Sports category, Page 345
3 Periods: Penguins’ Alex Nedeljkovic seeking improvement in shootouts
Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan recently paid goalie Alex Nedeljkovic a notable compliment about his play of late. “He’s making timely saves for us,” Sullivan said. “He’s had a strong impact on the wins we’ve been able to get here most recently.” Nedeljkovic has certainly seemed to stabilize his game...
Why will Eagles win Super Bowl? Start with ‘super’ Saquon Barkley
NEW ORLEANS — Saquon Barkley hurdled backward into the highlight reel and ran straight toward the record book in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles. He set the franchise season record for yards rushing. He’s the ninth 2,000-yard rusher in NFL history. He has seven (postseason included) touchdown runs...
Minor league report: Penguins, Tristan Jarry shut out IslandersVideo
Goaltender Tristan Jarry stopped 31 shots as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins shut out the Bridgeport Islanders, 3-0, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Friday. It was Jarry’s first shutout of the season at either the NHL or American Hockey League levels and boosted his AHL record to 6-3-0. Forward Boris...
Sidney Crosby-less Penguins come together to earn road victory against Rangers
The Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t necessarily deviating from how they go about their business sans the services of superstar center Sidney Crosby. But in their first regular-season game without Crosby since April 2022, they strayed from the usual level of success they have enjoyed most of the season. That’s to say...
Why are Chiefs favored to beat Philadelphia in Super Bowl? Start with winning pedigree
NEW ORLEANS — The Kansas City Chiefs spent the season winning games by the narrowest of margins: a field goal made or a field goal blocked, a last-second touchdown or a last-minute stand, each time shredding the nerves of general manager Brett Veach. But when the Chiefs faced a real...
Spring training preview: Dodgers favored to be MLB’s 1st repeat champ in 25 years
Miguel Rojas gladly gave up his No. 11 to Roki Sasaki and went back to 72, his jersey as a Los Angeles Dodgers rookie in 2014. “I’m not asking for anything. I have everything that I want in life,” the 35-year-old infielder said. “All I ask for him is trying...
Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill says he wants to stay in Miami, regrets comments
Tyreek Hill wants to stay in Miami and he regrets his comments after the Dolphins’ final game of the season that suggested he wanted out. The star receiver said he doesn’t want to play for another team when asked Friday on the “Up & Adams” show about his comments after...
Thomas Detry nearly aces 16, shoots 64 to take 2-shot lead in Phoenix OpenVideo
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Thomas Detry nearly aced the par-3 16th hole and shot a 7-under 64 in the second round to take a two-shot lead lead in the Phoenix Open on Friday. Detry had eight birdies and a bogey to reach 12-under on another day of perfect conditions at TPC...
Indiana basketball coach Mike Woodson won’t return next seasonVideo
Indiana coach Mike Woodson is leaving his alma mater on his own terms. The 66-year-old Woodson, who has been under fire most of the past two seasons because of underperforming teams, decided to step down at the end of this season, the school announced Friday. The Hoosiers missed last year’s...
Tiger Woods to play at Torrey Pines, his 1st PGA Tour event since JulyVideo
SAN DIEGO — Tiger Woods committed Friday to playing the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines, returning to one of his favorite venues for his first PGA Tour start since the British Open last July. Woods will be playing — and walking — 18 holes in competition for the first time...
Pawnbrokers raided in connection with Joe Burrow burglary denied bail days before the Super Bowl
NEW YORK — Two owners of a New York City pawnshop that was raided by the FBI in connection with an investigation into a burglary at the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow were denied bail Friday, with a federal judge saying it would be “ironic” to release the...
UMass will pay student who made half-court $10K after insurance company said foot was on line
A UMass student who made a half-court shot during a women’s basketball game halftime promotion will get his $10,000 prize from the school itself after the insurance company refused to pay because, it said, his foot was on the line. Noah Lee was selected for the contest Wednesday that required...
Local ties to the Super Bowl: New Kensington’s Skyy Moore the Chiefs’ ‘good-luck charm’?
