Celtics Slam Heat

     The Boston Celtics picked up a 122-92 victory over the Miami Heat at TD Garden on Monday night. It was the worst margin of defeat of the Heat in 2021-22. The Celtics became the third team this season, besides the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Denver Nuggets, to beat the Heat twice. 

     The Heat began a four-game road trip for the week. It was the first time that Miami lost consecutive games since road losses on January 2 and January 3 in Northern California. 

     Boston(27-25) rocketed out to a 27-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. The C's continued to stay in front 54-45 at halftime. Miami(32-19) was unable to cut the deficit and were down to 94-70 after three quarters. The Celtics stretched the lead to 29 points at 106-77 with 6:22 remaining in the fourth. 

     Max Strus, who had 12 points by halftime, ended up with a career-high 27 points for the Heat. Bam Adebayo compiled 12 points, Caleb Martin added 14 points and Tyler Herro drained in 13 points. 

     Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 20 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double. Jaylen Brown dropped in a game-high 29 points and Marcus Smart contributed 16 points. Former Miami Heat player Josh Richardson placed in 11 points. 

Panthers Rout Blue Jackets

     Mason Marchment tied a franchise record with six points in one game as the Florida Panthers pounded the Columbus Blue Jackets 8-4 at Nationalwide Arena on Monday night. Marchment, who compiled two goals and four assists in the contest, tied the Panthers record set by Olli Jokinen back in 2007 against the New York Islanders. 

     The Cats scored 74 goals in January, which is the most goals by a National Hockey League team for a month in the last 25 seasons. The Panthers, who are 14-2-1 in their last 17 games, defeated the Blue Jackets 9-2 earlier this month. Florida(31-10-5) has one other road game against the New York Rangers tomorrow prior to the NHL All-Star Game break. 

Jorge Guzman Inks With Giants

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Jorge Guzman has signed a contract with the San Francisco Giants. Due to the Major League Baseball lockout, it turns out to be a minor league deal. 

     Guzman was with the Marlins in 2020 and 2021 as a middle relief pitcher. He only made three appearances during thoss two seasons. Guzman surrendered eight earned runs in 2 2/3 innings for a career 27.00 earned-run-average. 

Local High School Players In Super Bowl

    Several South Florida high school football players will look to win Super Bowl LVI two weeks from today in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Rams take on the Cincinnati Bengals. 

     There are some Los Angeles Rams players on their roster that played high school football in South Florida. They include running back Sony Michel from American Heritage, wide receiver Brandon Powell from Deerfield Beach, wide receiver Tutu Atwell from Miami Northwestern and running back Buddy Howell from Coral Gables. 

     There is only one South Florida high school player on the Cincinnati Bengals roster. It is defensive end Wyatt Ray, who went to school at St. Thomas Aquinas. 

Raptors Outlast Heat

     The Miami Heat were defeated by the Toronto Raptors 124-120 in triple overtime on Saturday night at FTX Arena. It was the fourth time that the Miami Heat played a triple overtime game in franchise history. 

     Toronto(24-23) had a 28-27 edge at the end of the first quarter. The Raptors remained ahead at halftime 60-53. Miami(32-18) stayed with their opponent and were down 85-75 after three quarters. 

     The Heat scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter. They outscored the Raptors 25-15 in the final frame to bring it into overtime tied 100-100. Both teams scored five points in overtime and nine points each in double overtime. 

    The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler as he compiled a triple-double of 37 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. Bam Adebayo had a double-double with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Gabe Vinent dropped in 17 points while Tyler Herro put in 13 points. 

     Gary Trent Jr. scored a club-high 33 points for the Raptors. Scottie Barnes was able to nail down 22 points. Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby both put together double-double for Toronto. 

Panthers Chomp On Sharks

     The Florida Panthers overcame the San Jose Sharks 5-4 in overtime at FLA Live Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers now carry a 23-3-0 record in Sunrise. The Cats played in front of their largest crowd of the 2021-22 season with the attendance at 18,152. 

     The Panthers will be involved in two road games prior to the NHL All-Star Game break. Their next home contest will be on February 22 as they host the Nashville Predators. The game was postponed back in late December. 

     San Jose(23-19-2) started ahead 1-0 at 6:10 of the first period. Tomas Hertl buried his 22nd goal of the season on an assist from Rudolfs Balcers. 

     The Sharks added a power-play tally with 2:43 left in the first for a 2-0 lead. Noah Gregor fed a pass to the right circle and Jonathan Dahlen scored on a wrist shot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his 10th goal this season. 

     Florida(30-10-5) closed it to 2-1 with 53.5 seconds remaining in the frame as Gustav Forsling collected his second goal of the campaign past former Panther James Reimer. Sam Reinhart and Mason Marchment were credited with assists on the play. 

     In the second period, San Jose expanded their lead to 3-1 at the 1:31 mark. Matt Nieto found the net for his fourth goal. Nick Bonino and Marc-Edouard Vlasic were able to get assists.

     The Panthers made it 3-2 at 1:26 of the third period. Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe and Jonathan Huberdeau executed a three-man weave in the right circle. Huberdeau backhanded the puck from the right wing and Barkov fired a snap shot from the inner right circle for his 20th goal of the season. It is the seventh consecutive season that Barkov has reached the 20-goal plateau. 

      San Jose converted with the man advantage at 4:50. Dahlen scored again on the power play for his 11th goal. 

     The Cats made it a one-goal margin at the 7:30 mark and trailed 4-3. Marchment was able to pick up his sixth goal on a pass from Sam Reinhart. 

      It became a tie game 4-4 with 10:22 remaining in the third. MacKenzie Weegar released a shot from the top of the zone that was stopped by the defense. Verhaeghe slid the puck from the low slot and Huberdeau tapped it in from the left of the crease for his 17th goal. 

     Florida got the 5-4 victory at 1:08 of overtime. Forsling passed from the left wing to Huberdeau behind the Sharks cage. He centered it and Sam Bennett scored on a one-time forehand shot from the top of the crease for his team-leading 21st goal this season. 

Chiefs Release Damon Arnette

     The Kansas City Chiefs have released defensive back Damon Arnette. He signed a reserve/futures contract with the team on January 21. He was arrested on Friday night in Las Vegas. 

     Arnette was drafted in the first round by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020 and played 13 games over the past two seasons. He was with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders as a wide receiver and defensive back. Arnette captured two FHSAA Class 7A state championships in 2012 and 2014. 

Heat Sail By Clippers

     The Miami Heat held off the Los Angeles Clippers 121-114 on Friday night at FTX Arena. The Heat began a stretch of playing four games in five days. They have been victorious in 12 of their last 13 home games. 

     Miami(32-17) got out to a 28-19 lead at the end of one quarter. The Heat were still in front 57-45 at halftime. Los Angeles(25-26) was unable to keep up as they were down by 25 points midway in the third. They trailed 96-80 at the end of the frame. The Clippers closed it to 117-113 with 33.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler chalked up a game-high 26 points along with nine assists and six rebounds for Miami. Gabe Vincent placed in 23 points, Duncan Robinson dropped in 16 points and P.J. Tucker drained 18 points. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds. 

     Eric Bledsoe came off the bench with 19 points for the Clippers. Luke Kennard helped out with team-high 23 points. 

West Palm Beach Holiday Ratings 2021

     West Palm Beach sports talk format radio stations received their ratings for the holiday period. The time span went from the second week of December until the first week of January. 

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 rolled out their new weekday schedule on January 3. Longtime afternoon host Evan Cohen announced his final show on December 22. He was given two five-minute segments prior to their midday show and following their afternoon drive program at the start of the year. 

     Ken LaVicka expanded his midday show and extra hour from noon to 2PM. He lost his on-air sidekick Chris Kokell from 2021 as he became the new head football coach at Fort Pierce Westwood. LaVicka implemented daily co-hosts which included WPTV-TV/WFLX-TV sports anchor Theo Dorsey on Mondays along with Tuesdays, former Evan Cohen Show sidekick Ginette Javier on Wednesdays, WPTV-TV/WFLX-TV sports anchor Keli Ferguson on Thursdays and former John I. Leonard/NFL wide receiver Pierre Garcon on Fridays. 

     Josh Cohen and The Hometeam shifted to one hour later for their two-hour show from 4PM to 5:55PM. It is hosted by Cohen along with Din Thomas and Kristina Costanza. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM rose from a 0.4 to a 0.8 in the period. It turned out to be their best ratings since they reached the plateau in November 2016. The highest ratings WMEN ever had was a 1.1 in December 2011. It was a general surprise considering that the Florida Panthers have been near the top of the National Hockey League standings. Florida Atlantic University basketball had a limited amount of games during the month. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Zone WBZT-AM ended up with a 0.0 following two months at a 0.2. WBZT did have a 0.0 for nine consecutive months prior to that. The University of Florida Gators were involved in a bowl game and their basketball team had an average record. 

Panthers Trounce Golden Knights

     The Florida Panthers got by the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 at FLA Live Arena on Thursday night. The Panthers played their first game in Sunrise following a five-game road trip. 

