December 19, 2024 4:47 am
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins are bringing a familiar face back to their blue line. The Penguins traded future considerations to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph. Joseph has played in 23 games with St. Louis this season and amounted two assists. Joseph made his NHL debut with the Penguins in the 2020-21 season and signed with the Blues as a free agent in July 2024. In Pittsburgh, he played in 147 games and had eight goals and 29 assists. Joseph was traded to the Penguins in 2019, along with Alex Galchenyuk, for Phil Kessel, Dane Birks and a fourth-round pick in 2021 NHL Draft.
December 19, 2024 4:44 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — New Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz is eager to get to work. Horwitz was acquired by the Pirates during a dizzying 90-minute stretch in early December in which he was traded from Toronto to Cleveland to Pittsburgh. The Pirates are hoping the 27-year-old can bring some stability to a position that’s been a revolving door of late. They have had four different opening day first basemen in each of the last four seasons. Horwitz hit .265 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs in 97 games in 2024 for the Blue Jays.
December 19, 2024 4:39 am
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson will finally have help he’s never enjoyed before against Pittsburgh. He’ll face the Steelers in front of a packed stadium that’s actually cheering for him. This weekend’s showdown between the Steelers and Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens is only the second time the star quarterback has faced Pittsburgh at home. The other was in 2020, with the coronavirus pandemic limiting the announced crowd to 4,345. Jackson is 1-4 as a starter against Pittsburgh. He’s never had a passer rating higher than 80.1 in a full game against the Steelers.
December 19, 2024 4:41 am
Besides first-round games at on-campus sites, the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff also serves up something now for this postseason: cold-weather northern venues as opposed to bowl games in warm, sunny climates. Whether that provides a home-field advantage for sixth-seeded Penn State, No. 7 seed Notre Dame and No. 8 Ohio State remains to be seen, but it’s a factor southern schools such No. 11 SMU and No. 9 Tennessee must prepare for. Tenth-seeded Indiana only has to travel a couple hundred miles north to South Bend but December football will be new to the Hoosiers, especially at No. 7 seed Notre Dame.
December 17, 2024 2:38 am
With a week left before the holiday break, many Washington/Greene County teams continue section play this week. A handful of schools won’t begin section games until this weekend.
Tuesday girls
5A Peters Township 64, Baldwin 42
5A Thomas Jefferson 60, Trinity 39
Tuesday boys
6A Upper St. Clair 62, Canon-McMillan 32
5A Baldwin 56, Peters Township 49
5A Thomas Jefferson 68, Trinity 63
2A Jeannette 70, Bentworth 42
2A Springdale 81, California 45
2A Jeff-Morgan 61, Beth-Center 54
2A Fort Cherry 67, Burgettstown 55
2A Chartiers-Houston 65, Carmichaels 30
2A West Greene 53, Mapletown 21
Monday girls
4A Southmoreland 62, Ringgold 58
3A Seton-La Salle 70, Charleroi 12
3A Keystone Oaks 58, McGuffey 29
3A Brownsville 63, Wash High 37
1A Avella 47, Monessen 39
1A West Greene 41, Mapletown 23
Monday boys
3A McGuffey 62, Carlynton 26
December 18, 2024 4:36 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rickard Rakell scored at 1:44 of overtime and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on Tuesday night. Rakell deflected Erik Karlsson’s point shot behind Darcy Kuemper for the game-winner. Evgeni Malkin scored, while Matt Grzelcyk forced overtime with 5:35 left in the third period with his first goal as a Penguin. Michael Bunting had two assists in his 300th NHL game. Alex Nedeljkovic made 29 saves. Adrian Kempe scored 33 seconds into the game for Los Angeles, and Alex Turcotte also scored. Vladislav Gavrikov added two assists. Kuemper stopped 28 shots.
December 18, 2024 4:37 am
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons are turning to rookie Michael Penix Jr. as their starting quarterback and benching veteran Kirk Cousins as they fight for their first playoff berth since 2017. Coach Raheem Morris announced the decision in a statement Tuesday night. Morris calls it “a football decision” and says the team is focused on preparing to face the New York Giants on Sunday. The Falcons (7-7) ended a four-game losing streak with Monday night’s ugly 15-9 win at Las Vegas. Cousins passed for 112 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The 36-year-old was signed in the offseason for $100 million guaranteed.
December 18, 2024 4:39 am
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Michael Vick has agreed to become the head coach at Norfolk State in a return to football for the former NFL star, who has never coached at any level. The 44-year-old Vick announced on his Facebook page on Tuesday night that he has accepted the job. Norfolk State did not immediately confirm the hiring of Vick, who grew up in nearby Newport News. Vick starred in college at Virginia Tech and was a four-time Pro Bowler in 13 seasons for Atlanta, Philadelphia, the New York Jets and Pittsburgh. He served 18 months in federal prison in the prime of his career after pleading guilty to his role in a dogfighting ring.
December 18, 2024 4:38 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Outfielder Cody Bellinger has been acquired by the New York Yankees from the Chicago Cubs for right-hander Cody Poteet. Chicago will send the Yankees $5 million as part of the trade. The 29-year-old Bellinger, whose father Clay helped the Yankees win World Series titles in 1999 and 2000, could play center field next year as Aaron Judge returns to right following the departure of Juan Soto to the Mets. Bellinger also can play first base, a position that opened when Anthony Rizzo became a free agent.
December 17, 2024 4:43 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is optimistic star linebacker T.J. Watt’s balky ankle won’t keep him out of a showdown with rival Baltimore. The perennial All-Pro twisted his left ankle late in the fourth quarter of a 27-13 loss to Philadelphia. Watt said afterward X-rays on the ankle were negative. The 30-year-old was one of the few bright spots for the AFC North-leading Steelers (10-4) in the loss. Watt had two sacks and forcing a fumble. The Steelers would clinch the AFC North title with a victory over the Ravens.
