February 14, 2021 7:34 am
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — One swing put Jordan Spieth closer than ever to ending a long and mystifying slump, and served as a reminder that he still has a long road ahead at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Two shots behind with three holes to play Saturday, Spieth holed out with an 8-iron from 160 yards for eagle on the 16th hole, the start of a stunning turnaround that sent him to a 1-under 71 and a two-shot lead going into the final round. Daniel Berger helped out by going from a share of the lead to two shots behind when his tee shot on the par-5 18th was out-of-bounds by mere inches and led to a double bogey. The timing was ideal for Spieth, who has been without a victory worldwide in his last 79 events since he won the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale. He led by two shots at the turn only to miss the green and make bogey at the 10th and 12th, and then bail out of a tough wedge to a back pin on the par-5 14th that spun off the green for another bogey. The pin on the 16th was cut to the left on a severely pitched green, and it was perfect. These moments used to happen when Spieth was winning all the time. This was the second time this week he holed out from the fairway, and now he is on the cusp of winning again. Spieth was at 13-under 203 with plenty of contenders right behind.
February 13, 2021 4:30 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Boston Bruins have the best record in the entire NHL after extending their winning streak. Jaroslav Halak made Nick Ritchie’s goal stand up as the Bruins picked up their fifth straight win, 1-0 over the Rangers. Halak stopped 21 shots in his first shutout of the season and 51st of his career. He’s 4-0-1 with a 1.38 goals-against average in five starts this season. Ritchie beat Igor Shesterkin 9:27 into the second period. Shesterkin made 29 saves for New York. The Bruins lead the East Division with 22 points at 10-1-2. The Rangers dropped to 4-6-2 with their third loss in a row. In Friday’s other NHL game, the Blues ended a three-game losing streak as Justin Faulk had two goals and an assist in their 4-1 victory over the Coyotes. Jordan Binnington stopped 24 shots for St. Louis, which clinched it with empty-netters by Ivan Barbashev and Brayden Schenn.
February 13, 2021 3:47 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey has announced his retirement. He was 2010’s 18th overall pick out of the University of Florida. He made the announcement in a statement that also announced that his twin brother Mike is also retiring. Unfortunately, injuries were a major part of his Steelers story. In 2011, near the end of his rookie season, Pouncey injured his ankle in the AFC Championship Game and missed playing in Super Bowl XV. In 2013, he was hurt on the first offensive drive of the first regular-season game, and ended up missing the remainder of the season. Two years later, he was injured in the preseason and missed the entire regular season. When he did play, however, Pouncey set the standard for both the Steelers and the NFL. He held down the Steelers line for more than a decade, starting all 134 games he played. Pouncey also started eight playoff games.
February 13, 2021 4:35 am
PEBBLE BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Jordan Spieth (speeth) shot a 5-under 67 at Spyglass Hill for a one-shot lead over Daniel Berger going into the third round of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Spieth was at 12-under 132, his first 36-hole lead since capturing the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale. Berger shot a 66 at Pebble Beach by going 2-3-2 along the ocean, putting him two ahead of Henrik Norlander.
February 13, 2021 4:34 am
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Day 6 of the Australian Open has begun with an upset. No. 6 Karolina Pliskova blew a 5-0 lead in the second set and lost to No. 25 Karolina Muchova, 7-5, 7-5.
Unseeded Americans Jessica Pegula reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time. The daughter of Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula beat Kristina Mladenovic, 6-2, 6-1. Next up for Pegula is No. 5 Elina Svitolina, who ousted Yulia Putintseva, 6-4, 6-0.American Jennifer Brady joined Pegula in the round of 16 by beating qualifier Kaja Juvan, 6-1, 6-3. Brady next takes on No. 28 Donna Vekic, who rallied to beat Kaia Kanepi, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4.On the men’s side, fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev achieved a career first by reaching the Round of 16 at Melbourne. Medvedev was 0-6 in five-setters before a 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-0 win over Filip KrajinovicAmerican Mackenzie McDonald matched his best Grand Slam result by winning his third-round match in straight sets, 7-6, 6-1, 6-4 against Lloyd Harris.Novak Djokovic’s bid for a ninth Australian Open championship has been thrown into doubt after he took a fall during a five-set victory in the third round. The top-ranked Djokovic says he tore a muscle and might not be able to play his next match.Djokovic seemed to be cruising along to a 17th consecutive win when his left foot gave out from under him as he tried to change directions early in the third set against Taylor Fritz.
February 12, 2021 3:52 am
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) – Sidney Crosby scored the only goal of the shootout to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-3 comeback victory over the New York Islanders. Casey DeSmith made 26 saves for the victory including five stops in overtime plus all three of the Islanders’ attempts in the shootout. Mathew Barzal had given the Islanders a 3-2 late in the third period before Evgeni Malkin tied it for the Penguins with 18 seconds remaining. Casey Cizikas and Jean-Gabriel Pageau also scored for the Islanders. Bryan Rust and Zach Aston-Reese had the other goals for the Penguins.
February 12, 2021 3:54 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Associated Press has learned that the NHL is adding game-day rapid tests for players to its safety protocols in its latest bid to stem potential COVID-19 outbreaks. That’s according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation. Rapid tests provide results within a half-hour, and will augment daily PCR testing already in place.
February 12, 2021 3:57 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed veteran catcher Tony Wolters and outfielder Brian Goodwin to minor league contracts that include an invitation to spring training. Wolters will compete for a backup job behind Jacob Stallings. Wolters is 28 and spent the first five seasons of his big-league career in Colorado. He hit .238 with seven home runs and 123 RBIs in 391 games with the Rockies. Goodwin is a career .252 hitter since reaching the majors with Washington in 2016.
February 12, 2021 3:56 am
HOUSTON (AP) – J.J. Watt says he and the Houston Texans have “mutually agreed to part ways.” The star defensive end said in a video on social media today that he had asked for his release. Watt had one year remaining on a 6-year, $100 million contract. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year and 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year has spent his entire career with the Texans after being selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft. His departure follows a 4-12 season that saw coach Bill O’Brien fired after four games and quarterback Deshaun Watson requesting a trade.
February 11, 2021 10:44 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed veteran catcher Tony Wolters to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to spring training. Wolters will compete for a backup job behind Jacob Stallings. Wolters is 28 and spent the first five seasons of his big-league career in Colorado. He hit .238 with seven home runs and 123 RBIs in 391 games with the Rockies. Pittsburgh opens spring training when pitchers and catchers report Feb. 17, with the first full-squad workout set for Feb. 22.