     The Panthers chalked up their 22nd home victory of the season, which leads the National Hockey League. The Cats now have a 22-3-0 record in South Florida. 

     The Golden Knights had their franchise record road point streak of eight games snapped and are 7-1-1 in their last nine away games. They were playing their third contest of a four-game road swing throughout the Southeast. 

     Vegas(25-16-3) jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 7:51 mark of the first period. Shea Theodore angled a pass from the top of the zone to the left point and Mattias Janmark connected a cross-ice pass. Zach Whitecloud took a wrist shot from the top right circle that went by Spencer Knight for his sixth goal of the year. 

     Florida(30-9-5) picked up a shorthanded goal with 28.1 seconds left in the first to tie it 1-1. Aleksander Barkov fed a pass from the neutral zone to Anton Lundell on the left point. He returned the puck from the left wing and Barkov smacked a one-time slap shot from the top right circle past Robin Lehner for his 19th goal of the season. Barkov compiled his 200th NHL goal and his 500th NHL point on that play. He along with Jonathan Huberdeau have both amassed at least 500 career points with Florida. 

     In the second period, the Panthers moved ahead for the first time 2-1 at 1:18. Sam Bennett skated out of his zone with the puck, crossed the Golden Knights blue line and ripped a snap shot from the top left circle for his team-tying 19th goal this season. Bennett set a career-high with his most goals scored in one season passing the mark of 18 goals he got with the Calgary Flames during 2015-16.  

     The Cats added two additional empty-net goals in the final minute of the third period. Mason Marchment found the net with 58.1 seconds to go and picked up his third goal in the last two contests. Bennett collected his club-leading 20th goal of the season with 28.3 seconds remaining. 

Tony Marino Lands In Charlotte

     Former local radio broadcaster Tony Marino has joined WBT-AM and WBT-FM in Charlotte. He will work as the morning news anchor for both radio stations. 

     Marino had several radio stints in South Florida. He had a long reign as a business talk host at Money Talk 740 WSBR-AM in Boca Raton. It led him to having a nationally syndicated radio talk show on Business Talk Radio Network. He also hosted a brokered business show on television called Wizetrade TV. 

     He got involved in other areas on the radio airwaves. Marino became a traffic anchor for Metro Networks in Miami. He did traffic reporting at Total Traffic Network Miami following the merger between both companies. Marino stepped in to work at Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM as a weekend sports anchor in 2012. 

     Marino had an eight-year stint with Cox Media Group in Orlando from May 2013 until September 2021. He started at WDBO-FM as an afternoon news anchor and news reporter. He was the evening sports anchor at WDBO-AM when it had a sports talk format. The news format was shifted from WDBO-FM to WDBO-AM in June 2020. He became the evening news host and the afternoon news anchor and stayed there until September 2021. 

     He had other stops during his long radio career. Marino was the morning host on WNNR-AM in Jacksonville from 2002 to 2005. He also co-hosted a sports show with Michael Irvin there in 2005. Marino was once a news anchor and news reporter at KRLD-AM in Dallas. 

Heat Rip Down Knicks

     The Miami Heat knocked off the New York Knicks 110-96 at FTX Arena on Wednesday night. Miami led from the start until the end of the contest. The Heat remain at the top spot of the Eastern Conference. 

     Miami(31-17) scored the first nine points of the game and moved out to a 20-6 lead midway in the first quarter. The Heat had a 30-16 advantage at the end of the first. They were able to stay in front 59-46 by halftime. New York(23-26) trailed by 28 points at 81-53 with 5:11 left in the third quarter and were behind 92-67 at the end of the frame. 

     Duncan Robinson ended up with a game-high 25 points for Miami. Jimmy Butler dropped in 22 points while Tyler Herro added 21 points. P. J. Tucker drained in 20 points during the victory. R.J. Barrett put in 17 points for the Knicks and Obi Toppin contributed a club-high 18 points. 

Miami Holiday Ratings 2021

     The ratings were released for Miami/Fort Lauderdale sports talk format radio stations during the holiday season. The time period went from second week of December to the first week of January. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM remained at a 1.1 in the month. The Miami Dolphins completed a run of seven consecutive victories. The Florida Panthers remained near the top of the National Hockey League standings. The University of Miami Hurricanes football team pulled out from the Sun Bowl due to COVID-19 complications. The Hurricanes basketball team started off strong as they entered ACC play. 

     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM stayed at a 0.4 in the period. The Miami Heat rebounded back from an average month. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM rose to a 0.3 after spending the last four months with a 0.2. The University of Florida Gators football team participated in a bowl contest. The Gators basketball team approached SEC competition. The station continued with Fox Sports Radio piped in throughout weekdays and weeknights. 

Panthers Strike Jets

     The Florida Panthers outpaced the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 on Tuesday night at Canada Centre. The Panthers finished off a five-game road trip through western Canada and Seattle. 

     Former Panthers left wing Dave Lowry was a National Hockey League head coach in a contest against his former team for the first time. The Jets had not played a home game since December 19, a time span of 37 days. 

     Florida(29-9-5) raced out to a 1-0 lead at the 2:09 mark of the first period. Anton Lundell released a shot from the left wing and it was redirected in by Mason Marchment from the top of the crease past Connor Hellebuyck for his third tally of the year. 

     Winnipeg(17-15-7) made it 1-1 at 9:19. Adam Lowry backhanded a pass from the right corner to the left point. Brenden Dillion blasted a slap shot which was saved by Sergei Bobrovsky. Paul Stastny followed with a forehand shot from the low slot for his ninth goal this season. 

     The Panthers regained the lead 2-1 with 7:54 remaining in the first. Lucas Carlsson sent the puck around the boards from the red line. Sam Reinhart retrieved it on the right wing and made a backhand centering pass. Marchment snapped a shot from the high slot as he chalked up his second goal of the contest and fourth of the season. 

     The Jets evened it up 2-2 just 51 seconds later. Dylan Samberg fed a lead pass from his own blue line to Cole Perfetti at the Panthers blue line. He connected a diagonal pass from the left point to the right circle and Kyle Connor scored on a backhand shot from the right of the crease for his 23rd goal this season. It was Perfetti's first NHL assist and Samberg's second NHL assist on the play. 

     The Cats moved ahead 3-2 with 2:27 left in the period. Reinhart batted at a loose puck from the right goal line. Marchment took a wrist shot from the inner right circle and it went off the left knee of Anton Lundell on the edge of the blue paint into the Jets cage for his 10th goal. 

     In the second period, Winnipeg bounced back on a goal with the man advantage at 3:30 to tie it 3-3. Pierre-Luc Debois scored his 18th goal from close range on assists from Perfetti and Nate Schmidt.  

     Florida got the lead for the fourth time of the game at the 9:42 mark. Aleksander Barkov raced through the right circle and had his backhand shot stopped. Aaron Ekblad pounded a slap shot from the high slot which was saved, but Carter Verhaeghe tapped the puck in from the right of the crease for his 15th goal this season. Barkov ended up getting his 500th career point on the secondary assist. 

     The Panthers increased it to 5-3 with 7:50 to go in the third period. Ekblad forwarded the puck from the Florida zone to Anthony Duclair in the neutral zone. He skated into the right circle and took a snap shot. It was saved and Sam Bennett pounced on the rebound from the top of the crease for his 18th goal of the season. 

Keith Yandle Breaks NHL Consecutive Games Record

     Former Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle set the National Hockey League record for most consecutive regular season games played. He participated in his 965th consecutive contest on Tuesday night for the Philadelphia Flyers at the New York Islanders. He passed Doug Jarvis for first all-time in NHL history. 

     Yandle was with the Florida Panthers for five seasons from 2016-17 until 2020-21. He played in 371 regular season games with Florida. Yandle helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2020 and 2021. 

John Torchetti Named Flyers Assistant Coach

     Former Florida Panthers interim head coach John Torchetti has been named an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers for the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign. Torchetti became interim head coach of the Florida Panthers during the 2003-04 season and replaced Rick Dudley. He coached 27 games and finished with a 10-12-4-1 record. 

     Torchetti also had interim head coaching stints elsewhere in the National Hockey League after being in Florida. He was the interim head coach of the Los Angeles Kings for 12 contests in 2005-06 and held the same post with the Minnesota Wild for 27 games in 2015-16. 

Jim Rutledge Expands Show

     Former West Palm Beach sportscaster Jim Rutledge will expand his show on ESPN Madison WTLX-FM in March. He will co-host a two-hour, mid-afternoon program with United States Olympic curler and gold medalist Matt Hamilton. 

     Rutledge joined WTLX-FM as a producer and is currently the program director at that radio station. He did host an afternoon show three days a week and became the weekday mid-afternoon host five days a week in August 2020. 

     He once worked at ESPN 760 WEFL-AM in West Palm Beach during the mid-2000s. He started as a producer and added duties as a sports reporter. 

Keith Yandle Ties NHL Consecutive Game Streak

     Former Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle tied the National Hockey League record playing in his 964th consecutive regular season game on Monday night for the Philadelphia Flyers against the Dallas Stars. He now shares the record with Doug Jarvis. Yandle is expected to break the record on Tuesday night at the New York Islanders. 

