More Locals Taken In Third Round

     More South Florida high school football players were chosen in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft on Friday night. The event is being held in Cleveland. 

     Former Alabama and Central Florida defensive back Aaron Robinson was selected by the New York Giants with the 71st overall pick. Robinson played with the Deerfield Beach Bucks while in high school. 

     Tennessee wide receiver Josh Palmer was picked by the Los Angeles Chargers with the 77th overall selection. Palmer participated in his final two years of high school football with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders and won two FHSAA Class 7A state championships in 2015 and 2016. 

     Wide receiver Anthony Schwartz was taken by the Cleveland Browns with the 91th overall pick. He won three FHSAA Class 5A state titles with the American Heritage Patriots in 2014, 2016 and 2017. Schwartz went on to Auburn University for three seasons. 

Nationals Walk Off Marlins

     The Washington Nationals slipped by the Miami Marlins 2-1 in 10 innings at Nationals Park on Friday night. Neither team scored through nine innings the contest and it had to go into extra innings. 

     Miami(11-14) got up 1-0 in the top of the 10th. Garrett Cooper dropped a base hit into shallow left field for Isan Diaz to score.

     Washington(10-12) came back in the bottom of the frame. Kyle Schwarber blasted a two-run homer to right-center field on a 0-1 pitch with Josh Bell aboard. 

Miami Dolphins Continue Selections

     The 2021 NFL Draft resumed with the second night of selections. The Miami Dolphins had numerous picks in the second and third rounds. 

     In the second round, the Dolphins went with Oregon safety Jevon Holland with the 36th overall pick. They decided on Notre Dame offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg six selections later. Boston College tight end Hunter Long was the only selection by the Dolphins during the third round. 

Locals Go In NFL Draft Second Round

     The 2021 NFL Draft continued on Friday night in Cleveland. Several South Florida high school football players were selected in the second round. 

     It all started with defensive back Tyson Campbell taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round with the first pick. Campbell helped the American Heritage Patriots win three FHSAA Class 5A state championships in 2014, 2016 and 2017. He went on to attend the University of Georgia for three years. 

     Wide receiver Elijah Moore was selected next by the New York Jets. Moore played with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders and captured three consecutive FHSAA Class 7A state titles from 2014 until 2016. He went on to play college football with Ole Miss. 

     Florida State University defensive back Asante Samuel Jr. was chosen by the Los Angeles Chargers with the 47th overall pick. He won three FHSAA Class 7A state championship with St. Thomas Aquinas in 2014, 2015 and 2016. His father once played in the National Football League for 11 seasons and was a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots. 

     Chatarius "Tutu" Atwell was taken 57th overall by the Los Angeles Rams. He mainly played quarterback with the Miami Northwestern Bulls and captured the FHSAA Class 6A state championship in 2017. He was switched to wide receiver at the University of Louisville and stayed there for three years. 

Gregory Rousseau Heads To Buffalo

     Former University of Miami Hurricanes defensive end Gregory Rousseau was taken by the Buffalo Bills. He was the 30th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland. 

     Rousseau compiled 15 1/2 sacks and 54 total tackles in 13 games back in 2019. He skipped last season with the Canes and did not participate. Rousseau played high school football with Champagnat Catholic and led them to the 2017 FHSAA Class 2A state title. 

Patrick Surtain II Goes To Denver

     Former local high school football player Patrick Surtain II was selected by the Denver Broncos with the ninth overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. His father was with the Miami Dolphins from 1998 to 2004. 

     Surtain II played high school football with the American Heritage Patriots as a defensive back. He led them to three FHSAA Class 5A state championships in 2014, 2016 and 2017. He later was with the University of Alabama Crimson Tide for three years and helped them to the 2020 CFP National Championship. 

Panthers Survive Blackhawks

     The Florida Panthers edged the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime on Thursday night at United Center. It was a rare appearance by the Panthers on a national televised broadcast. Spencer Knight made his third career NHL appearance with Florida. 

     Chicago(22-22-6) moved in front 1-0 with 6:13 remaining in the first period. Dominik Kubalik pushed the puck from the end wall to the low slot. Dylan Strome tipped the puck and Adam Gaudette scored on a backhand shot for his fifth goal this season. 

     Florida(33-14-5) tied it up on the power play at the 7:47 mark of the second period. MacKenzie Weegar fired a slap shot from the top of the zone and Alex Wennberg redirected it in from the slot area. Jonathan Huberdeau got a secondary assist for his 40th assist of the season.  

     The Blackhawks answered back with 9:51 left in the frame. Brandon Hagel sailed a cross-ice pass from the low left circle and Vinnie Hinostroza lifted the puck in from the right of the crease. Hinostroza now has 10 points in 11 contests with the Blackhawks since he was acquired from Florida. 

     The Panthers make it 2-2 with 6:51 to go in the second. Grigori Denisenko fed a pass from the right wing and Brandon Montour took a one-handed shot. It was saved by Kevin Lakinen and Anthony Duclair swept in the rebound from the left side of the crease for his eighth goal of the campaign. 

     In the third period, Florida took the lead 3-2 at 9:09. Wennberg passed the puck from the right wing and Montour snapped a shot from the high slot. 

     The Hawks pulled their goalie for an attacker late in the third and evened it up 3-3 with 18 seconds left. Patrick Kane made a diagonal pass from the right wing and Alex DeBrincat one-timed a slap shot from the low left circle for his 24th goal this year. 

     Florida got the winning goal in overtime with 51.1 seconds remaining. Weegar cleared the zone with a pass to the neutral zone. Sam Bennett carried the puck all the way to the top left circle and scored his ninth goal of the season on a wrist shot. 

Dolphins Select Jaelan Phillips In First Round

     The Miami Dolphins choose Jaelan Phillips in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. It was the 16th overall selection of the annual draft. 

     Phillips was a defensive end for the University of Miami Hurricanes in 2019 after transferring from UCLA. He compiled 45 total tackles and eight sacks in 10 contests last season. 

Dolphins Take Jaylen Waddle

     The Miami Dolphins selected wide receiver Jaylen Waddle sixth overall in the first round of the NFL Draft in Cleveland on Thursday night. He played college football at Alabama with current Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. 

     Waddle won the 2020 CFP National Championship with the Crimson Tide. He made 106 catches for 1,999 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in 34 games over three seasons with Alabama. 

Gerard Gallant Team Canada Coach

     Former Florida Panthers head coach Gerard Gallant has been named the head coach of Team Canada for the upcoming IIHF World Championship. He was the head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights and was let go during the 2019-20 season. 

     Gallant was the head coach of the Florida Panthers for three seasons. Team Canada general manager Roberto Luongo was on his team during his tenure in Florida. 

Heat Knock Off Spurs

     The Miami Heat picked up a 116-111 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Arena on Wednesday night. The Heat return to the road on Saturday against Cleveland. 

     Miami(33-30) had a 31-20 advantage after one quarter and led 55-54 at halftime. San Antonio(31-30) still trailed 82-74 at the end of three quarters. 

     The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler with 29 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Bam Adebayo placed a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Kendrick Nunn, Goran Dragic and Dewayne Dedmon all had 18 points each. 

     Dejounte Murray had a team-high 22 points for the Spurs. DeMar DeRozan contributed 20 points while Lonnie Walker IV scored 18 points.

Marlins Drive By Brewers

     The Miami Marlins dropped the Milwaukee Brewers 6-2 at American Family Field on Wednesday. The Marlins have won three of their last five games. 

     In the second inning, Miami(11-13) scored first. Isan Diaz reached base on a fielding error and Corey Dickerson scored. Jon Berti would later score on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead. 

     Milwaukee(14-10) answered back in the bottom of the third to tie the contest 2-2. Kolten Wong connected with a two-run homer to right field on a 1-2 pitch with Jackie Bradley Jr. aboard. 

     The Marlins extended their lead to 5-2 in the fourth inning. Jesus Aguilar smashed a three-run homer to left field on a 2-1 count for Diaz and Miguel Rojas to score. 

     It became 6-2 for the Fish in the top of the fifth. Chad Wallach was able to knock in Magneuris Sierra with a base hit into right field. 

Meadowlark Media Signs DraftKings Deal

     Meadowlark Media, headed by Dan Le Batard and John Skipper, has signed a digital content, distribution and sponsorship contract with DraftKings. It is a three-year deal worth around $50 million.

     DraftKings will distribute all podcasts of Meadowlark Media. It includes the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz and all podcasts under the Dan Le Batard and Friends Network. 

Brewers Get By Marlins

     The Miami Marlins lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 on Tuesday night at American Family Field. The Marlins play their final game in Milwaukee on Wednesday. 

     Miami(10-13) got up 1-0 during the first inning. Jesus Aguilar hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Jazz Chisholm Jr. scored. 

     Milwaukee(14-9) moved ahead in the bottom of the second on a couple of solo home runs. Adrian Houser nailed one on the first pitch and Tyrone Taylor followed with one on a 0-2 pitch. 

     The Marlins evened it up 2-2 in the top of the fourth. Former Brewer Jesus Aguilar burned his former team with a solo home run to right-center field on a 0-2 count. 

     The Brewers reclaimed the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Taylor grounded out to short for Jackie Bradley Jr. to score.

     In the fifth inning, the Fish tied it 3-3. Houser threw a wild pitch with one out and Jon Berti raced in from third. 

     It was matched again by Milwaukee in the bottom of the frame for a 4-3 lead. Luis Urias doubled to right field for Keston Hiura to cross the plate. 

     The Brewers got a two-run margin in the sixth inning. Taylor got a base hit into right field and Pablo Reyes reached home. 

     The Fish continued to stay in the contest during the top of the seventh. Berti blasted a solo homer over the center-field fence on the first pitch and they trailed 5-4. 

Panthers Clinch Playoff Spot Over Predators

     The Florida Panthers clinched a Central Division playoff spot and overcame the Nashville Predators 7-4 at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday night. It is the seventh time in franchise history that the Panthers will play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     Nashville(27-22-2) stormed in front 1-0 at the 6:07 mark. Ryan Ellis was able to score on an assist from Mattias Ekholm.  

