October 13, 2019 7:43 am
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Just four games into the season, injuries have decimated the top lines for the Pittsburgh Penguins as Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bjugstad, Alex Galchenyuk and Bryan Rust have all missed time. The Penguins still have Sidney Crosby, and a trio of callups helped pick up the load on Saturday. Crosby had a goal and assist, Adam Johnson and Sam Lafferty each scored his first career goal, and the short-handed Penguins held on to beat the winless Minnesota Wild 7-4 on Saturday night. Patric Hornqvist, Kris Letang, Joseph Blandisi and Jake Guentzel also scored in Pittsburgh’s first road game of the season. Matt Murray stopped 29 shots for the Penguins, who scored four times in the second period. Minnesota goalie Devan Dubnyk gave up five goals on 23 shots and was pulled midway through the second period. Alex Stalock made seven saves in relief. Jason Zucker, Jared Spurgeon, Brad Hunt and Luke Kunin scored for the Wild, who lost their home opener and fell to 0-4-0. Crosby continued his success against Minnesota – increasing his total to 23 points in 18 career games against the Wild – but Pittsburgh got support throughout the lineup while playing without four key forwards. Malkin and Bjugstad each missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury. Malkin was placed on long-term injured reserve. Rust hasn’t played this season with upper-body injury and Galchenyuk missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury. The four combined for 72 goals and 102 assists last season. After breaking out for seven goals in the last game played by Malkin and Bjugstad, the Penguins had scored three goals in the previous two games. The injuries forced the callups of Johnson, Lafferty and Blandisi. The three combined for three goals on Saturday while skating on the fourth line. Johnson started a Penguins surge later in the period as they scored three times in 2:28. Guentzel scored on the power-play for a 6-2 lead midway through the third before Minnesota scored twice in 21 seconds on goals from Hunt and Kunin.
October 12, 2019 4:11 am
NEW YORK (AP) – The price of qualifying offers for Major League Baseball free agents has dropped for the first time, falling by $100,000 to $17.8 million. Determined by the average of the top 125 major league contracts this year, the figure reflects a flat market last offseason. In addition, large signing bonuses in the contracts of Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and Mike Trout impacted on the drop, because the signing bonuses are prorated over the length of the contract rather than the year they were received. A qualifying offer can be made through the fifth day after the World Series, and a player has a week after that to accept. If a team makes a qualifying offer to a player who signs a major league contract with another club before the June amateur draft, his former club would receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round. A free agent can be made a qualifying offer only if he has been with the same team continuously since opening day and has never received a qualifying offer before.
October 11, 2019 3:41 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The Philadelphia Phillies have fired Gabe Kapler, nearly two weeks after a disappointing finish to a season of big expectations. Kapler went 161-163 in two years. The Phillies failed to live up to the hype following an offseason spending spree highlighted by Bryce Harper’s arrival. They were 81-81, the club’s first nonlosing season since 2012. Phillies managing partner John Middleton says “some changes are necessary to achieve our ultimate objective” of winning the World Series.
October 10, 2019 3:52 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – It’s officially “Duck” season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers ruled quarterback Mason Rudolph out for Sunday’s visit to the Los Angeles Chargers while he continues to recover from a concussion, meaning undrafted rookie free agent Devlin “Duck” Hodges will get the start when Pittsburgh (1-4) faces the Chargers (2-3) in prime time. Rudolph was limited in practice all week after getting knocked unconscious by Baltimore’s Earl Thomas in the third quarter of an overtime loss to the Ravens. Hodges, a champion duck caller in his downtime, completed 7 of 9 passes for 68 yards and scrambled once for 21 yards after coming in for Rudolph. Paxton Lynch, signed to the practice squad after Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the season with an elbow injury last month, will serve as Hodges’ backup against Los Angeles. Hodges, who set a Football Championship Subdivision record for career passing yards at Samford before the Steelers signed him following a May tryout, drew praises from his more experienced teammates for his poise against the Ravens. They don’t expect that to change now that he’s had a full week to prepare. “One thing about Hodges is he’s going to throw it regardless,” wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said. “He trusts it to us, he puts it out there … Either we catch it, nobody catches it, and that’s when he runs it. He’s very confident in the huddle.” Wide receiver James Washington (shoulder), linebacker Mark Barron (hamstring), running back Jaylen Samuels (knee) and fullback Rosie Nix (knee) are also out. Cornerback Steve Nelson (groin) is questionable. Pittsburgh added Lynch and running back Trey Edmunds to the 53-man roster on Friday. To make room for Lynch and Edmunds, the Steelers released linebacker Jayrone Elliott and offensive lineman Fred Johnson.