     Yandle played five seasons with the Panthers. He helped the club reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2020 and 2021. Yandle did miss a couple of postseason games last season in a first-round series versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, however that did not count toward the consecutive games streak. 

Trey Hillman Joins Angels

     Trey Hillman recently left the Miami Marlins organization. He has signed with the Los Angeles Angels and will be a part of their player development staff. 

     Hillman has spent the last three seasons on the Marlins coaching staff. He started as an infield and first base coach in 2019. Hillman was elevated to third base coach in 2020. The Marlins made the postseason that year for the first time since 2003. 

Kraken Sink Panthers

     The Florida Panthers lost to the Seattle Kraken 5-3 at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday night. It was the first time ever that the Panthers played a game in Seattle. The Kraken became the first team to sweep a season series against the Panthers in 2021-22. 

     Florida(28-9-5) roared out to a 1-0 lead just 4:57 into the first period. Aaron Ekblad made a diagonal pass out of his zone. Jonathan Huberdeau carried the puck and sent a cross-ice pass from the left point to Anthony Duclair above the right circle. His wrist shot was saved by Philipp Grubauer and went off the skate of Carson Soucy into the Kraken net. It turned out to be the 18th goal this season for Duclair.

     Seattle(13-24-4) evened it up 1-1 at the 5:00 mark of the second period. Jared McCann brought the puck into the Panthers zone and passed to his left. Mark Giordano centered it from the left wing and Marcus Johansson one-timed a slap shot from inner left circle by Sergei Bobrovsky for his fifth tally of the campaign. 

     The Kraken would score two goals in a 17-second stretch to go up 3-1. They would take the lead 2-1 with 9:58 left in the frame on a give-and-go setup. Yanni Gourde passed from the right point to Adam Larsson on the left point. He made a return pass and Gourde pounded a one-time slap shot for his ninth goal of the season. 

     It became 3-1 for Seattle with 9:41 remaining in the second. Riley Sheahan took a shot from the left-circle dot which was saved by Bobrovsky. Mason Appleton angled a shot from the left corner off the side of the net, went off the helmet of Colin Blackwell in the crease area and into the Panthers cage for his fourth goal this season. 

     The Panthers closed it to 3-2 with 7:28 to go in the period on a power-play tally. Ekblad pushed a square pass from the right point. Huberdeau released a snap shot from the top of the zone and he collected his 16th goal. 

     The Cats tied it 3-3 with 5:53 left. Huberdeau raced down the right wing with the puck and stopped in the low right circle. He connected a pass to Aleksander Barkov in the high slot and he lobbed a shot for his 18th goal of the season. It was the third point for Huberdeau in the contest which tied him for the NHL lead of 58 points with Alex Ovechkin and Leon Draisaitl. 

     In the third period, Seattle reclaimed the lead 4-3 just 26 seconds in. Vince Dunn fed a long lead pass from his own defensive zone to Alexander Wennberg at the Panthers blue line. He angled a pass from the left point and Appleton ripped a slap shot from the inner right circle for his third goal of the year. 

     Florida pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 2:45 remaining and they had numerous scoring opportunities. Calle Jarnkrok sprinted to the loose puck in the neutral zone and scored into an empty net with 18.7 seconds left for a 5-3 lead. 

Heat Handle Lakers

     The Miami Heat defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 113-107 at FTX Arena on Sunday night. The Heat have knocked off the Lakers in 17 of their last 26 regular season meetings. The Lakers currently have five former Miami Heat players on their roster. 

     It was the beginning of a four-game homestand for Miami. The Lakers were playing in their second contest of a six-game road trip. The Heat moved up to second place in the Eastern Conference. 

     Jimmy Butler compiled his third triple-double this season and his 10th triple-double with Miami to set a franchise record. LeBron James did hold the Heat record with nine triple-double games during his four-year stint. 

     Miami(30-17) was down 4-2 and then scored 10 straight points. They were able to get a 39-25 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Heat extended it to a 22-point lead with 7:45 remaining in the second quarter. Los Angeles(23-24) went on a 12-3 spurt at the end of the first half, however Miami had a 69-52 advantage at halftime. 

     The Heat stayed ahead by at least 15 points and were up 89-70 after three quarters. The Lakers cut the deficit down to four points 111-107 with 1:07 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

     Butler led the Heat with a triple-double of 20 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Duncan Robinson scored a team-high 26 points while Caleb Martin had 15 points. Bam Adebayo contributed 14 points along with eight rebounds. 

     James compiled a double-double with a game-high 33 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers against his former club. Russell Westbrook chalked up 24 points. nine assists and nine rebounds. 

Heat And Lakers Reunion

     The Miami Heat will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at FTX Arena. It will be a return of Lakers personnel back in South Florida. 

     Five players currently on the Lakers roster once played for the Miami Heat. They include LeBron James, Trevor Ariza, Avery Bradley, Kendrick Nunn and Wayne Ellington. 

     James spent four seasons with the Miami Heat. He captured two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013 along with four consecutive Eastern Conference titles. 

Panthers Survive Canucks

     The Florida Panthers got by the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 in a shootout at Rogers Arena on Friday night. Florida has compiled at least one point in 11 of their last 12 contests. 

     The Panthers reached the midway point of the 2021-22 regular season with their best record after 41 games in franchise history. Florida also leads the National Hockey League with (164) goals. 

     Vancouver(18-18-4) scored first with 3:42 left on the power play for a 1-0 lead. Quinn Hughes released a shot from the top of the zone that deflected off Tanner Pearson and Alex Chiasson in the slot area for a goal. The puck went by Spencer Knight for Chiasson's fourth goal of the campaign

     In the third period, Florida(28-8-5) tied it up 1-1 at the 1:41 mark with the man advantage. Jonathan Huberdeau made a cross-ice pass from above the left circle to Anthony Duclair at the right-circle dot. He centered it to the top of the crease and Sam Reinhart put in a forehand shot by Spencer Martin for his 12th goal of the season. 

     The Panthers would prevail in the shootout. Brock Boeser scored on the Canucks first attempt with a backhand shot. Florida came back as they converted their second and third attempts. Anton Lundell lifted a backhand shot and Aleksander Barkov followed with a one-handed backhand shot for the victory. 

Hawks Squeeze By Heat

     The Atlanta Hawks edged the Miami Heat 110-108 at State Farm Arena on Friday night. It was the third time in the last nine days that both clubs faced each other. 

     Atlanta(20-25) had a slight 31-30 lead at the end of the first quarter and stayed ahead 60-51 by halftime. Miami(29-17) fell behind even more and trailed 88-74 after three quarters. The Heat went on a 14-5 spurt in the final four minutes of the contest and came up short. 

     Bam Adebayo led Miami in scoring with 21 points. Duncan Robinson added 19 points while Gabe Vincent fell short of a double-double with 14 points and nine assists. Jimmy Butler put up 13 points, eight assists and eight rebounds. Trae Young dropped in a game-high 28 points for the Hawks. 

Chiefs Sign Damon Arnette

     The Kansas City Chiefs have signed defensive back Damon Arnette. It ends up being a reserve/futures deal between him and the team. 

     Arnette played in 13 games over the past two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. He recently had a stint with the Miami Dolphins practice squad. 

     He was a wide receiver and defensive back in high school football with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders. Arnette helped the school capture two FHSAA Class 7A state championships in 2012 and 2014. He later attended Ohio State University for college football. 

Panthers Rocket By Oilers

     The Florida Panthers downed the Edmonton Oilers 6-0 at Rogers Place on Thursday night. It was the second contest of a five-game road swing for the Panthers. 

     This is the latest in the regular season that the Panthers are leading the National Hockey League standings in franchise history. It was the 35th career shutout for Sergei Bobrovsky and his first since November 2 against the Detroit Red Wings. Bobrovsky completed the shutout as he made 40 saves and is now 8-0-1 in his last nine contests. 

     Florida(27-8-5) broke out to a 1-0 lead at the 5:28 mark of the second period. Jonathan Huberdeau passed forward from above the left circle to Sam Reinhart on the left goal line. He connected a cross-ice pass and Aleksander Barkov one-timed a shot from the low right circle past Mikko Koskinen for his 16th goal of the season. 

     The Panthers made it 2-0 at 8:07. MacKenzie Weegar backhanded the puck from the left corner to Reinhart behind the Oilers net. He centered it and Carter Verhaeghe snapped a shot from the left-circle dot for his 14th goal this season. It was the sixth goal for Verhaeghe in the last six games.

     Edmonton(18-16-2) surrendered another goal and trailed 3-0 at the 7:13 mark of the third period. Radko Gudas sent a lead pass from his own blue line to Barkov in the neutral zone. He skated to the high slot area and scored on a wrist shot for his second tally of the contest and 17th goal of the campaign. 

     It became 4-0 for the Cats with 4:20 left in the third as they converted on the power play. Barkov made a diagonal pass from the right circle and Anthony Duclair scored on a backhand tap from the left of the crease for his 17th goal. Barkov picked up his third point of the game on that play. 