     Florida(32-14-5) tied it 1-1 on a power-play goal at 8:28. Keith Yandle angled a pass from the top of the zone and Alekander Barkov snapped a shot by Juuse Saros for his 23rd goal of the season. 

     The Panthers moved ahead 2-1 on another goal with the man advantage at 2:56 of the second period as Duclair added his seventh goal with his new club. Jonathan Huberdeau picked up his 38th assist of the campaign and Sam Bennett got the secondary assist on the play. 

     The Predators made it 2-2 at the 6:50 mark. Luke Kunin scored with assists from Calle Jarnkrok and Mikael Gradlund. 

     It became 3-2 for the Preds with 7:20 left in the second. Roman Josi fired a wrist shot from the high slot which was saved by Sergei Bobrovsky, however Tanner Jeannot put in a forehand shot on the rebound. 

     The Cats evened it 3-3 with 2:28 to go. Barkov compiled his second goal of the game and 24th goal this season. Owen Tippett and MacKenzie Weegar were credited with assists on the play. 

     Nashville broke the tie with 23 seconds remaining in the frame. Ellis was able to get his second tally of the contest and fifth goal of the campaign. Spencer Knight replaced Bobrovsky in net for the Panthers once the second period ended. 

     In the third period, Florida once again tied it again 4-4 at the 4:46 mark. Huberdeau made a snap shot from close range that was saved and Tippett poked the puck in from the top of the crease. Frank Vatrano got a tally at 7:15 for his 18th goal this season to give the Cats a 5-4 lead. 

     The Panthers got another power-play goal at 6:12 for a two-goal cushion. Bennett passed the puck from the right corner and Barkov backhanded a cross-ice pass from the right circle. Huberdeau scored on a snap shot from the left circle. Huberdeau collected his fifth point of the game as he was tripped up when attempting to score into an empty net from the Nashville blue line with 1:37 left in the third. 

Ereck Flowers Traded By Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins have traded offensive lineman Ereck Flowers and a draft pick to the Washington Football Team for a draft pick. Flowers participated in 14 games with the Dolphins last season. It will be the second stint for Flowers in Washington. 

     Flowers played high school football with the Miami Norland Vikings and helped them to the 2011 FHSAA Class 5A state championship. He was with the University of Miami Hurricanes for three years. 

     He was selected ninth overall by the New York Giants in the 2015 NFL Draft and stayed there for four seasons. Flowers was with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2018 and Washington Football Team in 2019. 

Marcus Gilbert Retires

     Former local high school player Marcus Gilbert has retired from the National Football League. He was recently with the Arizona Cardinals. 

     Gilbert was with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders and helped them reach the FHSAA Class 5A state championship game against Lakeland in 2004 and 2005. He attended the University of Florida and was part of the squad that won the BCS National Championship in 2006 and 2008. 

     He played the first eight NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and participated in 88 games. Gilbert was traded to the Cardinals in 2019 and never played one down with them in the regular season. 

Predators Roll By Panthers

     The Nashville Predators scooted by the Florida Panthers 4-1 on Monday night at Bridgestone Arena on Monday night. The Panthers begin their final road trip of the 2020-21 regular season. 

     Florida(31-13-5) got their only goal of the contest at the 4:49 mark of the first period and took a 1-0 lead. Sam Bennett collected his eighth goal of the season on assists from Anthony Duclair and Markus Nutivaaara. It was his fourth goal with the Panthers in six games. 

     Nashville(27-21-2) gained the momentum with a power-play goal at 6:30. Mikael Gradlund got his 13th goal of the year with assists by Roman Josi and Calle Jarnkrok. 

     In the second period, the Predators took a 2-1 lead at the 3:35 mark on a Nick Cousins tally. The Preds struck early in the third at 2:39 as former Panther Erik Haula scored and Erik Gudbranson picked up the secondary assist. Yakov Trenin completed the scoring for Nashville to give them a three-goal margin with 10:48 left in the third. 

Marlins Bounce Brewers

     The Miami Marlins blanked the Milwaukee Brewers 8-0 at American Family Field on Monday night. The Marlins are 2-4 on their current road trip. 

     Miami(10-12) moved out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Corey Dickerson doubled into left field for Jesus Aguilar to score. 

     In the sixth inning, the Marlins added three more runs to make it 5-0. Miguel Rojas knocked in Jazz Chisholm Jr. with a base hit up the middle. Two batters later, Garrett Cooper doubled to center field and Rojas crossed the plate. Dickerson followed with a single into right field and Aguilar reached home. Cooper would score on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt at first. 

     Milwaukee(13-9) surrendered two more runs in the eighth inning. Dickerson cracked a solo home run to center field on a 1-0 pitch. Jose Devers later drove in Adam Duvall on a sacrifice fly to left field. 

Bulls Upend Heat

     The Miami Heat fell to the Chicago Bulls 110-102 on Monday night at American Airlines Arena. It was the second game of a two-game set between both teams. 

     Miami(32-30) climbed out to a 13-5 lead to begin the contest and were up 28-20 after one quarter. The Heat stayed in front 53-52 at halftime. Chicago(26-35) was down 82-76 at the end of three quarters. The Bulls outscored the Heat 34-20 in the final quarter to get the win. 

     Jimmy Butler had a game-high 33 points for Miami. Bam Adebayo poured in 23 points and Trevor Ariza scored 18 points. 

     Several Chicago players put together double-doubles. Nikola Vucevic compiled 24 points and 11 rebounds while Daniel Theis collected 23 points and 12 rebounds. Coby White dropped in 17 points. 

WSBR-AM Done Forever

     WSBR-AM 740 in Boca Raton will never return to the radio airwaves again. The license of WSBR was eliminated by the Federal Communications Commission last week. The last time the radio station operated was in December 2019 by Beasley Media. 

     Sports programming was on WSBR for over the past 35 years. Al Lombardo was the morning sports anchor, sports reporter and Saturday evening sports host. Jack Armpriester was also part of their sports department. Dave LaMont was a news anchor and sports reporter there during the mid 1980s. The station did broadcast Florida Atlantic University basketball in the 1990s with play-by-play announcer Jim Gallagher. 

     WSBR ran a business talk format branded Money Talk Radio from April 1989 until December 2019. Some of their programs eventually were moved by Beasley Media to sister-station 1470 WWNN-AM. 

Giants Stomp Marlins

     The San Francisco Giants hammered the Miami Marlins 4-3 at Oracle Park on Sunday. The Giants took three contests in the four-game series. The Marlins head to Milwaukee and continue their 10-game road trip. 

     San Francisco(14-8) compiled three runs in the second inning. Mauricio Dubon bunted in front of the plate for a single and Wilmer Flores crossed the plate. Logan Webb then tripled into the right-center field gap for Tommy La Stella and Dubon to score.  

     It became 4-0 for the Giants in the bottom of the fifth. Brandon Belt drove in Mike Yastrzemski with a sacrifice fly to left field. 

     Miami(9-12) tried to make comeback in the top of the eighth. Jesus Aguilar smashed a two-run homer to left-center field on a 1-0 pitch with Miguel Rojas aboard to make it 4-2. Aguilar knocked the ball over the fence for the third consecutive game. 

     In the ninth inning, the Marlins got only one run and fell short. Lewis Brinson singled to right field and Jon Berti scored with two out. The Fish left the tying run on second to finish the game. 

Marlins Swim By Giants

     The Miami Marlins defeated the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Saturday night at Oracle Park. Both clubs have won three games each in the season series. 

     San Francisco(13-8) scored first during the bottom of the fifth. Austin Slater grounded out to third for Alex Dickerson to score.  

     Miami(9-11) evened it up 1-1 in the seventh inning. Jon Berti connected with a solo home run to left-center field on a 0-1 pitch. 

     The Marlins tacked on four more runs in the top of the ninth to take the lead 5-1. Jesus Aguilar ripped a two-run homer to left-center field on a 0-1 count with Magneuris Sierra aboard for his second straight game with a home run. Two batters later, Corey Dickerson drove in Garrett Cooper on a triple to right. Berti came up next and hit a sacrifice fly to right field for Dickerson to cross the plate. 

     The Giants picked up one run in the bottom of the ninth. Mike Yastrzemski belted a solo home run into McCovey Cove beyond the right-field fence on a 1-2 pitch for his fourth homer of the season. It was the second straight contest that Yastrzemski had a home run. 

Heat Charge By Bulls

     The Miami Heat squeezed by the Chicago Bulls 106-101 on Saturday night at American Airlines Arena. The Heat returned home after a short two-game road trip. 

     Miami(32-29) blasted out to a 33-18 lead at the end of one quarter and had a 61-41 advantage at halftime. Chicago(25-35) outscored the Heat during the third quarter, but they still trailed 80-63.

     Duncan Robinson had a club-high 23 points for Miami. Jimmy Butler contributed 20 points and eight assists while Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double of 20 points and 10 assists. Kendrick Nunn was able to drop in 22 points. 

     Chicago just had two players with double-digit scoring. Nikola Vucevic put together 26 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double. Coby White poured in a game-high 32 points in the loss. 

Inter Miami CF Edge Philadelphia Union

     Inter Miami CF defeated Philadelphia Union 2-1 on Saturday night. It was the first road contest for Inter Miami CF during the 2021 regular season. 

     It was just the third overall road win for Inter Miami CF in their short franchise history. The Philadelphia Union did not drop a point last season at home and went 9-0-0. 

Yandle Sets Milestone Mark, Panthers Top Canes

     Keith Yandle passed Gary Unger for second place all-time in NHL history with 915 consecutive games played as the Florida Panthers overcame the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in overtime  at BB&T Center on Saturday night. The Panthers completed a four-game homestand and will begin their final road trip of the regular season. 

    Carolina(31-10-6) got on the scoreboard at 3:25 of the first period for a 1-0 lead. Sebastian Aho left the puck on the right goal line and Andrei Svechnikov pushed the puck back from the right corner to the right point. Dougie Hamilton blasted a slap shot through traffic past Chris Driedger for his seventh goal this season. It was the first goal for Hamilton in seven contests while Aho expanded his point streak to three games.