October 10, 2019 3:51 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Penguins placed forward Alex Galchenyuk on injured reserve after he aggravated an undisclosed injury that limited him during the preseason. Galchenyuk joins center Evgeni Malkin and forward Bryan Rust and Nick Bjugstad on IR for the Penguins, who are off to a 1-2-0 start. Galchenyuk, acquired in an offseason trade with Arizona, has two assists in three games. Pittsburgh forward Patric Hornqvist sat out practice on Wednesday. Hornqvist left a 4-1 loss to Winnipeg on Tuesday night after getting hit by a shot off the stick of teammate Kris Letang. He is considered day-to-day. The Penguins recalled forward Adam Johnson from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Pittsburgh wraps up a season-opening four-game homestand on Thursday night against Anaheim.
October 9, 2019 3:47 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Ville Heinola scored his first NHL goal to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night. The Jets got their first win in Pittsburgh since returning to the NHL as an expansion team in 2011. The Penguins previously won 18 consecutive home games against the Jets-Atlanta Thrashers franchise dating to March 24, 2007. Pittsburgh’s last loss against Winnipeg at home came on Dec. 27, 2006. Tucker Poolman scored his second NHL goal and Neal Pionk his second of the season as three defensemen scored for an inexperienced Jets blueline, which combined for 350 career NHL games. Nikolaj Ehlers scored his first of the season, while Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele both had three assists for the Jets, who closed a season-opening, four-game road trip. Connor Hellebuyck made 36 saves in his second start of the season. Sidney Crosby scored his first of the season and Matt Murray stopped 17 shots for Pittsburgh, which routed Columbus 7-2 on Saturday. Jets defenseman Dmitry Kulikov was granted a personal leave of absence, while Josh Morrissey missed his second straight game after sustaining an upper body injury during warmups before Sunday’s loss at the New York Islanders. The Jets played Tuesday without six defensemen from last season’s team, which lost to eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis in the first round of the playoffs. The list includes Kulikov and Morrissey, while Dustin Byfuglien remains away from the team on a personal leave. Winnipeg traded Jacob Trouba to the New York Rangers, while Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot left in free agency. Pittsburgh had injury troubles of its own as Evgeni Malkin and Nick Bjugstad were recently placed on injured reserve after leaving Saturday’s win against Columbus with lower body injuries. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said both will be out long term. Patric Hornqvist also left Tuesday’s game with an undisclosed injury. Crosby opened the scoring 32 seconds into the game. He was alone at the top of the crease when he redirected Jake Guentzel’s pass past Hellebuyck. Heinola, the 20th overall pick in this year’s draft, scored his first NHL goal at 5:48 of the period. Heinola’s shot from the top of the left circle snuck underneath Murray’s glove to tie the game. Ehlers gave Winnipeg a 2-1 lead less than five minutes later. He pounced on a turnover at Pittsburgh’s blue line and ripped a short-side wrist shot past a standing Murray. Poolman put Winnipeg ahead 3-1 just 54 seconds into the second period with a blocker-side wrist shot from the slot. Pionk made it 4-1 midway through the second when he poked a loose puck underneath Murray during a net-mouth scramble.
October 6, 2019 6:16 am
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) – Sean Clifford threw for 264 yards with three touchdowns and ran for another score as No. 12 Penn State routed Purdue 35-7 on Saturday. The Nittany Lions (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) were dominant on defense, with 10 sacks, one shy of the school single-game record. The Boilermakers were held to 104 yards. Playing without starting quarterback Elijah Sindelar and star receiver Rondale Moore, the Boilermakers didn’t cross midfield until their sixth possession midway through the second. Penn State jumped out fast, scoring on its first four drives, none lasting longer than 3:41. KJ Hamler beat single coverage for a 23-yard touchdown catch to open the scoring and Clifford added a 3-yard touchdown run to cap Penn State’s second possession. The Nittany Lions turned a three-and-out by Purdue into an easy score immediately after when Jahan Dotson caught a pass over the middle and raced 72 yards, getting a good block from Hamler on the way to the end zone. Penn State finished another quick drive with a 7-yard pass from Clifford to tight end Pat Freiermuth early in the second quarter. Noah Cain finished with 105 yards on 12 carries and added a 2-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth. Yetur Gross-Matos and Shaka Toney combined for five sacks for Penn State. Clifford completed 20 of his 29 passes. Purdue finally broke Penn State’s seven-quarter shutout streak dating to Week 3 when Plummer connected with Amad Anderson Jr. on a 15-yard touchdown pass. Anderson’s catch made it 28-7 in the second quarter. Plummer finished with 119 yards on 13-for-27 passing. He was sacked on two of Purdue’s final three plays of the first half before slowly pulling himself up and wobbling into the locker room. He was replaced later with Aidan O’Connell.