     The Panthers increased it to a five-goal margin with 3:06 to go in the frame. Owen Tippett steered the puck from the left corner. Sam Bennett carried it through the left circle to the low slot and lifted a backhand shot for his 17th goal this season. 

     The Cats expanded it to a six-goal gap with 1:44 remaining on a give-and-go play. Maxim Mamin fed the puck from the low right circle and Tippett snapped a shot from the slot area.  

Heat Hold Off Trail Blazers

     The Miami Heat beat the Portland Trail Blazers 104-92 on Wednesday night at FTX Arena. Both teams faced each other in Portland two weeks ago. The Heat have the best home record in the Eastern Conference at 15-5 this season. 

     Portland(18-27) had a 26-23 edge at the end of the first quarter. Miami(29-16) started the second quarter with a 16-5 spurt and had a 58-56 lead at halftime. The Trail Blazers were able to get up 80-78 after three quarters. The Heat went on a 17-5 run late in the fourth quarter and pulled away. 

     Caleb Martin had a team-high 26 points for Miami while Max Strus contributed 15 points. Bam Adebayo added 18 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Jimmy Butler was ejected with 2:28 left in the second and had four points along four assists in 15 minutes of play. Anfernee Simons led Portland with a game-high 27 points and seven assists. 

Florida Panthers Rescheduled Games

     Four of the Florida Panthers games postponed in late December has been rescheduled during the month of February. Only one of the four games will be held at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise. 

     The Panthers will host the Nashville Predators on February 22. The other three games will occur prior to that on the road. Florida will be at the Carolina Hurricanes on February 16, at the Minnesota Wild on February 18 and at the Chicago Blackhawks on February 20. 

Jose Paneda And Shayne Wright Share NSMA Sportscaster Award

     The National Sports Media Association has named three people to share the 2021 Florida Sportscaster of the Year Award. They are Miami Heat Spanish-language radio play-by-play announcer Jose Paneda, WPBF-TV Channel 25 sports director/weekday sports anchor Shayne Wright and Orlando Magic television play-by-play announcer David Steele. 

     Paneda has been the Spanish radio voice of the Miami Heat since their second season as an NBA franchise in 1989-90. He is one of the longest Spanish-language broadcasters in the National Basketball Association. 

     WPBF-TV Channel 25 in West Palm Beach relaunched their sports department last July after not having it for over a decade. Wright was shifted from the news anchor and news reporter positions to the post of sports director and weekday sports anchor. 

Omar Kelly NSMA Florida Sportswriter Of The Year

     The National Sports Media Association has named South Florida Sun-Sentinel NFL columnist Omar Kelly as the 2021 Florida Sportswriter of the Year.  It is the first time he has received that award. Kelly continues with Miami Dolphins coverage for the newspaper. 

     Kelly continues to co-host a podcast with South Florida Sun-Sentinel sports columnist Dave Hyde. He also does an exclusive segment on The Big O Show podcast with Orlando Alzugaray. Kelly was a weekend co-host on 560 WQAM-AM with Miko Grimes in 2015. 

Flames Burn Panthers

     Sam Bennett was back in Calgary as the Florida Panthers lost to the Calgary Flames 5-1 at Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday night. Bennett returned to Calgary for the first time since he was dealt to Florida on April 12, 2021. It was the first game of a five-game road trip for the Panthers.

     Calgary(18-11-6) jumped to a 1-0 lead on a power-play tally at the 4:36 mark of the first period. Matthew Tkachuk pushed the puck back from the right circle to the right point. Johnny Gaudreau took a slap shot which was saved. Rasmus Andersson ripped a shot from the inner left circle that was stopped by Spencer Knight. He got to the rebound and scored his first goal of the year on a forehand shot from the slot area. 

     The Flames extended it to 2-0 with 8:24 left in the first. Mikael Backlund tapped the puck to Andrew Mangiapane in the low left circle. He placed it across the crease and Blake Coleman put in a wrist shot from the right goal line for his seventh goal with his new team. 

     Florida((26-8-5) cut the deficit to 2-1 with 7:24 remaining in the second period. Carter Verhaeghe fired a shot from the top left circle which hit the left point. Mason Marchment backhanded the puck from right of the crease off the right point. Bennett tapped it in from the blue paint to burn his former team with his 16th goal this season. 

     It became to a two-goal margin again for Calgary with 3:56 to go in the frame. Sean Monahan won a left-circle faceoff and drew it back to the left point. Gaudreau rifled a slap shot that was deflected in by Sean Monahan for a power-play goal. 

     In the third period, the Flames scored on their first shot on goal at 3:47. Gaudreau skated down the right wing and angled a pass to the top left circle. Elias Linholm sent a lead pass and Tkachuk redirected it in from the low slot for his 17th goal this season. 

     They extended it to 5-1 at the 6:43 mark. Tkachuk shuffled the puck from the top right circle to Gaudreau in the top left circle. He connected a cross-ice pass and Monahan waited to put a forehand shot into the cage from the top of the crease for his second goal of the contest and sixth tally of the season. 

St. Louis Blues Retire Chris Pronger Number

     The St. Louis Blues retired number 44 jersey of defensive Chris Pronger on Monday night. He played for the Blues from 1995-96 until 2003-04. He participated in the National Hockey League for 18 seasons. 

     Pronger recently worked in the Florida Panthers organization. He was named the senior advisor to the president of hockey operations in June 2017. Pronger was later elevated to senior vice president of hockey operations. He left the club in July 2020. 

Adam Lichtenstein New Miami Hurricanes Reporter

     Adam Lichtenstein has been promoted to the new position of University of Miami Hurricanes beat reporter at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has been the high school sports reporter and recruiting writer in Broward County and Palm Beach County for the newspaper since September 2018.

     Lichtenstein did similar work prior to his stint at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He was the high school sports beat writer for the Palm Beach Post from 2015 until June 2018. 

     He takes over the Hurricanes beat from editorial assistant Brett Shweky, who has filled in that position since early December. 

     Lichtenstein will be the fourth person at that post. David Furones was the University of Miami athletic writer until last summer and was shifted to Miami Dolphins coverage. Khobi Price moved over from the FAU reporter position and stayed on the Canes beat until the end of November 2021. He is currently the Orlando Magic beat writer for the Orlando Sentinel. 

Heat Step On Raptors

     The Miami Heat stopped the Toronto Raptors 104-99 at FTX Arena. The Heat moved up to second place in the Eastern Conference. 

     Toronto(21-20) was able to go up 30-27 at the end of the first quarter. Miami(28-16) got on a 11-2 spurt at the end of the quarter and led 58-51 at halftime. The Heat were still in front 80-75 after three quarters of play. The Raptors closed it to two points at 91-89 with 6:57 left in the fourth quarter. but Miami scored the next seven points and never gave up the lead.

     Jimmy Butler got his ninth triple-double with Heat of 19 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. It tied him with LeBron James in franchise history. Bam Adebayo returned to the lineup for the first time since November 29 and fell short of a double-double with 14 points along with nine rebounds. Tyler Herro dropped in a game-high 23 points while Gabe Vincent added 15 points. 

     Fred VanVleet led Toronto with 22 points. Pascal Siakam contributed a double-double of 18 points and 10 assists. Former Heat player Prince Achiuwa compiled a game-high 15 rebounds along with six points. Chris Boucher had 23 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. 

Chaminade-Madonna Wins National Title

     High School Football America has named the Chaminade-Madonna Lions the top team in their final Top 25 list of small school football programs. The school has been given the title of national champions by that organization. 

     Chaminade-Madonna finished with a 12-1 record in 2021 under head coach Dameon Jones. The Lions won the FHSAA Class 3A state championship game as they shut out the Berkeley Prep Buccaneers 21-0.  Running back Davion Guise scored on two touchdown runs. It was their fourth state title in the last five seasons and sixth overall in school history. 

     The Lions made a trip to Las Vegas one week later for the GEICO State Championship Bowl Series. They defeated Highland, Arizona 35-21 at Bishop Gorman High School. 

Chris Kokell Leaves ESPN West Palm Again

     Chris Kokell has left his on-air position at ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM. He is now the new head football coach of the Fort Pierce Westwood Panthers. He had head coaching stints previously with the St. John Paul II Eagles, Forest Hill Falcons and Olympic Heights Lions. 

     Kokell finished off his second stint with ESPN West Palm. He rejoined the organization in October 2020.and held the spot as the co-host of the Evan Cohen afternoon show. Kokell was elevated to on-air sidekick on the Ken LaVicka midday show in April 2021 and was there until the end of December 2021. He was also their high school football play-by-play announcer during the 2021 season. Kokell did announce Jensen Beach football games on the internet during 2020. 

     In his first stint with ESPN West Palm, he was a weekend co-host with Joe Colella during the mid 2010s. He was promoted to the evening co-host position in January 2017. He left that summer to become the defensive coordinator for the Jensen Beach Falcons. 