The question, presumably, was asked with tongue in cheek. But then again, facts are facts — and since the Kansas City Chiefs drafted New Kensington’s Skyy Moore, the team is 3 for 3 in advancing to the Super Bowl. Moore, appropriately, played along during media day festivities in New Orleans...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ postseason funk recreating an all-too-familiar Super Bowl rooting interest
If you’re a Steelers fan trying to figure out who to root for in Sunday’s Super Bowl, I can’t blame you if you are having a tough time reaching a conclusion. On the one hand, you’ve got the dominating, three-peat-hungry Kansas City Chiefs with their perceived NFL “favorite child” status....
At yet another Super Bowl, JuJu Smith-Schuster looks back fondly at time with Steelers
JuJu Smith-Schuster has now played for three NFL franchises, and three times he’s changed teams. He’s already won a Super Bowl ring with the Kansas City Chiefs, and he’s playing for another championship Sunday in his second go-around with that team. Still, Smith-Schuster looks back longingly at his time with...
The revamped Superdome is set to host its 8th Super Bowl after half a century of memorable moments
NEW ORLEANS — NFL coach Sean Payton remains a fan of the nearly 50-year-old Superdome, where he paced the home sideline for 15 seasons. “I challenge any venue to age like this one has,” Payton, now with the Denver Broncos, said while visiting New Orleans for Super Bowl-related festivities this...
Nielsen says Christmas had more viewing on streaming services than any day ever
NEW YORK — Christmas marked a milestone in media history: more streaming than any day ever before, according to the Nielsen company. Netflix streamed two NFL games on that day, with Beyonce appearing as the halftime entertainment when the Houston Texans hosted the Baltimore Ravens in addition to the Pittsburgh...
Penguins’ Sidney Crosby ruled out vs. Rangers, will miss 1st game in nearly 3 years
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been ruled out for Friday night’s contest at the New York Rangers. Coach Mike Sullivan revealed to reporters in New York following the Penguins’ Friday morning skate that Crosby, who’s nursing a suspected arm injury, won’t suit up. Of note, Crosby did participate in...
Mark Madden: A brief history of highs, lows of international hockey ahead of 4 Nations Face-Off
With the 4 Nations Face-Off beginning Wednesday, here’s a brief, informal history of international hockey. Disclaimer: Hockey players do not “represent their country.” The armed forces do. Grab a gun, not a hockey stick. Pre-1972 Canada dominated. Then the Soviet Union took over. Canada claimed that was because NHL players...
Penguins recall winger Emil Bemstrom from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of AHL
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled forward Emil Bemstrom from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League ahead of Friday’s game at the New York Rangers. Bemstrom, through 37 AHL games, is Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s leading scorer, with 19 goals and 22 assists. This season, the 25-year-old was named an AHL All-Star. The Penguins reassigned...
Steelers to play game in Ireland during 2025 seasonVideo
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be heading overseas for the first time in 12 seasons. To no surprise, given the franchise’s family roots, the destination is Dublin. The NFL announced Friday the Steelers will play a game at Croke Park in Ireland’s capital city during the 2025 season. The Steelers will...
First Call: Matt Stafford’s wife on board with move if trade happens; Steelers legend presses need for QB improvement
If the Pittsburgh Steelers really have an interest in acquiring Matthew Stafford, it appears his wife is willing to move from Los Angeles if needed. A Steelers legend is encouraging the team to make a move at QB as soon as possible. We preview the Penguins weekend ahead, potentially without...
Pirates by Position: Bounce-back year by closer David Bednar could be key to bullpen success
Ben Cherington will be the first to admit the Pittsburgh Pirates expected their bullpen to be dominant last season, and their general manager is the first to acknowledge its shortcomings. Adding seven-time All-Star Aroldis Chapman to a back end that featured two-time All-Star closer David Bednar was supposed to deliver...
Pitt Take 5: When Panthers meet Tar Heels, loser faces uphill climb
If Pitt/North Carolina looks like an elimination game, that’s because the loser is in serious trouble. Each team will have more than a month to recover, but a loss Saturday at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill would be North Carolina’s 11th and Pitt’s ninth. What’s left of the...
Robert Morris looks to follow path of fellow mid-major Duquesne to NCAA Tournament
Remember last season? Who could forget when Duquesne won the Atlantic 10 Tournament in men’s basketball and surged to its first NCAA Tournament in something like a million years? Remember that? It had been 47 seasons — the year was 1977, to be exact — since the Dukes made The...