     Florida(31-13-5) evened it 1-1 with 24.9 seconds remaining in the first. Sam Bennett put the puck to Jonathan Huberdeau was behind the Canes cage and he made a pass. MacKenzie Weegar fired a slap shot from the right-circle dot by Alex Nedeljkovic for his fourth goal of the campaign. Huberdeau extended his point streak up to seven games. Bennett has collected a point in four of his five games in a Panthers uniform. 

     In the second period, the Hurricanes reclaimed the lead 2-1 on the power play at the 1:35 mark. Former Panther Vincent Trocheck connected a pass from the left corner to Aho behind the net. He passed out to the top right circle and Hamilton rifled a one-time slap shot for his second tally of the contest.   

     It became a two-goal margin for the Canes 3-1 at 3:01 of the third period. Brett Pesce took a slap shot from the left point and it went off a defender in the slot area for his 14th goal of the season. 

     The Panthers started to catch up with a tally at the 4:48 mark. Huberdeau fed the puck and Gustav Forsling powered in a slap shot from the high left circle.

     The Cats tied the game up 3-3 on a shorthanded goal at 6:20. Alex Wennberg kept poking at the puck in the blue paint and finished it off with his 12th goal this season. Weegar and Anthony Duclair were credited with assist on the play. Wennberg was able to score for the first time in 11 contests. 

     Overtime ended 24 seconds in for a Florida victory. Aleksander Barkov carried the puck from own end zone all the way to the Carolina zone. He snapped a shot from the right circle which went through the legs of Nedeljkovic for his 22nd goal of the season.

Giants Get By Marlins

     The San Francisco Giants dropped the Miami Marlins 5-3 at Oracle Park on Friday night. The Giants have won the last three meetings between both clubs. 

     Miami(8-11) got the lead on the third pitch of their first at-bat. Jazz Chisholm Jr. walloped a lead-off solo home run to right-center field on a 2-0 count. 

     In the third inning, San Francisco(13-7) took the lead 2-1. After a Tommy La Stella walk, Mike Yastrzemski connected with a two-run homer to left-center field on the first pitch. 

     The Giants extended their lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh. Wilmer Flores knocked in Mauricio Dubon with a base hit into center field. Brandon Belt followed with a single up the middle to score Yastrzemski. Ruf came up next and hit a sacrifice fly to right field which brought in Flores. 

     The Marlins had a two-out rally, however they finished up short. Miguel Rojas reached first base on a throwing error by Flores. Jesus Aguilar cracked a two-run homer to left field on a 1-1 pitch for his first home run of the season. 

Hawks Burn Heat

     The Atlanta Hawks got a 118-103 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday night at State Farm Arena. The Heat finished a quick two-game road swing. 

     Atlanta(33-27) had a 31-30 lead after one quarter and were barely up 62-61 at halftime. The Hawks led 95-89 at the end of third quarters. Miami(31-29) was outscored 23-14 in the final quarter. 

     Kendrick Nunn dropped in a team-high 21 points for the Heat while Jimmy Butler added 19 points. Bam Adebayo was able to get 16 points. Trevor Ariza contributed a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. 

     Bogdan Bogdanovic had 21 points and eight assists for Atlanta. John Collins put together 20 points along with eight rebounds. Brandon Goodwin and Danilo Gallinari both scored 17 points each. 

Giants Shut Out Marlins

     The San Francisco Giants handled the Miami Marlins 3-0 at Oracle Park on Thursday night.  It was the beginning of a 10-game road trip for the Fish. Miami(8-10) and the Giants are in the middle of playing seven games against each other in a 10-day stretch. 

     San Francisco(12-7) quickly got ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the first. Darin Ruf doubled into left field for Mike Yastrzemski to score. Curt Casali followed with a two-run single to left that brought in Evan Longoria and Ruf. 

Hurricanes Outhustle Panthers

     The Carolina Hurricanes took the Florida Panthers 4-2 at BB&T Center on Thursday night. First place in the Central Division was on the line.  Both teams will meet again on Saturday in Sunrise. 

     Florida(30-13-5) jumped out to 1-0 lead at the 6:22 mark. Alekander Barkov flipped a wrist shot from the inner right circle by Alex Nedeljkovic for his 20th goal of the season. Patric Hornqvist and Nikita Gusev were credited with assists on the play. Barkov reached the 20-goal mark for the sixth consecutive season. 

     Carolina(31-10-5) evened it up 1-1 just 14 seconds into the second period. Jordan Staal made a centering pass from the right wing and Jordan Martinook scored on a wrist shot from the slot area for his fourth goal of the campaign. Martinook put the puck in the net for the second straight game while Staal got a point for the second straight contest

     The Canes gained the lead 2-1 with a power-play goal at 11:09. Martin Necas fed the puck from the top right circle to Brett Pesce. His slap shot was saved by Sergei Bobrosky, however Nino Niederreiter chipped the puck into the cage from the top of the crease for his 17th goal of the year. Niederreiter found the net and Necas had an assist for the second straight contest. 

     The Panthers surrendered a shorthanded goal with 1:52 remaining in the second and they trailed 3-1. Necas intercepted a cross-ice pass at the top of the Cats zone and he along with Sebastian Aho went on a 2-on-0 breakaway. They passed the puck several times between them in the crease area until Aho put in a wrist shot. It was Aho's club-high second shorthanded tally of the year and 19th goal this year. 

     In the third period, Florida converted on a 5-on-3 power play with 7:58 left and were down 3-2. Keith Yandle sent the puck from the above the left circle and Barkov blasted a slap shot from the high slot for his second tally of the game. Jonathan Huberdeau had the secondary assist on the play. 

     The Cats pulled their goalie at the start of a power play with 1:42 to go and could not score. Necas shot the puck from his own blue line and missed, but Aho raced to the end wall and shoved the puck into an empty net with 15.2 seconds left for his second shorthanded goal of the game and 20th goal of the season.

West Palm Beach Ratings March 2021

     The ratings were issued for sports format radio stations in the West Palm Beach area. The time period went from the first week of March until the last week of March.

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM stayed at a 0.2 for the fourth consecutive month and the eighth time in the last ten periods. The New York Yankees returned to the airwaves on that station for the 14th straight year. The Florida Panthers contended for a playoff spot in the Central Division. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Zone WBZT-AM remained at a 0.0 for the 12th time in the 13 months. The Miami Marlins were back with spring training games from Jupiter and the start of the 2021 regular season. The University of Florida Gators basketball team went to the NCAA Tournament. 

Heat Waltz By Spurs

     The Miami Heat disposed of the San Antonio Spurs 107-87 on Wednesday night. It was the Heat's largest margin of victory ever in San Antonio. Miami extended their winning streak to three games. 

     Both teams were tied at 27-27 after one quarter. San Antonio(28-29) had a 53-51 advantage by halftime. Miami(31-28) pulled ahead 77-72 at the end of three quarters. The Heat outscored the Spurs 30-15 in the final quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler led the Heat with a double-double of 18 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Bam Adebayo dropped in 23 points while Tyler Herro scored 22 points. Demar DeRozan had a team-high 15 points for San Antonio and Derrick White contributed 13 points. 

Marlins Blank Orioles

     The Miami Marlins shut out the Baltimore Orioles 3-0 at loanDepot park on Wednesday. The Marlins finished off a five-game homestand as they split the two-game series against Baltimore(8-10). 

     Miami(8-9) scored the only runs of the contest during the fifth inning. Jesus Aguilar powered a two-run double to left-center field which brought in Sandy Leon and Miguel Rojas. Adam Duvall followed with a base hit to left field and Aguilar scored. 

Orioles Outscore Marlins

     The Miami Marlins hosted the Baltimore Orioles at loanDepot park and were defeated 7-5 on Tuesday night. It was the first contest of a two-game set between both teams. 

     Baltimore(8-9) ran out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Austin Hays scored on a Maikel Franco ground out to short. Rio Ruiz hit a two-run double into right field to score D.J. Stewart and Trey Mancini. 

     Miami(7-9) got one run in the bottom of the frame. Adam Duvall singled through the left side and Miguel Rojas scored. 

     It became 5-1 for the Orioles in the third inning. Mancini and Freddy Galvis connected with solo home runs on 3-2 counts. 

     In the fourth inning, the O's made it a five-run gap. Stewart was able to knock in Hays with a double to center field. 

     The Marlins began to mount a comeback in the bottom of the fifth. Duvall grounded out to third for Corey Dickerson to score. Brian Anderson followed with a single to left and Rojas crossed the plate. 

     In the sixth inning, the Fish added two runs and trailed 6-5. Rojas lined a base hit to left and Chad Wallach scored. Jesus Aguilar came up next and drove in Lewis Brinson with a single into center field. 

     Baltimore got an insurance run during the eighth inning. Ruiz reached home on a base hit by Galvis to left field. 

Spencer Knight Debuts, Panthers Rout Blue Jackets

     Spencer Knight made his National Hockey League debut as the Florida Panthers handled the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1 on Tuesday night at BB&T Center. Knight, the Panthers 2019 first-round selection, was able to make 33 saves in the victory. 

     Florida(30-12-5) picked up two goals in a 14-second span to get the lead during the first period. Mason Marchment played the puck in the neutral zone to Nikita Gusev at the blue line and he sent a cross-ice pass to Alekander Barkov on the right side. He skated into the right circle and blasted a slap shot by Joonas Korpisalo at 6:52 for his 19th goal of the season. 

     The Panthers struck again at the 7:06 mark for a two-goal margin. Jonathan Huberdeau centered the puck from the left circle and Anthony Duclair released a shot from the slot area. It was saved and Sam Bennett batted the puck in from the crease area for his second straight contest with a tally. Duclair and Huberdeau extended their point streaks up to five games.

     Columbus(15-24-9) made it 2-1 on the power play with 3:44 left in the first. Oliver Bjorkstrand shot the puck from the top right circle and it stopped by the skate of Cam Atkinson in the low slot . Jack Roslovic chipped the puck from the top of the crease over Knight for his 10th goal this year. 

     In the second period, Florida expanded their lead to 3-1 at 7:04. Duclair angled a pass from the right circle and Huberdeau's tip-in attempt was saved. Bennett followed in and scored from the left of the crease for his second goal of the contest and seventh of the campaign. 