October 6, 2019 6:13 am
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – Sam Ehlinger threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores while No. 11 Texas converted three turnovers into TDs in a 42-31 victory over West Virginia on Saturday. Ehlinger and Texas (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) beat the Mountaineers (3-2, 1-1) on the road for the second straight time. The Longhorns had plenty of motivation for this one. Ehlinger and several Texas players were upset last year after several Mountaineers flashed “horns down” signs during West Virginia’s 42-41 win in Austin, Texas. Ehlinger noted in a tweet that was later deleted: “Do not think it will be forgotten.” Ehlinger finished 18 of 33 for 211 yards. He threw just his second interception of the season that West Virginia turned into a third-quarter field goal. The Texas defense showed no signs of slowing down despite injuries that have decimated the secondary. The Longhorns intercepted Austin Kendall four times, twice by cornerback D’Shawn Jamison. Texas needed those turnovers to break open a close game, too. B.J. Foster’s pick early in the fourth quarter led to Devin Duvernay’s 13-yard scoring run. Kendall was intercepted on the next drive by Jamison at the West Virginia 18, and Ehlinger threw a lateral to offensive lineman Samuel Cosmi, who rumbled 12 yards into the end zone for a 35-17 lead. Kendall threw three TD passes, including pair of fourth-quarter scores, and had a 1-yard scoring run. He finished 31 of 46 for a career-high 367 yards.
October 6, 2019 6:12 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Jared McCann scored twice as the Pittsburgh Penguins had five goals in the second period to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-2 on Saturday night. Pittsburgh scored five goals on 14 second-period shots. The last time Pittsburgh scored five goals in a period came on Jan. 16, 2017 against Washington. The Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin left in the second period and did not return with an undisclosed injury. He ran into D Kris Letang near center ice and awkwardly fell into the boards. Malkin, the 2012 NHL MVP, scored a power-play goal in the season-opening loss Thursday against Buffalo. McCann tied a career high with three points. The other time came as a member of the Florida Panthers when he had a goal and two assists on March 20, 2018. McCann scored two goals once with Pittsburgh on March 23 last season against Dallas. Patric Hornqvist scored twice and Letang had a power-play goal, while Teddy Blueger and Marcus Pettersson also scored for Pittsburgh. Alex Galchenyuk, acquired from Arizona in a trade for Phil Kessel, recorded two assists for his first two points with Pittsburgh. Sidney Crosby also had two assists. Matt Murray made 28 saves and is now two wins from 100 in his NHL career. Pittsburgh opened the scoring at 1:45 of the second when Hornqvist tipped Jack Johnson’s point shot past Merzlikins. The Penguins took a 2-0 lead 2:29 later when Pettersson’s shot from the top of the left circle caromed off Merzlikins’ glove and behind the line. But the Penguins regained their two-goal cushion, 3-1, two minutes later when McCann sent a blocker-side wrist shot behind Merzlikins during a two-on-one. McCann scored his second of the game 14 seconds after a fighting major to Crosby. McCann took a backhand pass from Galchenyuk at the blueline and sent another blocker-side wrist shot past Merzlikins. Letang scored Pittsburgh’s fifth goal of the second period with 1.2 seconds to play. He beat Merzlikins with a slap shot from the right faceoff dot.
October 5, 2019 3:57 am
CINCINNATI (AP) – Unranked Cincinnati has avenged a pair of back-to-back losses to Central Florida. Ahmad Gardner returned an interception 16 yards for a go-ahead touchdown as the Bearcats got past the 18th-ranked Knights, 27-24. UCF’s Tre Nixon turned a short pass into a 45-yard touchdown that cut it to 27-24 with 3:11 to go, but the Bearcats ran out the clock by converting a fourth-and-1 at midfield in the closing seconds. Desmond Ridder’s threw for a pair of TDs as Cincinnati won its conference opener and moved to 4-1 overall. UCF freshman quarterback Dillon Gabriel also threw interceptions at the Cincinnati 2 and 6 as the Knights ended a 19-game winning streak in American Athletic Conference play. Gabirel came in leading the AAC in passing efficiency.
