December 7, 2023 4:35 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 24 shots, NHL points leader Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1. Anthony Cirelli and Tanner Jeannot also scored for the Lightning, who have won four in a row after a four-game skid. Kucherov extended his point streak to 11 games, and has 44. points in 26 games. Vasilevskiy, making his sixth start since recovering from back surgery delayed his season debut, lost his shutout bid when Jake Guentzel scored with 53 second left in the third. Tristan Jarry had 24 saves for the Penguins, who have lost eight of 11 (3-5-3). Pittsburgh went 0 for 4 on the power play to fall to 0 for 33 over the last 12 games.
December 7, 2023 4:33 am
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Blake Hinson scored a career-high 29 points, including a school-record nine 3-pointers, to lead Pittsburgh to a 80-63 win over West Virginia. Pittsburgh broke a two-game losing streak, along with a six-game losing streak in the Backyard Brawl series with the Mountaineers. Carlton Carrington added 16 points and Guillermo Diaz Graham scored 15 for the Panthers. Pittsburgh made a season-high 16 3-pointers. Hinson broke the record of eight that he had shared with several others. Quinn Slazinski scored a career-high 22 points and Jesse Edwards had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Mountaineers. West Virginia’s 3-5 record is its worst start since opening the 2012-13 season 4-5.
December 7, 2023 4:37 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees have acquired All-Star slugger Juan Soto in a blockbuster trade with the cost-cutting San Diego Padres. San Diego received right-handed pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez and Drew Thorpe along with catcher Kyle Higashioka. In addition to Soto, the Yankees get Gold Glove center fielder Trent Grisham. It’s the second blockbuster deal involving the 25-year-old Soto in less than two years. The three-time All-Star has one season of team control left and is likely to get a salary around $32 million after batting .275 with 35 homers, 109 RBIs and a .930 OPS in his only full season with the Padres. San Diego acquired Soto from Washington on Aug. 2, 2022, after he turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer from the Nationals.
December 6, 2023 4:38 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky is trying to focus on his present and not his future. Trubisky will start in place of the injured Kenny Pickett when the Steelers host reeling New England on Thursday. Trubisky was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft, who has spent most of the past three seasons as a backup. Trubisky says he’s trying to embrace the opportunity and plans to be aggressive in hopes of providing the NFL’s 28th-ranked offense with a spark. The Steelers are 7-5 and in the thick of the AFC wild-card race with five games remaining.
December 6, 2023 4:36 am
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — All signs point to quarterback Bailey Zappe making his second straight start for the New England Patriots on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 2022 fourth-round pick addressed the media from the podium on Tuesday. That’s usually a good sign when trying to figure out who will be under center for the Patriots’ next game. Zappe said he made some “misreads and misfires” during a 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday. But he didn’t turn the ball over, which was a positive sign considering fellow QB Mac Jones has struggled in that area.
December 6, 2023 4:34 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Marco Gonzales’ time with the Atlanta Braves lasted just two days, ending when the pitcher was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates along with cash for a player to be named or cash. Atlanta acquired the 31-year-old left-hander from Seattle on Sunday night along with outfielder Jarred Kelenic, infielder Evan White and $4.5 million for right-handers Cole Phillips and Jackson Kowar. Gonzales was 4-1 with a 5.22 ERA this year before surgery to relieve pressure on a nerve in his left arm. He’s expected to be ready for the start of spring training.
December 6, 2023 4:39 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani met with the Los Angeles Dodgers a few days ago at Dodger Stadium, manager Dave Roberts revealed at the winter meetings. Ohtani, a unique two-way star, is expected to command a record contract of $500 million-plus on the free agent market. The meeting lasted two-to-three hours. Ohtani led the AL with 44 homers and hit .304 with 96 RBIs for the Angels before an oblique injury. He was 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts on the mound before tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, which will keep him from pitching next year.
December 5, 2023 4:35 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Sean Couturier scored 3:55 into overtime to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night. Tyson Foerster scored in regulation for Philadelphia. Sidney Crosby became Pittsburgh’s all-time leading scorer against the Flyers when he tallied late in the first period.
December 5, 2023 4:31 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery for a high right ankle sprain. Pickett had the procedure done less than 24 hours after a 24-10 loss to Arizona. Pickett was injured in the second quarter when Cardinals defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter fell on his at the end of a 2-yard scramble. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Mitch Trubisky will start for Pittsburgh when the Steelers host New England on Thursday.
December 5, 2023 4:33 am
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jake Browning threw for 354 yards and a touchdown in his second career start, and the Cincinnati Bengals stunned the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-31 in overtime. Browning also ran for a score as the Bengals won on a Monday night for the first time since 1990 on Evan McPherson’s 48-yard field goal in the extra frame. This one was shocking and potentially costly for the Jaguars, who lost quarterback Trevor Lawrence to a sprained right ankle late in the fourth quarter.
