Tim Benz stories, Page 96

For the Pittsburgh Penguins, there were some things to like en route to grabbing a point on the road against the New York Islanders. Jake Guentzel had two goals and an assist. Jake Guentzel’s 18 even-strength goals on the road are tied for second in the NHL. pic.twitter.com/QHywV61GdX— Pittsburgh Penguins...

In Wednesday’s “First Call,” multiple services are planned to honor the memory of recently deceased Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Former Steeler Melvin Ingram is making the free agent rounds. The son of a Steelers Pro Bowler is entering the NFL draft at a position of need for his father’s...

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday marked the third home opener at PNC Park for manager Derek Shelton. But it was the first one approaching what he dreamed of having before the word “coronavirus” became part of our everyday vocabulary. “You know your fans are...

Another local college athlete is getting a shot to make it big in pro wrestling. Robert Morris volleyball player and Seneca Valley High School graduate Emily Devlin is heading to Orlando in June for a 60-day extended tryout at the WWE performance training center. Devlin is set to graduate from...

During Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and recently acquired Rickard Rakell were only on the ice together for two minutes, seven seconds. But they sure made the most of that time together. All three of the Penguins goals were scored with those two...

Adam Schefter is apologizing for his reporting on the death of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Odds are out on T.J. Watt’s perceived chances of repeating as NFL Defensive Player of the Year. A celebrity Pittsburgher is lobbying for a specific quarterback to land with the Steelers. And a busy...

In the Pittsburgh Penguins’ latest “gotta have it” game, they actually got it. They didn’t get it Thursday against the New York Rangers when it felt like the Penguins had to secure a win against an opponent most hockey observers in Pittsburgh have long assumed they would face in the...

Lately, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been struggling to string together wins. With only three victories in their last 10 games, two of the wins have been with Casey DeSmith in net. Tristan Jarry, meanwhile, has lost five starts in a row and six of seven, and he hasn’t beaten a...

In Monday’s “First Call,” former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Josh Dobbs discusses his move to Cleveland. A former Penguin puts up a hat trick. The Washington Capitals keep winning. And we reflect on the loss of a former Penn State football standout. Change of allegiance New Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh Dobbs...

The epic Super Bowl XLIII interception return for a touchdown by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison lasted 13 seconds. For South Park High School graduate Reggie Wells, his memory of it will last a lifetime. And, as an offensive lineman for the Arizona Cardinals that day, part of his role...

I’ve got nothing to be angry about this week. I’m taking off a day early. I’m going to Boston for the Frozen Four. I’ll see some of my family that I haven’t seen since the pandemic hit. I cleaned up at the casino on some Final Four and hockey bets....

Thursday’s “First Call” starts with more news about the Pittsburgh Steelers safety position. Pitt’s coach shares some details about Kenny Pickett. We have a look at the Penguins game against the New York Rangers. And another local college athlete is getting into business with the WWE. Search still on One...

For Duquesne football player Roman Macek, he figured it was worth a try. What’s the worst that could happen? They laugh him out of Texas? He’d only be gone for a few days. His coaches and teammates were behind him. The flight would land early enough Saturday that he could...

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan didn’t think that his team’s 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Denver deserved too much disappointment. “It was just a really good hockey game. It was a well-played game on both sides,” Sullivan said after the defeat. “It was a real competitive hockey game.”...

Tuesday’s “First Call” sees some possible movement soon at the safety position for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and movement in front of them on the draft board may influence the quarterbacks available. We check in on the health of the Penguins and Avalanche in advance of Tuesday night’s game. And there...

As the North Carolina Tar Heels ride into Monday night’s NCAA Tournament Championship game against Kansas, they are in one of the most unique sports positions in recent memory. A blue-blood, high-profile, historically elite college basketball team. Yet it’s somehow in the underdog, “playing with nothing to lose” role at...

During many of our “Madden Monday” podcasts throughout this NFL offseason, Mark Madden and I have both expressed our skepticism about the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022. But in this week’s edition, Madden advanced an optimistic scenario. And it has to do with new quarterback Mitch Trubisky. “Do you know the...

Monday’s “First Call” shows us how former Pittsburgh Penguin Phil Kessel took over the NHL’s consecutive games streak. A pair of Metropolitan Division teams suffered home losses. The Eastern Conference has its first team locked into the playoffs. And the Pirates will be facing a familiar opponent on Opening Day...

In Friday’s “First Call,” the Baltimore Ravens miss out on a star free agent signing. A Pitt basketball legend may be getting his first head coaching gig. Robert Morris’ head coach is no fan of the hype surrounding Mike Krzyzewski’s last trip to the Final Four. And we recap another...

Mike Eruzione’s friendship with Penguins legend Mario Lemieux started decades ago. Back to when he got to know the Hall of Famer through golf tournaments Lemieux set up with one of Eruzione’s Massachusetts hockey pals, former Penguins goalie Tom Barrasso. It’s no surprise the two men remained close over the...

It’s not in the nature of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin to feed media hype. Generally, the more spin a story is getting, the more Tomlin tends to downplay it. Not when it comes to the team’s ongoing study of this year’s draft-eligible quarterbacks, though. During NFL owners meetings interviews, Tomlin...

Tuesday night’s loss against the New York Rangers began a seven-game stretch for the Penguins exclusively against opponents that are currently in playoff slots. The next such challenge comes against the Minnesota Wild Thursday. And they are the hottest team of the bunch. Under the eye of former Penguin Bill...

A big-name free agent reveals that he has been in touch with the Steelers. We debate the reasons behind Bruce Arians’ latest retirement. Lamar Jackson is getting testy in Baltimore. Alex Goligoski just keeps on playing. And the New York Rangers just keep winning. All that in Thursday’s “First Call.”...

We have quite the cornucopia of Pittsburgh sports fan complaints this week in “U mad, bro?” Folks are angry about NFL overtime and the new “Monday Night Football” booth. Pitt fans are getting defensive about Kenny Pickett. Steelers fans want to defend the wall when it comes to second guessing...

Even though Tuesday was “Ben Roethlisberger Night” at PPG Paints Arena, the Penguins couldn’t finish off a late comeback. The Penguins were beaten by the New York Rangers 3-2 despite a heart-stopping onslaught of 6-on-5 shots against New York goalie Igor Shesterkin. All the while, the Rangers were narrowly missing...