     The Cats added two goals 56 seconds apart to get a four-goal cushion 5-1. Markus Nutivaara fed a pas from the left point to Frank Vatrano at the top right circle. His snap shot was deflected in by Ryan Lomberg with 4:18 left in the frame for his second goal of the season. Nutivaara has five assists in the last five games while Vatrano has a three-game point streak. 

     Florida put in another tally with 3:22 to go in the second. Duclair tapped the puck from the slot and Huberdeau snapped a shot from the inner right circle for his 16th goal this season.      

Meadowlark Media Adds Jessica Smetana

     Meadowlark Media continued to increase their company with more personnel. Their organization is headed by Miami broadcaster/journalist Dan Le Batard and John Skipper. 

     They have hired Jessica Smetana as a new producer for the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz. She will also be part of The Shipping Container podcast crew that includes Michael Ryan, Roy Bellamy, Chris Cote and Billy Gil. Smetana was recently with Sports Illustrated as a writer, producer and content host. She had previously worked with SB Nation as a producer. 

Miami Ratings March 2021

     The radio ratings for sports talk format radio stations in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale region were released. The time period went from the first week of March to the last week of March. The top two radio stations in the market saw there parent company change their name from Entercom Communications to Audacy at the end of the month.

     560 The Joe WQAM-AM was able to regain first place and they leaped from a 0.4 to a 0.6 in the period. The Florida Panthers continued their successful campaign while the University of Miami basketball team had a good showing at the ACC Tournament winning two games. 

     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM remained at a 0.5 for the second straight month. The Miami Heat lost six straight games and still stayed in contention for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

     Miami Sports 940 WINZ-AM went up from a 0.1 to a 0.2 in the month. The Miami Marlins had plenty of exhibition games along with the start of the 2021 baseball season. The University of Florida basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament. 

Dolphins Sign D.J. Fluker

     The Miami Dolphins have signed offensive lineman D.J. Fluker. He spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens. 

     Fluker has played in 108 NFL games over the last eight seasons. He previously was with the San Diego Chargers, New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks. 

Nik Needham Stays With Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins have re-signed defensive back Nik Needham. He was the last of three exclusive rights free agents on the roster. 

     Needham joined the Dolphins back in 2019. He had two interceptions and 58 total tackles in 16 games last season. 

Heat Blast By Rockets

     The Miami Heat downed the Houston Rockets 113-91 on Monday night at American Airlines Arena. Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley made their returns to Miami since being traded to the Rockets for Victor Oladipo back on March 25. 

     Miami(30-28) had a 13-4 run in the first four minutes of the contest, but they were ahead 30-28 after one quarter. Houston(15-43) kept in pace and led 55-54 at halftime. The Heat outscored the Rockets 35-19 during the third quarter and moved ahead 89-74. 

     Kendrick Nunn was able to lead Miami with 30 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Duncan Robinson poured in 19 points and Goran Dragic added 19 points. Andre Iguodala compiled 16 points and seven assists.  

     The Rockets got 18 points each from Kevin Porter Jr. and Christian Wood. John Wall contributed 14 points while Olynyk had 10 points and eight rebounds against his former team.  

Panthers Break Blue Jackets

     The Florida Panthers returned from their longest road trip of the regular season and beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 at BB&T Center on Monday night. The Panthers have been victorious in three of their last four games. 

     It was the beginning of a four-game homestand for the Cats. Florida top prospect Spencer Knight dressed for his first Panthers NHL game, however he did not play. 

     Florida(29-12-5) got up 1-0 with 8:20 left in the opening frame. The puck came from behind the cage and Frank Vatrano snapped a shot from the low slot past Elvis Merzlikins for his 16th goal of the season. Vatrano now has three goals in his last four contests. 

     It became 2-0 for the Panthers just 59 seconds into the second period. Anthony Duclair sent a cross-ice pass from the right circle to the left circle. Jonathan Huberdeau centered it and Sam Bennett put in a wrist shot from the slot area for his first goal in a Panthers uniform. Duclair and Huberdeau were both able to extend their point streaks to four games.

     Columbus(15-23-9) closed it to 2-1 with 6:38 to go. Oliver Bjorkstrand fired a forehand shot from the high slot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his 15th goal of the year. Cam Atkinson and Seth Jones were credited with assists on the play. 

     Florida expanded their lead to 3-1 with 5:57 remaining in the second. Gustav Forsling advanced it from the left wing and Duclair carried the puck around the net to the right goal line. He passed back and Radko Gudas rocketed a one-time slap shot from the top of the zone for his second tally of the campaign. Gudas found the net for second time in the last four contests. 

     In the third period, the Blue Jackets made it 3-2 at the 8:01 mark. Zac Dalpe poked it in from the blue paint following a mad scramble for the puck.  

     Columbus pulled their goalie for an attacker with under two minutes to go. Vatrano put in his second goal of the game from the red line and collected his 17th goal this season with 1:22 left. 

Inter Miami CF Lose Season Opener To LA Galaxy

     Inter Miami CF began their 2021 Major League Soccer campaign with a 3-2 loss to LA Galaxy on Sunday at DRV PNK Stadium. Phil Neville, a former Manchester United and England teammate of team co-owner David Beckham, made his debut as the new head coach of Inter Miami CF. 

     It is the second season in Inter Miami CF franchise history. The team was to host LA Galaxy for the 2020 home opener, however the coronavirus pandemic stopped the season last March. Beckham did participate with LA Galaxy when he played in Major League Soccer. 

Heat Buzzer Beater Tops Nets

     The Miami Heat edged the Brooklyn Nets 109-107 the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on Sunday. Miami was able to snap a three-game losing streak. The Nets remain second in the Eastern Conference while the Heat stayed in seventh place. 

     Miami(29-28) had a slight 32-31 lead after one quarter and a 64-60 advantage at halftime. Brooklyn(38-19) stayed in the contest and trailed 86-84 at the end of three quarters. Bam Adebayo nailed a 13-foot jump shot with no time remaining in the fourth to win the game for the Heat. 

     Adebayo collected a double-double with a club-high 25 points and 15 rebounds for Miami. Goran Dragic contributed 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while Kendrick Nunn added 17 points. Trevor Ariza fell short of a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds. Recent Heat acquisition Dewayne Dedmon did have a double-double of 10 points along with 10 rebounds. 

     Kyrie Irving had 20 points and nine assists for the Nets. Landry Shamet came off the bench with 30 points and Joe Harris poured in 12 points. 

Giants Ride By Marlins

     The Miami Marlins lost to the San Francisco Giants 1-0 on Sunday at loanDepot park. Miami(7-8) attempted to sweep the three-game series against the Giants. 

     San Francisco(9-6) got up 1-0 during the third inning. Alex Dickerson lined a base hit through the right side for Tommy La Stella to cross the plate. 

Inter Miami CF Audio Network

     There will be no changes inside the Inter Miami CF Audio Network for the 2021 Major League Soccer season. All on-air personnel appear for a second straight year on Onside Radio. 

     Orlando Alzugaray, Alex Donno and Fernando Fiore will be the studio co-hosts for all Inter Miami CF audio game broadcasts. Chris Wittyngham returns as play-by-play announcer along with Thomas Rongen and Fiore as game analysts.

New Soccer Stadium Name

     Inter Miami CF will begin their second season in Major League Soccer on Sunday. They will face against LA Galaxy in their home opener. 

     The stadium in Fort Lauderdale had a name change one week ago. It was known at Inter Miami CF Stadium last year and was renamed DRV PNK Stadium for the upcoming 2021 campaign. 

Panthers Escape Lightning

     The Florida Panthers held off the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 at Amalie Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers completed their longest road trip of the regular season with a 2-3-1 record. Sam Bennett played in his first game with the Panthers since he was traded from the Calgary Flames and had two assists. 

     Florida(28-12-5) jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the first period. Newcomer Brandon Montour scored at the 8:41 mark and Patric Hornqvist added a power-play tally at 12: 31.

     Tampa Bay(29-13-2) cut it to 2-1 with 6:20 left in the frame as Brayden Point put in his 18th goal of the year. The Cats made it a two-goal margin again when Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 15th goal of the season with eight seconds left in the first. 

     In the second period, Frank Vatrano made it 4-1 on his 15th goal of the campaign with 2:26 remaining. The Lightning struck back with 45 seconds to go as Erik Cernak got his third tally. 

     It became 4-3 at the 1:53 mark of the third period. Mathieu Joseph found the net for the Bolts with his 11th goal this season. 

     The Panthers wrapped it up during the final minute of the third. Anthony Duclair scored an empty-net goal with 10 seconds left for his sixth goal of the year. 

Marlins Outlast Giants

     The Miami Marlins overtook the San Francisco Giants 7-6 in 10 innings on Saturday night at loanDepot park. The Marlins will win the three-game series against the Giants. 

     Both teams scored during the 10th inning. San Francisco(8-6) pulled ahead 6-5 when Brandon Belt knocked in Austin Slater with a double to center field. 

     Miami (7-7) answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame for the victory. Jorge Alfaro doubled to the left-field wall which resulted in Adam Duvall and Jazz Chisholm Jr. crossing the plate. 

Timberwolves Shock Heat

     The Miami Heat were surprised by the Minnesota Timberwolves 119-111 on Friday night at Target Center. The Heat, who have lost three straight contests, finished off a four-game road trip against Western Conference teams. The Timberwolves entered the contest with the worst record in the NBA. 

     Miami(28-28) got a 37-26 lead at the end of the first quarter. Minnesota(15-42) charged back and and tied it 61-61 at halftime. The Heat had a slight lead of 93-88 after of three quarters. The Timberwolves had a 24-12 spurt to begin the fourth. 

     The Heat were guided by Jimmy Butler with 30 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for a double-double. Trevor Ariza dropped in 21 points while Goran Dragic delivered 15 points. Bam Adebayo was able to contribute 17 points. 

     The Timberwolves got 24 points from Karl-Anthony Towns in the victory. Ricky Rubio added 17 points and Naz Reid poured in 16 points. 

