Sports category, Page 1372
Penguins notes: Penalty kill settling down after worst stretch of season
Through the first 50 games, the Pittsburgh Penguins hadn’t allowed as many as four opponent power-play goals over any six-game stretch all season. So when Toronto, Carolina and New Jersey combined for four power-play goals over a recent three-game span, coach Mike Sullivan took notice. “We went through a rough...
Penguins’ Kris Letang not focused on pending free agency, rumors of departure
Kris Letang didn’t deny he is aware of it. But to him, it’s nothing new. The veteran defenseman’s eight-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins expires this summer, leading to plenty of “noise” in the form of rumors his tenure with the team will, too. “I mean, that noise has been...
Call it a ‘measuring stick’ or not, Penguins prep for tough stretch vs. NHL’s top teams
Perhaps it was an ESPN “power ranking” published a few hours earlier that pegged the Pittsburgh Penguins as the sixth-best team in the Eastern Conference. Or maybe Kris Letang recently had been informed sportsbooks are giving the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers at least twice as good of odds...
Steelers notebook: Matt Corral welcomes chance to follow Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback
INDIANAPOLIS — Some NFL prospects might shy away from the thought of immediately replacing a Hall of Fame quarterback. Matt Corral isn’t of that mindset. Corral, the redshirt junior from Mississippi, is prepared to follow in the footsteps of Ben Roethlisberger provided he is drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. “Who...
Nearing the end of his farewell tour, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s emotions run high, but he said it’s all about team
There were grown men holding back tears on the floor of the Petersen Events Center on Tuesday, but emotions might flow more freely Saturday night in Durham, N.C. Before its 86-56 loss to the Blue Devils, Pitt honored retiring Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski with a ceremony recognizing his 47 years...
Penn-Trafford, Franklin Regional grads start podcast to help athletes when cheering stops
Keep chasing the life you want to live. That is one of the core messages Tim Cortazzo and Colin Jonov want to push in a new podcast they created called “Identity Impact.” The pair of former Division I football players from Westmoreland County high schools want to assist former athletes...
Mark Madden: Drafting Malik Willis solves nothing for the Steelers in 2022
Draftnik Mel Kiper Jr. says the Pittsburgh Steelers will choose Liberty quarterback Malik Willis with the 20th pick of the NFL Draft. That’s on Kiper’s big board. It’s not nearly as big as Kiper’s hair but is bigger than Kenny Pickett’s hands. (Kiper has the Pitt quarterback going No. 11...
Giants add former Pittsburgh Passion player to coaching staff
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants have added a second woman to their coaching staff, and started clearing cap space for free agency by releasing veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph. Rudolph confirmed his release in a tweet. New coach Brian Daboll on Wednesday announced Angela Baker, a Carlynton...
Penn State’s Rasheed Walker a ‘true boom or bust player’ entering NFL combine
STATE COLLEGE — For Daniel Jeremiah, the case for and against Rasheed Walker as an NFL prospect is present in one game from the Penn State offensive lineman’s final season with the Nittany Lions. During a conference call last week, the NFL Media draft analyst pointed to Penn State’s November...
Ukrainian athletes join military after Russian invasion
Less than two weeks ago, Dmytro Pidruchnyi was competing at the Winter Olympics in Ukraine’s national colors. Now he’s wearing a military uniform and ballistic helmet. Pidruchnyi is a world champion in biathlon, which combines skiing and shooting, and a three-time Olympian. He returned home from Beijing last week just...
Pirates adjust plans for 2022 home opener
After failing to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday announced the cancellation of the first two series of the regular season. The Pittsburgh Pirates are now tentatively scheduled to open the season April 7 with a four-game series at the St. Louis Cardinals. The...
Tim Benz: Kevin Colbert’s comments on Najee Harris unexpected, but not unfounded
When it comes to Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, I don’t think he goes out of his way to lie to the media during his rare meetings with us. But I do think he avoids giving direct answers to the best of his ability. It’s as if he has...
U mad, bro?: Pittsburgh fans have early barbs for Penguins at trade deadline, the Pirates — even the Maulers
Two treats for this week’s “U mad, bro?” First, because of some scheduling quirks, it’s coming a day early. Second, Pittsburgh fans are so special, they have managed to work their way into complaining about a franchise that hasn’t even held its first practice, rules changes that haven’t even been...