     He joined 640 WMEN-AM in June 2018 as a high school football website writer. He was promoted to Saturday late morning weekend host in July 2018. Kokell stayed with that radio station until October 2020. 

Heat Fall To 76ers

     The Miami Heat lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 109-98 at FTX Arena on Saturday night. The Heat had their seven-game home winning streak snapped. The Sixers have won nine of their last 10 contests. 

     Miami(27-16) rolled out to a 29-20 lead at the end of the first quarter and were still in front 50-43 by halftime. Philadelphia(25-17) came back and led 75-73 at the end of the third quarter. The Sixers got their biggest lead of the game up 12 points with 2:47 left in the fourth quarter 101-89. 

     Omer Yurtseven compiled a double-double of a club-high 22 points and 11 rebounds for Miami. Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry were both held to eight points each. Two players contributed off the bench as Tyler Herro had 16 points and Caleb Martin drained in 16 points. 

     Joel Embiid led the 76ers with a game-high 32 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double. Tobias Harris added 22 points and Seth Curry scored 21 points. 

Panthers Blast Blue Jackets

     The Florida Panthers blew out the Columbus Blue Jackets 9-2 at FLA Live Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers extended their point streak to nine games and have a 21-3 record at home. The Cats will leave town for a four-game road trip to western Canada and Seattle. 

     Florida(26-7-5) raced out of the gate and got up 1-0 just 46 seconds into the contest. Aleksander Barkov placed the puck back from the left of the crease to the left point. MacKenzie Weegar backhanded a pass and Carter Verhaeghe lifted a forehand shot from the inner edge of the left circle over Elvis Merzlikins for his 12th goal this season. 

     The Panthers expanded their lead to 2-0 with the man advantage at the 2:07 mark. Aaron Ekblad angled a pass from the top of the zone to Jonathan Huberdeau on the left wing. He placed a square pass to Anthony Duclair and he one-timed a shot from the high slot for his 16th goal of the season. 

     It became 3-0 for the Cats at 9:27 as they got a shorthanded goal. Ekblad backhanded the puck from his own end wall to Sam Reinhart on the left side and he cleared it out. Weegar sprinted through center ice into the Columbus zone with a 2-on-1 breakaway and eventually scored on a wrist shot from the right circle for his third goal of the campaign. 

     The Panthers made it a four-goal margin with 6:32 left in the first. Reinhart connected a diagonal pass from the Panthers blue line. Verhaeghe moved to the top left circle and snapped a shot for his second tally of the game. Weegar picked up his third point of the contest. The Blue Jackets replaced Merzlikins in net with Joonas Korpisalo following that score. 

     In the second period, Columbus(17-18-1) surrendered another goal at the 2:02 mark and trailed 5-0. Sam Bennett made a cross-ice pass through the crease. Huberdeau poked in a shot from the top of the crease for his 15th goal of the season.

     Florida increased it to 6-0 with 7:50 remaining in the second. Patric Hornqvist pushed the puck from the goal line and Ryan Lomberg carried it around the Blue Jackets. His centering pass resulted in an Anton Lundell goal from the low slot for his eighth tally of the campaign. 

     The Blue Jackets got on the scoreboard with a power-play goal at the 2;11 mark of the third period. Max Domi took a shot from the right circle which Sergei Bobrovsky made a blocker save, however Gustav Nyquist tapped in the rebound with a backhand from the blue paint. 

     The Panthers got it to a six-goal margin again at 3:40. Duclair brought the puck through the neutral zone and made a drop pass. Bennett fired a snap shot from the top right circle for his fourth goal in the last two contests. 

     It became 8-1 for Florida at the 7:33 mark. Ekblad faked a shot from the right point and passed to Weegar at the top left circle. He found Lundell alone in the crease for him to score his second goal of the contest. 

     The Panthers extended it to 9-1 with 9:46 to go in the third. Lomberg threw the puck from the left corner and Hornqvist tipped it in from the blue paint. 

Frank Ladson Jr. Transfers To Miami

     Former Dade County high school football player Frank Ladson Jr. has transferred from Clemson University to the University of Miami Hurricanes. He will be eligible to play with the Canes for the upcoming 2022 season. Ladson had 31 catches for 428 receiving yards and six touchdowns while with the Tigers in three years. 

     Ladson was a heavily recruited player during the 2018-19 cycle. He was a wide receiver with the South Dade Buccaneers 

Heat Swoop By Hawks

     The Miami Heat finished off a back-to-back set against the Atlanta Hawks with a 124-118 victory on Friday night at FTX Arena. Both clubs battled it out in Atlanta on Wednesday night. 

     The Heat, who have won seven straight home games, were coming off a six-game road trip. They are currently one game behind the Chicago Bulls for first place in the Eastern Conference. 

     Miami(27-15) pulled out to a 40-30 advantage after one quarter.  Atlanta(17-24) overcame a 17-point margin in the first half and led 70-64 at halftime. It was the most points the Heat gave up in one quarter and one half of basketball this season. 

     The Hawks stayed in front 99-94 at the end of the third quarter. The Heat went on an 8-0 spurt in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter to get the win. 

     Tyler Herro led Miami with a game-high 24 points. Jimmy Butler compiled a double-double of 23 points along with 10 assists. P.J. Tucker dropped in 17 points while Max Strus added 16 points. Omer Yurtseven had 17 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Trae Young contributed a team-high 24 points and nine assists. 

Panthers Belt Stars With Sam Bennett Hat Trick

     Sam Bennett collected his second career hat trick as the Florida Panthers walloped the Dallas Stars 7-1 at FLA Live Arena on Friday night. Both clubs just faced each other eight days ago in Dallas.

     The Panthers have an eight-game point streak with a 7-0-1 record and improved to 20-3-0 in Sunrise this season. The Stars have lost six straight road games and are 4-11-1 away from home in 2021-22. 

     Florida(25-7-5) took a 1-0 lead at the 3:07 mark of the first period. Jonathan Huberdeau angled a pass to his right from the high slot area. Sam Bennett quickly released the puck from the low right circle and Gustav Forsling tapped the puck in from the left edge of the blue paint for his first goal of the year. It was the seventh consecutive contest that the Panthers got on the scoreboard first. 

     The Panthers made it 2-0 at 8:50 of the first. Huberdeau sent a lead pass from the top of the zone to Anthony Duclair at the inner right circle and he put in a forehand shot from the top of the crease by Jake Oettinger for his 15th goal of the season. 

     In the second period, the Cats scored twice in 30-second stretch. Brandon Montour dropped it at the right point for Carter Verhaeghe and he left it for Aleksander Barkov. He performed a give-and-go pass and Verhaeghe snapped a shot from the slot for his 11th goal of the campaign for a 3-0 lead at 5:33.

     It became a four-goal margin for Florida at the 6:03 mark of the period. John Klingberg gave the puck up to Duclair on the end wall. He circled around the Stars cage and centered it. Huberdeau one-timed a shot from the top of the crease for his third point of the contest. Oettinger was replaced in net by Anton Khudobin. 

     The Cats expanded it to a five-goal gap on a power-play tally with 7:23 left in the second. Montour connected a pass from the right point to the top right circle. Bennett fired a wrist shot from the high slot for the goal. He added his 13th goal this season with 4:30 left and the Panthers had a 6-0 lead. 

    Dallas(18-4-2) finally broke the shutout just 1:06 into the third period. Esa Lindell sent a long lead pass from his own zone to the Panthers blue line. Roope Hintz skated through the left circle and buried a backhand shot past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 15th goal for them. 

     Bennett would get the hat trick with 4:06 remaining in the third. Huberdeau passed from the right point to the middle. Bennett and Duclair pulled off a give-and-go play and Bennett would score from the left of the crease. He is the eighth Panthers player to have multiple hat tricks in a single season. 

Evan Fitzpatrick Signs With Panthers

     Goalie Evan Fitzpatrick has signed an NHL contract with the Florida Panthers. It is a one-year, two-way contract with the club and is expected to be for the league minimum of $750,000. 

     Fitzpatrick has split his time in the minor leagues in 2021-22. He stands at 2-6-1 and a 2.54 goals against average this season with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL. He was victorious in his only game in net for their AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers. 

Dave Van Horne Retires

     Miami Marlins radio play-by-play announcer Dave Van Horne has announced his retirement. He ends a 53-season reign broadcasting Major League Baseball games. Van Horne was in the broadcast booth for over 8,000 games. He was named the Ford C. Frick Award by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011.

     Van Horne was the primary radio voice of the Marlins from 2001 until 2021. He got to announce a World Series in 2003, where the Marlins won their second championship in franchise history. He worked just 54 games during the 2021 season. 

     He joined the Montreal Expos during their inaugural season in 1969. He held the post of radio and television play-by-play announcer for 32 seasons. 

     Glenn Geffner will become the primary radio play-by-play announcer for the club. He will be entering his 15th season in the Marlins radio broadcast booth. Studio host Kyle Sielaff, who joined the Marlins in 2013, is expected to receive more play-by-play opportunites. 