Marlins Breeze By Giants

     The Miami Marlins outlasted the San Francisco Giants 4-1 at loanDepot park on Friday night. It was the start of a five-game homestand for the Fish. 

     San Francisco(8-5) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Evan Longoria drove in Mike Yastrzemski with a base hit to left field. 

     In the fifth inning, Miami(6-7) pulled evened at 1-1. Jazz Chisholm Jr. socked a home run on a 3-2 pitch that went off the top of the right-field fence and into the bullpen. 

     The Marlins extended their lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the eighth with a one-out rally. Jesus Aguilar walked and Corey Dickerson followed with a single to left field. Starling Marte came up next a blasted a three-run homer to left-center field on a 0-1 count. Pinch-runner Magneuris Sierra and Dickerson scored in front of him on the play. 

Dwyane Wade NBA Owner

     Former Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade will be a part-owner of a National Basketball Association team. Wade will have an ownership share of the Utah Jazz. 

     Wade played 15 of his 16 NBA seasons with the Miami Heat. He helped the Heat win three NBA championships in 2006, 2012 and 2013. 

Lightning Slip By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in overtime at Amalie Arena on Thursday night. Brandon Montour and Nikita Gusev made their debuts with the Panthers while Lucas Wallmark began his second stint with Florida. 

     Florida(27-12-5) got out to a 1-0 lead with 4:47 left in the first period. Patric Hornqvist put in his 13rd goal this season with assists from Alex Wennberg and Markus Nutivaara. Hornqvist scored for the first time since March 21 while Wennberg collected his first point in six games. 

     Tampa Bay(29-12-2) evened it up 1-1 with 6:32 remaining in the second period on a power-play goal. Andrei Vasilevskiy made a long lead pass from in from of his own net to Alex Killorn at the Panthers blue line. He skated in on a breakaway and made a cross-ice pass from the left of the crease that was accidentally tipped in by MacKenzie Weegar past Chris Driedger. Killorn was able to score for the first time in 10 contests. 

     In the third period, the Panthers reclaimed the lead 2-1 at the 7:13 mark. Jonathan Huberdeau carried the puck from his own zone, through the neutral zone and to the top left circle on a 2-on-1 breakaway. He backhanded a pass to the right circle and Anthony Duclair snapped a shot for his fifth goal of the year. Nutivaara collected his second point of the game with the secondary assist on the play. 

     It was tied by the Lightning 2-2 at 9:57. Mikhail Sergachev send a diagonal pass from the right point and Ross Colton redirected in in from the left of the crease for his eight goal of the campaign. It was Colton's sixth goal in the last eight contests. 

     The Bolts finished the game 54 seconds into overtime. Vasilevskiy made a kick save on a Weegar shot. Killorn gathered the rebound, brought it to the red line and angled a backhand pass to his left. Victor Hedman raced in on a breakaway and scored on a forehand shot for his eighth goal this season. 

Florida Panthers Launch Podcast Network

     The Florida Panthers have expanded their internal audio coverage and launched a podcast network. It will consist of several podcasts created by the Panthers organization. 

     The Panthers Podcast Network will continue to have their weekly Territory Talk podcast with play-by-play announcer Doug Plagens and Florida Panthers website writer Jameson Olive as co-hosts. The Panthers will have additional podcasts in their new entity.

     Around The NHL will be a monthly podcast co-hosted by Florida Panthers television game analyst Randy Moller and television sideline reporter/studio host Katie Gaus. Other new podcasts will include a 5-Minute Morning Skate and Panthers Pipeline with Plagens and Olive. 

Braves Avoid Sweep To Marlins

     The Miami Marlins fell to the Atlanta Braves 7-6 at Truist Park on Thursday. The Marlins, who finished off a six-game road swing. had a three-game winning streak snapped. 

     In the second inning, Miami(5-7) leaped to a 2-0 lead. Jon Berti doubled down the right-field line and Jazz Chisholm Jr. crossed the plate. Chad Wallach followed with a RBI-single through the left side and Berti scored. 

     It became a 3-0 lead for the Marlins during the third inning. Corey Dickerson drove in Wallach with a base hit into right field.

     Atlanta(5-8) closed the gap in the bottom of the fifth to 3-2. Ehire Adrianza led off with a single to left field. Ronald Acuna Jr. came up next and blasted a two-run homer to left field on the first pitch. 

     The Braves took their first lead 5-3 in the sixth inning. Pablo Sandoval smacked a pinch-hit home run to left field on the first pitch with Austin Riley and Guillermo Heredia aboard. 

     The Fish answered back quickly in the top of the seventh. Starling Marte began the frame with a solo home run to left field on a 0-1 count. 

     Miami came back in the top of the ninth with two runs to make it 6-5. Pinch-hitter Adam Duvall doubled into right-center field and Miguel Rojas reached home. Three batters later, Garrett Cooper lined a single to center field and Duvall scored 

     Atlanta loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth. Ozzie Albies walked and Enter Inciarte was able to score. Dansby Swanson then picked up a base hit to shallow left field and Acuna scored the winning run. 

Nuggets Knock Down Heat

     The Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 123-106 at Ball Arena on Wednesday night. The Heat finish their four-game road trip on Friday in Minnesota.

     Miami(28-27) had a 31-26 advantage at the end of one quarter. Denver(35-20) stormed back in the second quarter and led 60-49 at halftime. The Nuggets extended their lead to 96-79 after three quarters. 

     Bam Adebayo was the leading scorer for the Heat with 21 points. Jimmy Butler fell short of a double-double with 13 points and nine assists. Kendrick Nunn dropped in 16 points while Trevor Ariza contributed 13 points. 

     Michael Porter Jr. compiled a double-double with a game-high 25 points along with 10 rebounds for Denver. Nikola Jokic had a triple-double of 17 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Aaron Gordon poured in 16 points with nine rebounds and JaMychal Green scored 17 points. 

Marlins Edge Braves

     The Miami Marlins got by the Atlanta Braves 6-5 on Wednesday night at Truist Park. The Marlins now have a four-game winning streak while the Braves have lost four straight contests. 

     Miami(5-6) got out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Miguel Rojas hit a ground-rule double down the left-field line which brought in Brian Anderson. 

     The Marlins added four more runs in the top of the third. Jesus Aguilar drove in Corey Dickerson with an infield single to the left side. Two batters later, Jazz Chisholm Jr. belted a three-run homer to center field on a 2-1 pitch. Starling Marte and Aguilar both scored in front of him on the play. 

     Atlanta(4-8) began to cut the five-run deficit in the bottom of the third. Ronald Acuna Jr. bashed a two-run homer with Ender Inciarte aboard on a 1-1 count. 

     It became 5-3 in the fifth inning. Freddie Freeman was able to bring in Acuna with a base hit to right field. 

     In the seventh inning, the Braves tied it up 5-5. Acuna connected with his second two-run homer of the contest. He clocked a 1-1 pitch over the right-field fence and it also scored Ehire Adrianza. 

     The Fish moved ahead in the 10th inning. Aguilar connected with a double to left field and Marte crossed the plate. 

Suns Smash Heat

     The Phoenix Suns beat the Miami Heat 106-86 on Tuesday night at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Heat have lost two of the last eight contests. 

     Miami(28-26) scooted out to a 34-26 lead after one quarter, however Phoenix(39-15) overcame them and had a 56-50 advantage at halftime. The Suns extended their lead to 83-72 at the end of three quarters. 

     The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler with 18 points. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Goran Dragic came off the bench and dropped in 12 points. 

     Deandre Ayton had a game-high 19 points for Phoenix. Cameron Johnson was able to pour in 15 points in the victory.

Panthers Top Stars

     The Florida Panthers downed the Dallas Stars 3-2 in overtime at American Airlines Center on Tuesday night. The Panthers snapped a three-game losing streak. 

     Florida(27-12-4) moved in front 1-0 with 8:10 left in the first period. Aleksander Barkov snapped a shot from the top of the crease for his 18th goal of the season. Jonathan Huberdeau put a cross-ice pass to Marcus Nutivaara at the top left circle. He angled a pass to the low slot and Barkov scored from close range. Barkov has compiled five goals in his past five games while Huberdeau picked up his first points in six games. 

     Dallas(15-14-12) answered back just 52 seconds later to even it up. Jamie Benn touched the puck in the right of the crease and Jason Robertson released a wrist shot from the low slot by Chris Driedger for his 12th goal of the campaign. Robertson now has four goals in the last four contests. 

     In the second period, the Panthers regained the lead at the 2:45 mark. Radko Gudas scored his first goal in a Panthers uniform on assists from Keith Yandle and Anthony Duclair. 

     The Stars tied it 2-2 at 8:26 of the third period as Joe Pavelski got his 16th goal this season. Benn and Robertson both collected their second points of the game with assists on the play. 

     The Panthers scored a power-play goal at 3:09 in overtime to get the victory.  Gustav Forsling passed from the top of the zone to his right and Frank Vatrano blasted a one-time slap shot from the top  right circle past Anton Khudobin for his 14th goal this season.

Marlins March By Braves

     The Miami Marlins outscored the Atlanta Braves 14-8 on Tuesday night at Truist Park. The Marlins extended their win streak to three games. Adam Duvall tied two Marlins franchise records with seven runs batted in and four runs scored in a game. 

     Atlanta(4-7) leaped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Marcell Ozuna blasted a two-run homer to center field on a 1-1 pitch with Freddie Freeman aboard. Two batters later, Ozzie Albies came up and nailed a solo home run to right field on a 2-2 count. 

     Miami(4-6) answered back quickly in the top of the second with three runs to tie the contest 3-3. Brian Anderson sliced a solo home run to right field on a 1-2 pitch. Miguel Rojas later doubled into center field for Pablo Lopez to score. Starling Marte would bring in Rojas with a base hit to the right side. 

     The Marlins got up 4-3 in the top of the third. Duvall cracked a solo home run to left field on a 1-0 count. It was the second straight game that Duvall homered against his former team. 

     The Braves evened it up 4-4 in the bottom of the frame. Travis d'Arnaud knocked in Ronald Acuna Jr. with a single to center. 

