsburgh Penguins coach did allow that defenseman Marcus Pettersson fully participating in a second consecutive full-contact practice is an “encouraging” sign in regards to a potential return to the lineup. Pettersson has missed the past...
Former Penguins power-play savant Todd Reirden looks to jumpstart struggling unit
The raw numbers, to be sure, are not pretty in regards to the Pittsburgh Penguins power play. But believe it or not, the deeper you dig, the worse it looks. The Penguins 13.5% conversion rate ranks 24th in the league and would have finished dead last compared to the 31...
Steelers teammates past, present, NFL world react to Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement
Twenty-four members of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization have already been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Five more have been voted into the exclusive Canton, Ohio, club and are due for formal induction later this year. Aside from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, there arguably wasn’t an active Steelers player...
J.J. Watt released by Texans; brother T.J. appears to campaign to bring him to Steelers
The first domino fell in the sequence of events that could unite all three of the NFL’s famed Watt brothers on one NFL team. Plenty of hurdles remain, but T.J. Watt appeared to openly campaign for older brother J.J. to join him with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Three-time NFL defensive player...
9-time Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey retiring from Steelers
Citing the “sacrifice” playing pro football carries on his life, nine-time Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey announced his retirement from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday. Pouncey and his twin brother, Mike, made their joint announcement via Maurkice Pouncey’s longtime teammate and friend, Ramon Foster, on Foster’s verified Twitter page. Foster,...
A look at new Penguins brain trust Ron Hextall, Brian Burke
Ron Hextall, general manager Age 56… Spent four years (2014-18) as GM of the Philadelphia Flyers, assembling a roster that has blossomed into a Stanley Cup contender. …. Hextall was assistant GM of the Los Angeles Kings (2006-13), winning a Stanley Cup ring in ‘12 and being part of the...
Penguins use old-school wooden sticks at practice
Tuesday’s Pittsburgh Penguins practice was staged at their state-of-the-art modern Cranberry Township facility, and it was run under the specter of some very 2021 coronavirus-related protocols. But there was one aspect of the session at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex that turned back the clock about three decades. The players took...
Mike Matheson, Zach Aston-Reese full participants at practice for Penguins; Jared McCann sits again
A day after leaving practice following a collision with a teammate, Mike Matheson was back on the ice for a full practice with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday. Jared McCann, however, was not. But the initial word on McCann’s injury is that it is not a serious one. Skating on...
Sportsbook has Mike Tomlin among top 10 of odds as next NFL coach to be fired/resign
The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t fired a head coach since Lyndon Johnson was president. At least one prominent sports gambling outlet isn’t dismissing the possibility it could happen in 2021. Not long after Sunday’s Super Bowl completed the 2020 NFL season, Sportsbettingdime.com released its odds for the champion of next year’s...