60 years ago today, Wilt Chamberlain set NBA scoring record with 100 points
HERSHEY — Wilt Chamberlain set an NBA record that still stands by scoring 100 points as he helped the Philadelphia Warriors beat the New York Knicks 169-147 in Hershey. Chamberlain had 23 points at the end of the first quarter, 41 at halftime and 69 at the end of the...
Latrobe grad Bryce Butler named Mountain East player of the year
Bryce Butler was thrust into the starting lineup at West Liberty this season in a full-time role. One could say he embraced the opportunity. Another way to put it might be: He took a defining season and owned it. The third-year sophomore out of Latrobe has been dominant for one...
In playing at Pitt, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski recalls family ties to Western Pa.
There’s plenty to hold Mike Krzyzewski’s attention these days. The ACC regular-season title that the Duke team he coaches just won. The looming end of a 47-year Hall of Fame career. The upcoming conference and NCAA tournaments. An emotional final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium against rival North Carolina on...
Family of member of Pitt’s 1974 Elite 8 team Tom Richards donates $5 million to Pitt athletics
The grand lobby at the entrance to the Petersen Events Center has been renamed the Thomas E. Richards Family lobby in honor of the member of Pitt’s 1974 Elite Eight team who later became chair of the university’s board of trustees. Richards died in October, and his wife, Mary Beth,...
West Virginia’s skid hits 7 after loss to OklahomaVideo
NORMAN, Okla. — Tanner Groves had his second consecutive double-double, Jordan Goldwire scored 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and Oklahoma beat West Virginia, 72-59, on Tuesday night to keep the Sooners’ NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Oklahoma (16-14, 6-11 Big 12), which beat in-state rival Oklahoma State, 66-62, last Saturday, has...
Pitt, coach Jeff Capel honor Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski with gift, video tributeVideo
In the minutes before his team began figuratively pounding Pitt into submission, Mike Krzyzewski was presented with a literal iron fist. True to form for a man whose soft-spoken and unobtrusive demeanor belies his status as a colossal basketball icon, Krzyzewski appeared choked up by the gesture. Tuesday night’s game...
Duke treats Mike Krzyzewski to 86-56 victory against Pitt in his last game at the Pete
Reality and emotion – large doses of both – surrounded Jeff Capel on Tuesday night almost from the moment he walked inside Petersen Events Center. Pitt’s 86-56 loss to No. 4 Duke was not unexpected. Even the 30-point margin of defeat – Pitt’s most decisive since a 94-60 loss to...
Robert Morris men knock off Youngstown State in Horizon League Tournament openerVideo
Before entering their second Horizon League men’s basketball tournament, the Robert Morris Colonials were issued a challenge by coach Andy Toole: Don’t quit. They heard him loud and clear and went on to provide Toole with his 200th career victory Monday night by claiming an opening-round 77-73 decision against Youngstown...
NFL’s competition committee considers changing OT rulesVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — All the Buffalo Bills wanted in January was one more chance to beat Kansas City. Now they’re trying to make sure no NFL team begins the offseason as it did. On Tuesday, more than a month after enduring a crushing AFC divisional round loss without ever touching the...
Russia excluded from more sports as sanctions mountVideo
GENEVA — More and more sports are following the appeal of the International Olympic Committee and banning Russian athletes from competing in the wake of the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia was barred from competing in international ice skating, skiing, basketball, track and some tennis events Tuesday, a day after...
Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson finds the right answer after shaky performance
During the Pittsburgh Penguins’ brutal 6-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday at PPG Paints Arena, none of the 20 players the home team put on the ice could boast of a good performance. After all, they allowed the equivalent of a touchdown. One player in particular, yielded...
Steelers notebook: GM ‘absolutely’ expects DE Stephon Tuitt to play football in 2022
INDIANAPOLIS — After missing the 2021 season because of a knee injury and the unexpected death of his brother, defensive end Stephon Tuitt has told the Pittsburgh Steelers he plans on returning to play this year. “Oh, yeah, absolutely,” general manager Kevin Colbert said on an interview with Steelers Nation...