     The Fish expanded their lead to 8-4 during the fourth inning. Duvall ripped a a double to left field that scored Marte and Jesus Aguilar. Anderson followed with a RBI-single into center for Garrett Cooper and Duvall to score. 

     Atlanta got two runs in the bottom of the fourth and trailed 8-6. Freeman knocked in Max Fried with a base hit to center field. Ozuna came up next and Acuna reached home on an infield single to the left side. 

     It became a five-run gap for the Fish in the top of the sixth. Duvall lined a single into left field and Marte scored. Two batters later, Berti got a two-run double to left which brought in Cooper and Duvall. 

     In the seventh inning, Miami made it 14-6. Duvall homered for the second time in the game with a three-run shot over the center-field wall. Rojas and Marte was able to score in front of him on the play. 

     The Braves got two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Duvall misplayed a ball down the left-field line with Alex Jackson at-bat and Freeman along with Ozuna scored. 

Marlins Stop Braves

     The Miami Marlins got by the Atlanta Braves 5-3 in 10 innings at Truist Park on Monday night. The Marlins have won two straight games.

     Atlanta(4-6) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Marcell Ozuna knocked in Ronald Acuna Jr. with a base hit into left field.  

     Miami(3-6) evened it up in the top of the second. Adam Duvall bashed a solo home run to right field on a 1-1 pitch. 

     In the third inning, the Braves reclaimed the lead 2-1. Ozzie Albies drove in Acuna with a sacrifice fly to shallow right field. 

     It became a two-run margin for Atlanta in the seventh inning. Alex Jackson scored on a sacrifice fly by Albies to right. 

     The Marlins mounted a comeback during the top of the eighth to tie it 3-3. Garrett Cooper doubled into left field for Corey Dickerson and Starling Marte to cross the plate. 

     The Fish added two more runs in the 10th inning. Cooper singled to center for Jon Berti to score. Brian Anderson later got a double to left which brought in Marte. 

Giovani Bernard Heads To Tampa Bay

     The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed former St. Thomas Aquinas running back Giovani Bernard. It is a one-year deal for an undisclosed amount. 

     Bernard has been with the Cincinnati Bengals throughout his eight-year NFL career. He had 921 carries for 3,697 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns in 114 games. Bernard was with St. Thomas Aquinas and helped them capture the FHSAA Class 5A state title along with a national championship in 2008. 

Sam Bennett Traded To Panthers

     The Florida Panthers have acquired forward Sam Bennett and a 2022 sixth-round pick from the Calgary Flames for Emil Heineman and a 2022 second-round pick. Bennett has played for the Flames in his entire seven-season NHL career.

     He has compiled 67 goals and 73 assists in 402 NHL games. Bennett has four goals and eight assists in 38 games this season. 

Heat Dispose Trail Blazers

     The Miami Heat handled the Portland Trail Blazers 107-98 on Sunday night. It was the beginning of a four-game road swing for the Heat. 

     Portland(31-21) had a 31-25 edge after one quarter, but Miami(27-25) overtook them in the second quarter to go up 56-48 at halftime. The Heat extended their lead to 89-71 at the end of three quarters.

     Miami was led by Bam Adebayo with 22 points. Jimmy Butler dropped in 20 points while Kendrick Nunn poured in 15 points. Tyler Herro contributed 14 points. 

     Norman Powell and C.J. McCollum both had 17 points each for the Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard was able to score 12 points. 

Panthers Sign Nikita Gusev

     The Florida Panthers have signed left wing Nikita Gusev to a one-year deal worth $1 million. He has been with the New Jersey Devils for the past two seasons.

     Gusev played in 20 contests with the Devils this season and had five points. He had better numbers in 2019-20 with 13 goals and 31 assists in 66 games. 

Stars Roll Over Panthers

     The Dallas Stars blitzed the Florida Panthers 4-1 at American Airlines Center on Saturday. The Panthers have lost the first contests of their longest road trip of the regular season. 

     Dallas(15-14-10) scored on their first two shots on net in a 49-second span early in the first period. Jason Robertson put the puck past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 10th goal this season at the one-minute mark. It was the second straight game that he scored.

     Joel L'Esperance added another tally at 1:49 for his second goal of the campaign. His only other goal in 2020-21 was against the Panthers on March 27. 

     The Stars made it 3-0 on the power play at the 9:03 mark. Hintz forwarded the puck from the left wing to Joe Pavelski on the left goal line. He centered it and Jamie Benn lifted a wrist shot from the inner edge of the left circle for his eighth goal this year. Roope Hintz picked up his second assist of his sixth point in the past two games. Pavelski also gathered his second assist of the contest.

     Florida(26-12-4) got a power-play goal with 1.5 seconds remaining in the second period. Patric Hornqvist put the puck in the crease from behind the Stars cage and Aleksander Barkov steered it in by Anton Khudobin from the blue paint for his 17th goal of the season. 

     In the third period, Dallas regained a three-goal lead 4-1 at 1:21. Robertson hustled for the loose puck at his own blue line and carried it into the Florida zone. He fired a snap shot from the high slot for his second tally of the game and 11th goal of the year. 

Marlins Blank Mets

     The Miami Marlins shut out the New York Mets 3-0 at Citi Field on Saturday. Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom had 14 strikeouts while Marlins starting pitcher Trevor Rogers tied a career-high striking out 10 batters. 

     Miami(2-6) got ahead 1-0 during the second inning. Jazz Chisholm Jr. lifted a solo home run to right field on a 0-2 pitch with two out. 

     New York(2-3) gave up another two runs in the top of the ninth and trailed 3-0. Starling Marte doubled into right field to begin the frame. Jesus Aguilar came up next and knocked in Marte with a base hit to center. Four batters later, Miguel Rojas singled up the middle for Brian Anderson to cross the plate.

Panthers Acquire Brandon Montour

     The Florida Panthers have acquired defenseman Brandon Montour from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2021 third-round pick. He replaces Aaron Ekblad who will be out of the lineup for at the remainder of the 2020-21 season. 

     Montour has participated in his five-season NHL career with the Anaheim Ducks and Buffalo Sabres. He has five goals and nine assists in 38 games with Buffalo this year. 

New Marlins Television Contract

     The Miami Marlins recently signed a new television contract for their broadcast rights. It is a seven-year deal worth $50 million annually. 

     The Marlins were on Fox Sports Florida and before that their predecessors SportsChannel Florida and Fox Sports Net Florida. The Marlins television home just changed its name to Bally Sports Florida on March 31.

Heat Outlast Lakers

     The Miami Heat defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 110-104 at American Airlines Arena on Thursday night. The Heat, who completed a four-game homestand, have topped the Lakers in 16 of their last 24 regular season meetings. They swept the season series from the Lakers for the first time since 2014-15. 

     Miami(27-25) broke out to a 32-27 lead after one quarter. Los Angeles(32-20) came back and had a 56-54 edge by halftime. The Heat regained the lead 83-80 at the end of three quarters. Miami had a 9-2 spurt late in the final quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler led Miami with 28 points and seven rebounds. Victor Oladipo pumped in 18 points while Tyler Herro added 15 points. 

     The Lakers got 28 points from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Wesley Matthews scored 14 points and  Andre Drummond had a double-double of 15 points along with 12 rebounds.

Panthers Blanked By Hurricanes

     The Florida Panthers were shut out by the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 on Thursday night at PNC Arena. The Panthers are in the middle of their longest road trip of the season. 

     Carolina(27-9-3) moved in front 1-0 on the power play with 5:31 left in the first period. Vincent Trocheck fed a pass from the left corner and Sebastian Aho got his 16th goal this season with a slap shot  from the right circle past Chris Driedger. It was the 300th point for Aho in his NHL career. Trocheck extended his assist and point streaks to six games.

     In the second period, the Hurricanes made it 2-0 at the 6:35 mark. Trocheck picked up his 16th goal of the season on an acute-angle wrist shot from below the right circle. It was the sixth consecutive game he scored a goal against his former club. Martin Necas and Brady Skjei were credited with assists on the play. Necas chalked up his first point in six contests. 

     Florida(26-11-4) pulled their goalie for extra attacker with 1:30 left in the third period. It did not work as Necas snapped a shot from the neutral zone for an empty-goal with 51.9 seconds remaining in the contest. 

Adnan Virk Joins Meadowlark Media

     Former ESPN sportscaster Adnan Virk has joined Meadowlark Media. He will be a contributor along with hosting a podcast. Virk worked at ESPN from 2010 until 2019. 

     Virk was a sports anchor at TSN in Canada before coming to the United States. He joined ESPN and had several roles with them. Virk was a sports anchor, College Basketball Gameday studio host, Baseball Tonight studio host and ESPN Radio fill-in host. 

     He launched the Cinephile movie podcast and will be bring that podcast to Meadowlark Media. Virk moved on to DAZN as the Change Up studio evening co-host. He also did studio work for MLB Network and NHL Network. He had a podcast at Cadence13 as co-host of The GM Shuffle.  

Mets Come Back On Marlins

     The New York Mets had their home opener at Citi Field and won over the Miami Marlins 3-2 on Thursday. The Marlins played their first game on the road this season. 

     New York(2-2) waited until the bottom of the fifth to take a 1-0 lead. Dominic Smith hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track in center field for Francisco Lindor to score. 

     Miami(1-6) responded in the top of the sixth to take the lead. Corey Dickerson drove in Jon Berti with a double into the right-field corner. Three batters later, Jesus Aguilar singled through the left side of the infield and Dickerson scored to make it 2-1. 

     The Mets tied it up 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth with none out. Jeff McNeil picked up his first hit of the season with a solo home run to right field on a 3-1 pitch. 

     They continued with a one-out rally as Luis Guillorme got an infield single to the right side. Brandon Nimmo sliced a double down the left-field line for a double. After Lindor was intentionally walked to load the bases, Michael Conforto was hit by a pitch and Guillorme crossed the plate for the 3-2 victory. 

Panthers Trade With Blackhawks

     The Florida Panthers have made a five-player deal with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Panthers traded Brett Connolly, Riley Stillman, Henrik Borgstrom and a 2021 seventh-round pick to the Blackhawks for Lucas Wallmark and Lucas Carlsson. 