Damon Amendolara Gets BetQL Network Show

     Former Miami sports talk radio host Damon Amendolara will add a BetQL Network program. He will co-host a Sunday late morning show with Chris Mack. Amendolara continues as the morning host on CBS Sports Radio Network.

     Amendolara, a Syracuse University 2001 grad, was once an evening host on 560 WQAM-AM from early 2008 until August 2009. He moved on to work at WBZ-FM in Boston from August 2009 to December 2012. 

     He went to CBS Sports Radio Network when it launched in Jnauary 2013 as an overnight host. Amendolara was elevated to evening host in January 2015 and promoted to late morning host in April 2017. He was given the morning show slot in January 2020. 

     Amendolara got his first sports host position in South Florida. He was an afternoon host at 770 WWCN-AM in Fort Myers during the early 2000s. 

Angels Sign Magneuris Sierra And Kyle Barraclough

     The Los Angeles Angels have added two former Miami Marlins players to their organization. They are outfielder Magneuris Sierra and Kyle Barraclough. Due to the Major League Baseball lockout, both players inked minor league deals that were announced. 

     Sierra spent the last four seasons with the Marlins and was acquired in the Marcell Ozuna trade from the St. Louis Cardinals. He had just no home runs, 20 runs batted in, .230 batting average and a .277 on-base percentage in 211 contests.

     Barraclough was with Miami from 2015 until 2018. He had a 15-12 record with 11 saves and a 3.21 earned-run-average in 227 games. 

Jonathan Huberdeau In NHL All-Star Game

     The Florida Panthers placed one player to the Atlantic Division squad for the 2022 NHL All-Star Game in Las Vegas on February 5. It will be the second appearance for Huberdeau on the Atlantic Division All-Star Team. He made in 2019-20 which was the last NHL All-Star Game played. 

     Huberdeau has compiled 13 goals and 37 assists in 36 games this season. He is now the top of the National Hockey League in assists. 

     Aleksander Barkov is the Panthers player that will be eligible to make on the club. A fan vote will determine who will be added to the Atlantic Division club. Barkov has tough company to face with Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning and John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Heat Roll By Hawks

     The Miami Heat powered by the Atlanta Hawks 115-91 at State Farm Arena on Wednesday night. The Heat were able to finish off a six-game road trip. The Hawks have lost nine consecutive games at home. Both teams will face each other in Miami on Friday in the back-to-back series. 

     The Heat have won eight of their last 10 contests and 12 of their last 16 games. Miami will play eight of their next nine games in South Florida. 

     Atlanta(17-23) moved out to a 27-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. Miami(26-15) placed in 35 points in the second quarter and led 56-51 at halftime. The Heat went on a 19-2 run during the third quarter and were up 86-67. 

     Tyler Herro collected his second double-double of the season with 21 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds for the Heat. Caleb Martin added his first double-double of the year with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Duncan Robinston and Gabe Vincent both had 14 points each. John Collins led the Hawks with a team-high 16 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. 

Tim Rosaforte Passes Away

     Longtime golf writer Tim Rosaforte passed away at the age of 66. He finished off his career as a golf reporter at the Golf Channel in 2019. His name is on the media room at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens.

     He began as a sportswriter with the Tampa Times in 1977. Rosaforte would become the golf writer at the Sun-Sentinel and later the Palm Beach Post. He eventually moved on to Sports Illustrated followed by Golf Digest. 

Randy Moller To Miss Games

     Florida Panthers television game analyst Randy Moller will not be working the next two Panthers home games later this week because his son is getting married. Ed Jovanovski will fill in for him in the broadcast booth and work alongside play-by-play announcer Steve Goldstein. 

     Moller missed six games earlier this season due to COVID-19. Jovanovski was brought in to announce the first two games, Jeff Chyckrun did three games and one game was exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu. 

Panthers Race By Canucks

     The Florida Panthers picked up a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night at FLA Live Arena. It was the beginning of a three-game homestand for the Panthers, who are 19-3-0 at home this season. The Canucks, who have not played a contest in nine days, lost their first game in regulation under new head coach Bruce Boudreau and are 8-1-1. 

     Florida(24-7-5) rocketed out to a 2-0 lead just seven minutes into the game. Anton Lundell slid the puck from the top left circle into the right corner and Frank Vatrano cycled it around to the right point. Aaron Ekblad fired a slap shot from the top of the zone by Thatcher Demko for his 10th goal of the season at the 5:18 mark. 

     The Panthers had a two-goal lead at 6:24. Aleksander Barkov passed the puck from the right corner to Radko Gudas on the right point. He released a wrist shot from the right point and Sam Reinhart redirected it in from the low slot. It was the 10th tally for Reinhart. 

     Vancouver(16-16-3) closed it to 2-1 with 8:29 left in the first. Brad Hunt pushed a pass from the left point to the left wing and Conor Garland went to the left corner and centered the puck. Jason Dickinson snapped a shot from the left circle past Sergei Bobrovsky for his third goal of the campaign. 

     In the second period, the Panthers scored twice in a 26-second span to go up 4-1. Anthony Duclair connected a pass from the low right circle to Ekblad at the blue line. He angled a pass to his left and Jonathan Huberdeau took a snap shot from the left circle which grazed off Reinhart in the blue paint for a power-play goal at 8:46. Huberdeau extended his point streak to six games and is tied in the NHL for assists. 

     It became 4-1 for the Cats at the 9:12 mark. Maxim Mamin pulled off a give-and-go play in the low left circle with Lundell. Mamin lifted in a backhand shot from the left side of the crease for his fifth tally this year. 

     The Panthers made it a four-goal margin with 59.4 seconds left in the frame. Reinhart won a faceoff in his own left circle and Ekblad cleared the puck out of the zone. Barkov got to the puck at the Canucks blue line, came in on a breakaway and scored on a forehand shot for his team-leading 15th goal this season. It was Barkov's third shorthanded goal in the last six contests. He passed Pavel Bure for fourth in Panthers franchise history with his 10th shorthanded goal with Florida. 

     The Canucks cut the deficit to 5-2 at the 4:34 mark of the third period. Former Panther Juho Lammikko compiled his second tally with his new team as he put in a backhand shot from the top of the crease.

Andrew Brunette Named All-Star Game Coach

     Florida Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette has been named the Atlantic Division head coach for the 2022 NHL All-Star Game on February 5. The event will be held in Las Vegas. 

     Brunette started the 2021-22 campaign as an assistant coach of the Florida Panthers. He was elevated to interim head coach on October 29 after Joel Quenneville resigned as head coach. Brunette has a 13-3-0 record as the Panthers head coach. 

Jon Sciambi Stays On Sunday Night Baseball

     Former Miami sportscaster Jon Sciambi will continue as the radio play-by-play announcer of Sunday Night Baseball at ESPN Radio. It will be his 13rd year at that position. It is unknown when the 2022 baseball season will begin due to the lockout. He also will be in his second season as the television play-by-play announcer of the Chicago Cubs. 

     Sciambi, a Boston College grad, joined 560 WQAM-AM as a producer and weekend host. He held the posts of evening host and later midday co-host with original Florida Panthers radio voice Chris Moore. 

     He became the Florida Panthers radio studio host in 1995 and held the position for two seasons. Sciambi was named the Florida Marlins studio host in 1997. He was elevated to secondary radio play-by-play announcer in 1999 and was there until 2004. 

     Sciambi returned to South Florida radio airwaves in late 2004 as a midday host on Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM. He left that organization in 2005. 

Lesley Visser Getting Lifetime Achievement Award

     Former local sports talk radio host Lesley Visser will receive the 2022 lifetime achievement award from the Broadcasters Association of America. The event will be held in New York City on March 14. 

     Visser is most known being on national television for over 35 years. She was the morning co-host alongside Jeff DeForrest on 640 WMEN-AM when that station launched into a sports talk format in March 2008. Visser cut back to co-hosting only on Fridays when she had other career obligations. 

Local Players Win CFP National Championship

     Several former South Florida high school football players captured the CFP National Championship on Monday night. The University of Georgia Bulldogs defeated the University of Alabama Crimson Tide 33-18 for the title in Indianapolis. 

     The Bulldogs had four players on their roster from the South Florida region. They included running back James Cook from Miami Central, running back Kenny McIntosh from University School. wide receiver Marcus Rosemy from St. Thomas Aquinas and defensive back Latavious Brini from Mater Academy.

WFSX-AM Ends

     A former South Florida sports radio station has stopped broadcasting. Sun Broadcasting surrendered the license of WFSX-AM in Fort Myers last week to the Federal Communications Commission. That company had previously surrendered another former sports station WNOG-AM to the FCC in May 2021. 

     WFSX-AM was a sports format radio station from 2013 until 2021. Mark Miller and Dave Moulton did host the morning show from 2017 to August 2021. 

Miami Dolphins Fire Brian Flores

     The Miami Dolphins have fired head coach Brian Flores. He guided the team for three seasons and had a 24-25 overall record. The club never reached the postseason during his reign. 