     It is a return for Wallmark to Florida. He was acquired by the Cats last season along with three players from the Carolina Hurricanes for Vincent Trocheck. Wallmark had two points in seven games with the Panthers last season and had only three points in 16 contests with the Hawks this season. Carlsson has played the last two seasons with Chicago and compiled two assists in 18 games. 

     Connolly signed as a free agent two seasons ago with Florida. He compiled 19 goals and 14 assists in 69 games with the Panthers last season and dropped to four points in 21 games this year. 

     Stillman was drafted by the Panthers in 2016. He participated in 43 contests over the last three seasons and had five points. Borgstrom played in 58 games from 2017 to 2020 with the Cats as he chalked up nine goals and 10 assists. He was selected 23rd overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. 

Bengals Release Giovani Bernard

     The Cincinnati Bengals have let go running back Giovani Bernard. He has been with that team for his entire eight-year NFL career. 

     He was drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Bernard had 921 carries for 3,697 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns in 115 games.

     Bernard had played high school football with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders. He helped the school capture the FHSAA Class 5A state title and national championship in 2008. Bernard later attended the University of North Carolina. 

Cardinals Sweep Marlins

     The St. Louis Cardinals blanked the Miami Marlins 7-0 at loanDepot park on Wednesday. The Cardinals were able to sweep the three-game series against the Fish. The Marlins began the season with a 1-5 record for the sixth time in franchise history and first time since 2015. 

     There would be no scoring until the top of the seventh when St. Louis(4-2) got a two-out rally. Matt Carpenter got on base with a walk. Yadier Molina then smashed a two-run homer to left filed on a 0-1 pitch. 

     In the eight inning, the Cardinals increased it to a three-run margin. Paul Goldschmidt knocked in Tommy Edman with a base hit into left field

     Miami(1-5) surrendered four more runs during the ninth inning. Dylan Carlson blasted a grand-slam homer on a full count to center field. Paul DeJong, John Nogowski and Molina scored in front of him on the play.

Grizzlies Roar By Heat

     The Memphis Grizzlies stopped the Miami Heat 124-112 at American Airlines Arena on Tuesday night. The Heat had their four-game winning streak snapped by the Grizzlies. 

     Memphis(25-23) had a 37-34 advantage after one quarter and were still in front 63-57 at halftime. Miami(26-25) kept pace and were down 99-89 at the end of three quarters.

     Bam Adebayo led the Heat with a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Jimmy Butler dropped in 28 points and Tyler Herro added 19 points.

     Dillon Brooks scored 23 points during the third quarter and 28 points overall in the contest for the Grizzlies. Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds while Kyle Anderson poured in 19 points. 

Cardinals Get By Marlins

     The St. Louis Cardinals rallied by the Miami Marlins 4-2 on Tuesday night at loanDepot park. The Cards will go for the three-game sweep on Wednesday. 

     Miami(1-4) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Corey Dickerson scored on a fielding error by Tyler O'Neill during a Starling Marte at-bat. 

     The Marlins added to their lead during the bottom of the fifth. Jazz Chisholm Jr. knocked in Garrett Cooper on a sacrifice fly to left field. 

     In the sixth inning, St. Louis(3-2) passed the Marlins with three runs and moved ahead 3-2. Tommy Edman was able to score from third on a passed ball while Paul DeJong was batting. DeJong later grounded out to third for Paul Goldschmidt to cross the plate. Two batters later, Nolan Arenado scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Yadier Molina. 

     The Cardinals added an insurance run in the ninth inning for a two-run margin. Dylan Carlson smacked a solo homer on a 2-2 pitch for his second homer of the season. 

Hurricanes Leap By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers lost to the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 at PNC Center on Tuesday night.  Florida had their season-high winning streak of six games snapped. The Panthers stayed in first place inside the Central Division while the Hurricanes jumped up to second place. 

     Florida(26-10-4) made it 1-0 with 8:41 left in the first period. Aleksander Barkov scored on assists by MacKenzie Weegar and Carter Verhaeghe. Barkov and Weegar expanded their point streak to three games 

     In the second period, Carolina(26-9-3) evened it up 1-1 with 1:57 remaining with a power-play goal. Vincent Trocheck compiled his 15th goal of the year. Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov were credited with assists on the play. Trocheck, who expanded his point streak to five games, scored in his fifth consecutive game against his former team. 

     The Panthers answered back just 27 seconds later to regain the lead 2-1. Barkov got his second tally of the game by Petr Mrazek and 16th goal of the season. Verhaeghe got his second assist of the contest and Mason Marchment had the secondary assist. 

     The Hurricanes tied it up again just 45 seconds into the third period. Trocheck chalked his second power-play goal of the contest. Dougie Hamilton and Aho provided assists during the man advantage. 

     It became 3-2 for the Canes at 8:52. Jordan Staal carried the puck from his own zone all the way to the offensive zone. He snapped a shot from the left circle which Sergei Bobrovsky saved. Radko Gudas cleared the puck from the blue paint, however it went off Owen Tippett's right skate and into the cage.    

     Staal would add an empty-net goal with 1:40 to go for his second goal of the contest and 12th of the campaign. Jesper Fast picked up another empty-net tally with 55.8 seconds left. 

Cardinals Jump Marlins

     The St. Louis Cardinals knocked off the Miami Marlins 4-1 at loanDepot park on Monday night. It was the first contest of a three-game set between both clubs. 

     St. Louis(2-2) compiled three runs in the first inning. Tommy Edman would score on a passed ball with Tyler O'Neill at-bat. One batter later, Yadier Molina doubled into left field for Paul Goldschmidt and Paul DeJong to score.

     It became a four-run margin for the Cardinals during the top of the fifth. Edman cracked a solo home run to right field on a 2-2 count. 

     Miami(1-3) answered back in the bottom of the fifth and trailed 4-1. Starling Marte hit a sacrifice fly to center field which brought in Jon Berti. 

Panthers Re-Sign Mason Marchment

     The Florida Panthers have re-signed left wing Mason Marchment to a contract extension. It is a one-year deal worth $800,000 for the 2021-22 season. 

     He was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs for Denis Malgin on February 19, 2020. Marchment has two goals and five assists in 22 games played this season with Florida. 

Panthers Shut Out Blue Jackets

     The Florida Panthers concluded their four-game homestand with a 3-0 shuout victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at BB&T Center on Sunday. Chris Driedger picked up his third career shutout and second this season. Florida leaped to the best record in the National Hockey League and the Central Division. 

     The Panthers now have a season-high, six-game winning streak. Florida will head out of town for their longest road trip of the season to play their next six games.

     It was just the second time that the Panthers played on Easter Sunday this century. They hosted and lost to the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 on April 5, 2015.  

     The Cats have a 2-1-1 all-time record on Easter. They did top the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 at Miami Arena on April 16, 1995. The Panthers tied against the Devils in New Jersey 5-5 on April 12, 1998. 

     After a scoreless first period for the second straight game, Florida(26-9-4) moved ahead 1-0 at the 1:52 mark of the second period. MacKenzie Weegar pushed the puck from the left point to Patric Hornqvist in the high slot. He squared a pass to his right and Aleksander Barkov fired a one-time slap shot from just above the right circle past Joonas Korpisalo for his 14th goal of the season. All three players picked up points for their second straight contest.  

     In the third period,  the Panthers scored at 8:00 to make it a two-goal cushion. Frank Vatrano carried the puck into the offensive zone and ripped a snap shot from the top left circle for his 13th goal this year. Vatrano expanded his goal streak to three games. 

     Columbus(14-8-8) surrendered another goal with 7:20 remaining in the third. Barkov sent a cross-ice pass from the right wing and Gustav Forsling released a wrist shot from the top left circle for his third goal of the campaign and extended his point streak to four games. Weegar got his second assist of the contest on the play. 

Heat Breeze By Cavaliers

     The Miami Heat got by the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-101 at American Airlines Arena on Saturday night. The Heat, who have won four consecutive games, had seven players with double-digit scoring in the contest.  

     Miami(26-24) blasted out to a 36-28 lead at the end of one quarter and were up 67-54 by halftime. Cleveland(17-32) could not cut into the deficit and trailed 84-73 after three quarters. 

     The Heat had several players with double-doubles in the victory.  Bam Adebayo compiled 18 points and 11 rebounds while Jimmy Butler put together 15 points and 11 assists. Duncan Robinson tied a team-high with 18 points and Trevor Ariza contributed 15 points. 

     Collin Sexton dropped in a game-high 26 points for the Cavs. Taurean Prince poured in 19 points and Isaac Okoro had 18 points. 

Marlins Get First Victory Over Rays

     The Miami Marlins outscored the Tampa Bay Rays 12-7 at loanDepot park on Saturday night. The Marlins were victorious for the first ime during the 2021 regular season. 

     Miami(1-2) opened up a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Jesus Aguilar drove in Miguel Rojas on a sacrifice fly to center field.

     Tampa  Bay(2-1) claimed the lead 2-1 during the top of the second inning. Mike Zunino smacked a two-run homer to left field on a 3-2 pitch. Yandy Diaz was able to score in front of him on the play. 

     The Marlins evened it up 2-2 in the bottom of the frame. Chad Wallach singled into right field to score Jon Berti. 

     The Fish regained the lead 3-2 during the third inning. Garrett Copper walloped a solo home run to left field on a 0-2 count. 

     In the fourth inning, Miami extended it to a two-run margin. Jazz Chisholm Jr. was able to score on a sacrifice fly by Wallach to right field. 

     The Rays compiled four runs in the top of the fifth and overtook the Marlins 6-4. Manuel Margot got a base hit to right field which scored Mike Brosseau. Joey Wendle followed with a single into left field which brought in Austin Meadows. Diaz came up next and picked up a two-run double to right for Wendle and Margot to cross the plate. 

     Miami added two runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie it 6-6. Aguilar drove in Starling Marte with a double to right field. Cooper then got on base due to a fielding error by Meadows which scored Aguilar.

     The Marlins loaded the bases during the seventh inning and eventually scored three runs for a 9-6 lead. Cooper first singled into right field to score Rojas. Jon Berti later had a two-run single to right with Marte and Aguilar scoring. 

     In the eighth inning, Tampa Bay cut it to 9-7. Aguilar made a fielding error during a Willie Adames at-bat and Wendle reached home. 

     The Fish extended their lead up to 12-7 with another rally in the bottom of the eighth. Adam Duvall got his first home run with his new club as he crushed the first pitch over the left-center field wall. Marte later tripled into deep center to score Rojas. Cooper followed with an RBI-double to left and Marte crossed the plate. 

Wennberg Hat Trick And Panthers Beat Blue Jackets

     Alex Wennberg scored three goals as the Florida Panthers extended their longest winning streak of the season to five games and plowed by the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 on Saturday night at BB&T Center. Both clubs will face each other again in Sunrise tomorrow. Matt Kiersted made his NHL debut with Florida. 

     Jonathan Huberdeau passed Robert Svehla for third all-time in Panthers franchise history as he played in his 574th game. Sergei Bobrovsky became the third Russian goalie to reach the 500th NHL game mark.  

     After no scoring in the first, Florida(25-9-4) struck at 3:57 of the second period. Aleksander Barkov, who had missed the last six games due to an injury,  had the puck in the low right circle. He connected a cross-ice pass on a backdoor play to MacKenzie Weegar in the left circle and he snapped a shot by Elvis Merzlikins for his third goal this year. Weeger got his first point in eight contests while Verhaeghe picked up an assist for his ninth point in the last five games. 

     The Panthers increased their lead to 2-0 at the 4:49 mark. Frank Vatrano angled a pass to his right from the top of the zone. Wennberg powered a slap shot from the right circle for his ninth goal this season. Patric Hornqvist returned from an injury after missing four games and got a secondary assist on the play. 

     The Cats make it a three-goal margin at 8:47. Weegar made a diagonal pass from theright side of the neutral zone to Wennberg and he blasted a slap shot for his second tally of the contest. Joonas Korpisalo replaced Merzlikins in net following the end of the second period. 

     Columbus(14-17-8) broke the shutout at the 2:46 mark of the third period and were down 3-1. Alexandre Texier passed the puck from the high slot to Michael Del Zotto at the right-circle dot. His slap shot was saved by Bobrovsky, however Oliver Bjorkstrand scored on a forehand shot from the low slot for his 14th goal of the season. It was his second goal in the past three games. 

     Florida would get a goal with 9:06 left in the third for a 4-1 lead. Owen Tippett came in on breakaway and his forehand shot was stopped. Frank Vatrano followed up with a wrist shot by Korpisalo for his 12th goal this season. 

     The Blue Jackets cut it to 4-2 with 1:45 to go. Zach Werenski snapped a shot from the slot area for his sixth goal on assists from Riley Nash and Seth Jones. Werenski expanded his point streak up to three games. 

     The Panthers added an empty-net goal with 6.9 seconds remaining in the contest. Wennberg got his first career hat trick as he fired a high wrist shot from his own left circle into the cage. It was his 11th goal of the campaign. 

Rays Rally By Marlins

     The Tampa Bay Rays topped the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Friday night at loanDepot park. It was the second contest of a four-game series.  

     Tampa Bay(2-0) got out to a 1-0 lead during the top of the sixth as Austin Meadows connected with a solo home run to right field on a 0-2 pitch. He hit a homer for the second straight game to start the 2021 campaign.  They made it 2-0 when Manuel Margot smacked a solo homer to left-center field on a 1-0 count in the top of the seventh inning. 

     Miami(0-2) finally ended a string of 17 consecutive innings without scoring a run to begin the season. They compiled three runs in the bottom of the seventh to go up 3-2. Corey Dickerson doubled to left field and Jazz Chisholm Jr. crossed the plate. Miguel Rojas came up with a single to right field for Jorge Alfaro abnd Dickerson to score.

     It became 4-2 for the Marlins in the eighth inning. Brian Anderson brought in Magneuris Sierra on a single to the right side of the infield. 

     The Rays came back with four runs during their final turn at-bat in the ninth inning. Anthony Bass blasted a three-run homer to right on a 1-2 pitch with Brandon Lowe and Yandy Diaz on board and overtook Miami. Francisco Mejia later knocked in Margot with a sacrifice fly to right field for a 6-4 lead. 

Panthers Trade Vinnie Hinostroza

     The Florida Panthers have traded forward Vinnie Hinostroza to the Chicago Blackhawks for forward Brad Morrison.  It will the second stint for Hinostroza with the Blackhawks. He played his first three NHL seasons with Chicago. 

     Hinostroza signed a one-year deal worth $1 million with Florida back in October. He played in just nine games with the club this season and had no points. 

Jorge Andres On WTVJ-TV

     Jorge Andres has been a part of NBC 6 WTVJ-TV in Miami since January as a weekend sports anchor and weekday sports reporter. He joined the sports staff that includes Ruthie Polinsky. 

     Andres is also a sportscaster at Telemundo 51 WSCV-TV. He continues at Telemundo Deportes on a national basis as a studio host and sportscaster. Andres previously was a sports anchor at ESPN and CBS Sports prior to arriving in Miami. 

Kai'Chien Chisholm At Onside Radio

     Kai'Chien Chisholm has been the late morning host on Onside Radio since March 5. He co-hosts The Extra Yard podcast on 5 Reasons Sports Network. 

     Ethan Skolnick begin to host the late morning program 5 Reasons Sports Hour at Onside Radio since last October. It was expanded to two hours on January 5. Skolnick is the owner of 5 Reasons Sports Network and has worked different stints as a sportswriter at the Palm Beach Post, Miami Herald and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. 

Roberto Luongo Team Canada General Manager

     Former Florida Panthers goalie and current hockey executive Roberto Luongo will be named the general manager for Team Canada. He will make decisions for Canada on the upcoming 2021 IIHF World Championship in Latvia this spring. 

     Luongo has been a part of the Team Canada organization since early February. He was named assistant general manager of Canada's hockey team for the 2022 Winter Olympics. 

     He was in three Olympics for Canada and won two gold medals in 2010 and 2014. Luongo is a national hero for being the goalie in the 2010 gold medal game against the United States that went into overtime. 

     Luongo had two stints playing with the Panthers. He has most of the all-time franchise records held by a goalie and had his number 1 jersey retired by the team in March 2020.  

John Jenkins Returns To Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins have signed defensive lineman John Jenkins. It is a one-year contract between him and the club. 

     Jenkins played last season with the Chicago Bears and compiled 21 total tackles in 11 games. He  previously was with the Dolphins in 2019 and participated in all 16 regular season games. 

Heat Defeat Warriors

     The Miami Heat downed the Golden State Warriors 116-109 at American Airlines Arena on Thursday night. The Heat have been victorious in three straight games. Victor Oladipo made his Miami debut and had six points in 23 minutes. 

     Miami(25-24) scored the first eight points of the contest, however Golden State(23-24) had a 24-23 edge at the end of one quarter. The Heat stayed ahead 59-54 by halftime and were up 86-81 after three quarters. Miami had a 12-5 spurt to begin the final quarter and pulled away. 

     Jimmy Butler contributed 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Heat. Duncan Robinson poured in 21 points while Tyler Herro dropped in 20 points. Bam Adebayo added 19 points along with eight rebounds. 

     Stephen Curry compiled a double-double of a game-high 36 points and 11 rebounds for the Warriors. Andrew Wiggins pumped in 23 points with eight rebounds. Draymond Green had 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for a double-double. 

Panthers Fly By Red Wings

     The Florida Panthers edged the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in overtime on Thursday night at BB&T Center. Jonathan Huberdeau participated in his 573th game in a Panthers uniform to break a tie with Roberto Luongo for fourth place and tied Robert Svehla for third place in franchise history. 

     The Panthers expanded their winning streak to four games. It was the last of eight contests between both clubs this season. Both teams will return to the Atlantic Division next season. 

     Detroit(12-21-5) got out of the gate with a 1-0 lead at the 4:21 mark. Patrik Nemeth connected a pass from down low to Troy Stecher on the right point. His slap shot went off Adam Erne and a Panthers defender in the low slot by Chris Driedger. It was Erne's second goal in the last four contests. 

     Florida(24-9-4) tied it up 1-1 with 8:05 remaining in the first. Keith Yandle sent the puck ahead to Carter Verhaeghe. He tried to stuff a forehand shot from the right of the crease which was saved by Thomas Greiss. Noel Acciari poked in the rebound from the blue paint for his fourth goal this year. 

     After a scoreless second period, the Red Wings moved ahead 2-1 at 6:07 of the third. Michael Rasmussen flicked a lead pass from the neutral zone. Anthony Mantha carried the puck to the left circle and roofed a snap shot for his 10th goal of the season. Nemeth picked up his second assist of the game and fourth assist in four contests. 

     The Panthers evened it up on a power-play goal with 9:21 left in the frame. Huberdeau feed the puck from the left wing to Verhaeghe in the left circle. He put a cross-ice pass to the right circle and Frank Vatrano blasted a one-time slap shot for his 11th tally of the campaign. It was the first goal for Vatrano in the last 10 games. Huberdeau extended his point streak to four games while Verhaeghe compiled his eighth point in the past four games. 

     The Cats got the victory at 1:15 into overtime.  Vatrano passed the puck to Gustav Forsling at the top of the zond. He angled a pass to the top right circle and Alex Wennberg fired a slap shot for his eighth goal this season. It was Wennberg's first tally in the last five contests. 

Marlins Blanked By Rays

     The Miami Marlins opened up the 2021 regular season as they shut out by the defending American League champion Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 at loanDepot park on Thursday. It was the first game that the Marlins played in their newly named stadium. It was known as Marlins Park since they relocated from Dolphin Stadium in 2012. 

     This opening day will be the last time where pitchers will come to bat. The National League will use the designated hitter role in their lineups as of next season. 

     There was no scoring in the contest during the first seven innings. Tampa Bay(1-0) broke the tie in the eight inning when Austin Meadows smashed a solo home run to right-center field on a 2-0 pitch. 

     Rays starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow retired 17 of 18 Miami(0-1) batters that he faced. The Marlins tried to rally in the bottom of the eighth, however they left two men on base.