     The Dolphins finished with a 9-8 record in 2021. They won their season opener followed by seven consecutive defeats. The Fins then won seven consecutive games. Miami contended for the postseason and were slated to the final AFC wild-card spot with two weeks left in the 2021 campaign. They dropped from seventh in the conference to 10th in Week 17 after a loss to the Tennessee Titans. 

Dolphins Wins Season Finale Over Patriots

     The Miami Dolphins handled the New England Patriots with a 33-24 victory in their season on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins spoiled the chance for the Patriots to capture the AFC East Division with a win. 

     The Dolphins finished up the 2021 campaign with a winning percentage. The Fins had consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2002 and 2003

Eduardo Perez Moves To Sunday Night Baseball

     Former Miami Marlins television game analyst Eduardo Perez will work as the Sunday Night Baseball game analyst on ESPN. He will join a broadcasting crew on the program that includes play-by-play announcer Karl Ravech and game analyst David Cohen. 

     Perez, who is the son of Baseball Hall of Fame player Tony Perez, begin his first stint with ESPN during the 2006 Major League Baseball postseason. His second run with that organization started in 2014 as a baseball studio analyst and game analyst. 

     He was the Marlins batting coach from June 2011 until November 2012. Perez became a game analyst on Marlins telecasts at Fox Sports Florida in 2016. He is currently a co-host of The Leadoff Spot show with Steve Phillips on Major League Baseball Radio at SiriusXM Radio. 

Heat Down Suns

     The Miami Heat surprised the Phoenix Suns 123-100 at Footprint Arena on Saturday night. The Suns entered the contest with the best record in the National Basketball Association. The Heat tied a franchise record with 22 three-point shots made.

     Miami(25-15) had a 33-29 edge after one quarter. The Heat outscored the Suns 38-21 during the second quarter and had a commanding 71-50 lead at halftime. Phoenix(30-9) could not gain any traction and trailed 98-79 at the end of three quarters. 

     Tyler Herro piled on a game-high 33 points for Miami. Duncan Robinson placed in 27 points after going 8-for-16 from three-point range. Kyle Lowry put together a double-double with 14 points and 13 assists. Max Strus was able to contribute 14 points.  The Suns were led by Devin Booker with 26 points while Mikal Bridges had 20 points

Panthers Beat Hurricanes

     The Florida Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in overtime on Saturday night at PNC Arena. The Panthers ended up splitting their two-game road trip. 

     Florida(23-7-5) broke a 3-3 tie at the 2:53 mark of overtime. Anthony Duclair was able to score his 14th goal of the season on an assist from Jonathan Huberdeau. 

Jim Corsi Passes Away

     Former Florida Marlins pitcher Jim Corsi has passed away at the age of 60. He was selected in the 1992 Expansion Draft by the Marlins from the Oakland A's. He compiled a 0-2 record with a 6.64 earned run average in 15 relief appearances during the Marlins inaugural season in 1993. 

     Corsi entered Major League Baseball with the Oakland A's in 1988. He helped that franchise win two straight American League champions from 1988 to 1989 and a World Series title in 1989. 

Rich Waltz Exits Angels Television Booth

     Former Miami Marlins television voice Rich Waltz has exited as the backup television play-by-play announcer of the Los Angeles Angels. He replaced Darron Sutton for the position in July last year. 

     Waltz was the television play-by-play announcer for the Florida Marlins and then Miami Marlins from 2005 to 2017. He continues to announce college football and college basketball games nationally on television. 

New York Times To Buy The Athletic

     The New York Times Company has agreed to buy The Athletic and their websites. The deal is worth around $550 million and is expected to go through in the next couple of months. 

     The Athletic Miami is one of the many affiliates of The Athletic. University of Miami beat writer Manny Navarro is associated with the local organization. Previous sportswriters with them included George Richards, Chris Perkins, Orlando Alzugaray, Shandel Richardson and Andre Fernandez. 

Clinton Portis Sentenced

     Former University of Miami Hurricanes running back Clinton Portis was given a jail sentence on Thursday. He was sentenced to six months in jail followed by six months of home confinement. Portis was involved in a scheme to defraud a National Football League health care program. 

     Portis played for the Miami Hurricanes from 1999 to 2001 and captured the Canes last national championship during 2001. He was with the Denver Broncos and the Washington Football Team in his nine-year NFL career. Portis had a total of 9,923 rushing yards and 80 overall touchdowns. 

Stars Slip By Panthers

     The Dallas Stars edged the Florida Panthers 6-5 in a shootout at American Airlines Center on Thursday night. The Panthers are winless in nine of their last 10 road contests and have a 4-4-5 road record this season. 

     The Stars had not played a game since December 20. Panthers center Joe Thornton participated in his 1,700 NHL contest. 

     Florida(22-7-5) got a power-play goal from Aleksander Barkov at 8:28 of the first period. It was Barkov's 13th goal of the season.

     Dallas(16-12-2) tied it 1-1 with 7:07 left in the first. Michael Raffl was able to compile his fourth tally of the campaign. 

     In the second period, the Cats reclaimed the lead 2-1 just 18 seconds in. Barkov nailed a shorthanded goal for his second tally of the contest. 

     The Stars scored at the 1:46 mark. Denis Gurianov helped them out with a power-play goal to even it up 2-2. The Cats pulled ahead 3-2 when Patric Hornqvist got his third goal in the last two games and seventh of the year. Dallas matched them again as Jason Robertson scored for them with 6:50 remaining in the second. 

     It became 4-3 and Dallas had their first lead of the game. Tyler Seguin was able to put the puck in the cage for his ninth goal this season. The Panthers closed it to 4-4 with 2:43 to go in the period as MacKenzie Weegar chalked up his second goal of the year. 

     Dallas regained the lead 5-4 at 6:26 of the third period. Jamie Benn marked his ninth goal this season. Florida matched it for a 5-5 tie with 29 seconds left in regulation as Jonathan Huberdeau picked up his 12th goal of the campaign. 

     The Stars swept through the shootout as they converted on their two attempts. Joe Pavelski and Robertson both found the net. 

George Johnson Transfers

     Former local high school football player George Johnson has entered the NCAA transfer portal. He spent the last three years with the University of Michigan Wolverines as a defensive back. Johnson helped the school this season win the Big Ten Conference title and reach the CFP semifinal game against the University of Georgia Bulldogs.

     Johnson played high school football with the Martin County Tigers. He mainly was used as a wide receiver by the team. 

Heat Drive By Trail Blazers

     The Miami Heat knocked off the Portland Trail Blazers 115-109 on Wednesday night at Moda Center. The Heat make their next stop of their long road trip at Phoenix on Saturday. 

     Miami(24-15) had a slight 30-23 lead after one quarter. The Heat went on an 18-3 run during the second quarter and led 59-47 at halftime. Portland(14-23) had momentum early in the second half and were down 83-80 at the end of three quarters. Miami had a 15-2 spurt midway in the fourth quarter.to go up 105-92 with 3:58 left. 

      Max Strus drained in a team-high 25 points for the Heat. P.J. Tucker added 14 points with 10 rebounds for a double-double and Tyler Herro dropped in 16 points. Kyle Lowry, who was ejected in the final two minutes of the first half, had seven points and nine assists.

     Jusuf Nurkic compiled a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. Anfernee Simons contributed a game-high 28 points and Norman Powell had 24 points. 

Erik Spoelstra Named Coach Of The Month

     Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra was the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month by the National Basketball Association. 

     Spoelstra led the Heat to a 10-5 record during the month of December. He has guided the Heat to two NBA championships and five Eastern Conference titles. 

Rachel Nichols Gone From ESPN

     Former local sportswriter Rachel Nichols is no longer with ESPN. She finished up her second tenure with that organization. 

     Nichols started her second reign at ESPN in December 2015. She hosted The Jump program from February 2016 to July 2021. Nichols also was a NBA studio host and sideline reporter on NBA game broadcasts for five years.

     She first gained recognition as a sportswriter at the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel from 1995 to 1996. Nichols shifted to the Washington Post as a sportswriter and was there from 1996 until 2004. She joined ESPN in 2004 and was employed as a television sports reporter and sports columnist for over eight years. 

     Nichols, a Northwestern University grad, became a part of Turner Sports in January 2013. She worked as a sports reporter along with being a NBA sideline reporter and college basketball sideline reporter. Nichols also hosted a CNN show on Friday nights named Unguarded With Rachel Nichols from September 2013 to October 2014. 

Panthers Outduel Flames

     The Florida Panthers outscored the Calgary Flames 6-2 on Tuesday night at FLA Live Arena. The Panthers set a franchise record with 20 goals in a three-game stretch. 

     The Panthers completed a four-game sweep of their homestand and have an 18-3-0 home record. It was the first time both clubs met since March 1, 2020 in Sunrise.

     Florida(22-7-4) moved out to a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal at the 5:58 mark. Aaron Ekblad passed from the top of zone to Jonathan Huberdeau above the left circle. He forwarded the puck to Patric Hornqvist to the left of the crease and his second-chance forehand shot went by Jacob Markstrom for his fifth goal of the campaign. 

     Calgary(17-8-6) answered back at 7:03 to tie it 1-1. Oliver Kylington cleared in out and Matthew Tkachuk one-timed a pass from his own zone. Johnny Gaudreau split the defense at the center-ice circle, skated in alone and snapped a shot from the slot area for his 14th goal of the season. Gaudreau now has a road point streak of nine games. 

     The Flames made it 2-1 with 9:56 left in the first. Blake Coleman pushed the puck from the right corner to Mikael Backlund on the end wall and he returned it. Coleman skated around the Florida cage and lifted an acute-angle shot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his fifth goal with his new team. 

     The Panthers responded with a tally with 6:59 to go. Anton Lundell got to a loose puck in the right center and passed it back to the right point. Brandon Montour sent a cross-ice pass and Gustav Forsling released a wrist shot from the above the left circle. Anthony Duclair redirected it in from the top of the crease for his 13th goal this season. 

     The Cats found the net again with the man advantage for a 3-2 lead with 1:09 remaining in the first. Carter Verhaeghe cycled the puck from the right wing. Montour fired a forehand shot from the blue line and it was deflected in by Joe Thornton in the crease for his fourth goal with the Panthers. Thornton passed Larry Murphy for 20th all-time in NHL history with 547 power-play points. 

     There would be no scoring in the second until 16.7 seconds left in the period. Florida extended it to 4-2 when Ryan Lomberg skated down the right side and scored his third goal of the season on a snap shot from the low right circle. Lomberg burned his former team and has a three-game point streak. 

     It became 5-2 for the Panthers at the 5:47 mark of the third period as Hornqvist collected his second goal of the contest. He stopped an outlet pass on the right point, brought it to the high right circle and ripped a wrist shot. 

     Florida expanded it to 6-2 with 6:56 left. Lundell guided the puck from the right circle. Verhaeghe tipped the puck in the left circle and Lucas Carlsson scored on a snap shot from the high left circle for his second goal this season. Lundell now has a four-game point streak with the secondary assist.

     Bobrrosky set a career-record as he made 47 saves which is his most saves in a regulation game. He has a 14-1-0 record at home this season. 

Jusin Bour Joins Mexico City Red Devils

     Former Miami Marlins first baseman has signed with the Mexico City Red Devils in the Mexican League. He split time last season with the San Francisco Giants Triple-A minor league affiliate in Sacramento and the LG Twins in South Korea.

     Bour spent five seasons with the Marlins. He had 83 home runs, 272 runs batted in, .262 batting average and a .816 OPS in 478 games. 

Cameron Maybin Retires

     Cameron Maybin announced his retirement on Monday. He wrapped up a 15-season Major League Baseball career. 

     Maybin had two stints in the Marlins organization. He was acquired by the Florida Marlins from the Detroit Tigers in an eight-player deal for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis in December 2007. Maybin was with the Fish for three seasons. His best year was in 2010 when he had eight home runs, 28 runs batted in and a .234 batting average in 82 games. 

     He returned to the Miami Marlins as a free agent in 2018. Maybin had a .251 batting average in 99 contests and was then traded to the Seattle Mariners. 

Warriors Hold Off Heat

     The Golden State Warriors defeated the Miami Heat 115-108 at Chase Center on Monday night. The Heat continued their road swing against Western Conference teams. The Warriors have the best record in the National Basketball Association.

     Golden State(29-7) started off with a 21-10 spurt and led 33-25 after one quarter. Miami(23-15) would cut it to 59-54 by halftime. The Warriors were up 89-82 at the end of three quarters. The Heat came as close as four points 108-104 with 4:23 left in the fourth quarter. 

     The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler with 22 points. Kyle Lowry got a double-double of 16 points and 11 assists while Caleb Martin added 19 points. Andrew Wiggins had 22 points for the Warriors. Jordan Poole contributed a game-high 32 points and Stephen Curry was held to a season-low nine points. 

Jonathan Huberdeau Third Star Of The Week

     Florida Panthers left wing Jonathan Huberdeau has been selected as the Third Star of the Week by the National Hockey League. The time period went from December 27 to January 2. Huberdeau compiled one goal and seven assists during the week. 

     Huberdeau recently appeared on the NHL Three Stars list. He was named the First Star of the Week during the first week of December. 

Ken LaVicka Show Sets Co-Hosts

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM rolled out their new weekday lineup for 2022. Ken LaVicka had his midday show expanded to two hours as of Monday. He will have a different co-host every day of the week. 

     WPTV-TV Channel 5 and WFLX-TV Channel 29 sports anchor Theo Dorsey will be on Mondays and Tuesdays. Recent Evan Cohen afternoon show on-air sidekick Ginette Javier will appear on Wednesdays. WPTV-TV and WFLX-TV sports anchor Keli Ferguson is on Thursdays. Former John I. Leonard, Mount Union College and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Pierre Garcon will show up on Fridays. 

Sam Bennett Suspended

     Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett has been suspended for three games by the National Hockey League Department of Player Safety. He made an illegal check to Cedric Paquette of the Montreal Canadiens during the Panthers game on Saturday. 

     Bennett was to play against his former team for the first time. He was traded by the Flames to Panthers on April 12, 2021. 

Kings Escape Heat

     The Sacramento Kings got by the Miami Heat 115-113 on Sunday night. The Heat are in the middle of a long Western Conference road trip. 

     Sacramento(16-22) had a 26-18 advantage at the end of one quarter and were up 61-57 at halftime. Miami(23-14) kept up and were tied with the Kings 90-90 after three quarters. The Heat scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter, but Sacramento came back to tie it. De'Andre Fox made two free throws with 6.2 seconds left to get the win. 

     Omer Yurtseven put together a double-double of 22 points and 16 rebounds for Miami. Tyler Herro added 22 points while Jimmy Butler dropped in 22 points. Kyle Lowry pulled off a double-double with 14 points and 12 assists. Buddy Hield compiled a game-high 26 points for the Kings and Fox scored 22 points. 

Titans Blitz Dolphins

     The Tennessee Titans smashed the Miami Dolphins 34-3 on Sunday. The Dolphins dropped from the final wild-card spot in the AFC to 10th place in the conference and were eliminated from postseason contention. 

     The Dolphins have one regular season game remaining with their new 17-game schedule this season. Miami hosts the New England Patriots in the season finale next week. 

Eddy Alvarez Signs With Dodgers

     The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed infielder Eddy Alvarez to a minor league deal. The Dodgers were unable to sign him to a major league contract due to the current lockout by Major League Baseball teams. 

     Alvarez spent the last two seasons with the Miami Marlins and participated in 36 games. He helped the Marlins reach the postseason in 2020 for the first time in 17 years. 

Panthers Skate By Canadiens

     The Florida Panthers began 2022 with a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at FLA Live Arena on Saturday. The Panthers conclude their four-game homestand on Tuesday against Calgary. The Canadiens remained last in the Eastern Conference. 

     Florida(21-7-4) rocketed out to 1-0 lead just 32 seconds into the contest. Jonathan Huberdeau placed the puck from above the left circle to the end wall. Anthony Duclair sent a blind backhanded pass to the crease and Sam Bennett one-timed a shot by Sam Montembeault for his 10th goal of the season. 

     Montreal(7-23-4) evened it up 1-1 at 3:48. David Savard cycled the puck from the right point. Sami Niku took a shot from the left wing and Jonathan Drouin redirected the puck from the low slot past Sergei Bobrovsky for his sixth goal this season. 

     In the second period, the Habs pulled ahead 2-1 on a 4-on-4 situation at the 9:29 mark. Jesse Ylonen snapped a shot from the high slot and Bobrovsky made a blocker save. Nick Suzuki released a wrist shot from the low left circle into a half-empty net for his seventh goal of the campaign. 
     The Cats bounced back with a power-play tally to tie it 2-2 with 4:58 remaining in the second. Huberdeau down low from the top left circle. Sam Reinhart connected a cross-ice pass from the left of the crease land Aleksander Barkov put in a one-time forehand shot from the low right circle for his 12th goal. 

     The Panthers regained the lead 3-2 with 2:30 left in the period. Owen Tippett sent a cross-ice pass at the red line from the left side to Reinhart on the right. Reinhart charged into the Canadiens zone on the right wing, angled a diagonal pass and Frank Vatrano tapped the puck in from the top of the crease for his eighth goal. 

     Florida extended their lead to 4-2 only 15 seconds into the third period. Bennett picked up his 11th goal of the season on assists from MacKenzie Weegar and Jonathan Huberdeau. It was the third assist of the contest for Huberdeau. 

     It became 5-2 for the Panthers with 6:56 to go in the third. Mason Marchment went into the right circle on a 2-on-1 breakaway and fired a snap shot for his second tally this year. Anton Lundell was credited with an assist on the play. 

Ian McCoshen Inks AHL Deal

     Former Florida Panthers defenseman Ian McCoshen has signed a contract with the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League. They are the AHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights. McCoshen played 22 games in 2021-22 with Henderson on a professional tryout. 

     McCoshen was with the Panthers for three seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19. He participated in 60 games and compiled seven points.