Panthers Stomp Blackhawks

     Sergei Bobrovsky collected his 37th career shutout as the Florida Panthers rolled by the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 on Thursday night at FLA Live Arena. Florida set a franchise record with their 28th home victory of the season. The club's previous high with 27 home wins during the 2017-18 season. 

     Jonathan Huberdeau passed Jon Juneau with his 71st assist of the regular season as a left wing and set a new NHL all-time record. The Cats improved at home to 28-6-0 this season. 

     The Panthers completed a short two-game homestand. They will play two road games this weekend at New Jersey and Buffalo. 

     Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews played in his 1,000th NHL game. He is the 12th active player to do that with one franchise. 

     In the first period, Florida(46-15-6) took a 1-0 with 1:36 remaining. Aleksander Barkov scored his 30th goal of the season from the left circle on assists from Gustav Forsling and Carter Verhaeghe. Barkov reached the 30-goal mark for the second time of his NHL career. He accomplished the feat in 2018-19 with 35 goals. 

     The Panthers made it 2-0 at the 7:23 mark of the second period. Radko Gudas poked the puck away in his own zone and Joe Thornton angled a lead pass. Ryan Lomberg raced down the ice from the Panthers blue line and snapped a shot from the inner right circle past Collin Delia. Lomberg has five goals in his last six games. 

     Chicago(24-34-10) trailed 3-0 with 8:14 left in the second. Mason Marchment passed from the right corner and it was deflected by Sam Reinhart in the slot area. Forsling released a wrist shot from the top of the zone for his third goal of the 2021-22 campaign. It ended up being Reinhart's 40th assist of the season.  

     The Panthers increased it to 4-0 on a 5-on-3 power-play goal with 6:13 to go in the third period. Huberdeau slid the puck from the high slot and Barkov blasted a one-time slap shot from the right-circle dot for his second tally of the contest. Reinhart was credited with the secondary assist. Huberdeau set an all-time NHL record with his 71st assist as a left wing in a season. 

Patrick Peterson Stays With Vikings

     Former Broward County high school football player Patrick Peterson will be staying with the Minnesota Vikings. He is signing a one-year contract worth $4 million. 

     He spent his first 10 seasons of his National Football League career with the Arizona Cardinals. He has 29 interceptions in 167 regular season games. 

     Peterson played high school football with the Blanche Ely Tigers until 2007. He was a cornerback, running back, kick returner, punt returner and punter with them. He later attended Louisiana State University for three years. 

Heat Defeat Celtics

     Two of the top three clubs in the Eastern Conference faced each other on Wednesday night as the Miami Heat beat the Boston Celtics 106-98 at TD Garden on Wednesday night. The Heat, who began a three-game road swing, have won two straight contests. Miami stayed first in the Eastern Conference while the Celtics are now tied for third place. 

     Jaylen Brown scored for first 11 points for Boston(47-30) and they led 29-25 after one quarter. Miami(49-28) went on an 11-3 spurt at the end of the second  quarter and were ahead 53-52 at halftime. 

     The Celtics were behind by 11 points and then scored 16 consecutive points at the midway point of the third quarter to take the lead 74-69. The C's had a 83-79 lead at the end of the frame. The Heat went on a 13-5 run to finish off the fourth quarter. 

     Kyle Lowry had 23 points and eight assists while Jimmy Butler added 23 points for Miami. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double of 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Max Strus was in the starting lineup and drained in 14 points. 

     Brown put together a double-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum scored 23 points and Daniel Theis had 15 points. 

Panthers Skate By Canadiens

     The Florida Panthers played their first home game following a seven-game road trip and survived the Montreal Canadiens 7-4 at FLA Live Arena on Tuesday night. Both teams met each other for the second time in five days. 

     It was the Panthers first home game since March 10, which is almost three weeks. Claude Giroux, Ben Chiarot and Robert Hagg made their home debuts with the club. 

     Florida set a franchise record with the most goals in a regular season at 268. The Panthers previous high was 264 goals in 2018-19. 

     Montreal(18-38-11) struck first 2:32 into the contest. Laurent Dauphin made a cross-ice pass in the neutral zone. Jesse Ylonen centered it from the left circle and Chris Wideman snapped a shot from the high slot by Sergei Bobrovsky. It was Wideman's third goal of the campaign and first tally in 42 games. 

     Florida(45-15-6) got a shorthanded goal with 3:43 left in the first to tie it 1-1. Eetu Luostarinen carried the puck into the right circle and slid it across. Jonathan Huberdeau faked and then put in a backhand shot from the crease past Jake Allen for his 22nd goal of the season. 

     It became 2-1 for the Cats with 2:03 to go in the period. Joe Thornton stole the puck in the left corner and passed it to the middle. Ryan Lomberg ripped a one-time slap shot from the top left circle. 

     In the second period, the Panthers extended it to 3-1 at the 2:37 mark. Chiarot fired a shot from the blue line that went off a defender in the low slot. Sam Bennett pounced on it and scored on a forehand shot from the left of the crease for his 26th goal. 

     Florida made it 4-1 at 7:57 of the second. Carter Verhaeghe kept the puck in the Montreal zone on the left point. Aleksander Barkov sent a square pass from the left wing and Lomberg released a snap shot from the high slot for his second tally of the contest and eighth goal this season. 

     The Canadiens blitzed down the stretch of the second frame and tied it 4-4 with three straight goals in a 1:42 time span. Joel Edmundson got his first goal of the year with 3:36 left, Dauphin added his fourth tally of the campaign with 3:05 to go and Christian Dvorak found the net for ninth time with 1:54 remaining. 

     The Panthers regained the lead 5-4 at 1:19 of the third period. Huberdeau collected his 23rd goal on assists from Bennett and Lomberg. Huberdeau set a new career-high with his 93rd point of the season. He did have 92 points back in the 2018-19 season. 

     The Cats expanded it to 6-4 with 5:17 left in the third. Sam Reinhart pushed the puck into the right corner. Bennett connected a pass from the right goal line and Mason Marchment tapped it in from the blue paint for his 15th goal of the season. Reinhart got his 200th NHL assist on the play. 

     Barkov put in an empty-net goal with 2:34 left for his 29th goal in 2021-22. Huberdeau tied Joe Juneau with his 70th assist for the most assists in a regular season by a left wing in NHL history. Giroux was credited with a secondary assist and marked his fifth assist in four contests with Florida. 

Heat Chase Out Kings

     The Miami Heat routed the Sacramento Kings 123-100 at FTX Arena on Monday night. Miami snapped a four-game losing streak.

     The Heat ended a four-game homestand and finished off a stretch of 11 home games in the last 12 contests. They face the Celtics in Boston on Wednesday with first place on the line in the Eastern Conference standings. 

     Miami(48-28) blasted out to a 31-19 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Heat got their largest first-half lead of 16 points at the end of the second and were up 57-41 by halftime. Sacramento(27-49) fell behind more and were down 93-68 after three quarters. 

     Jimmy Butler dropped in a game-high 27 points and added eight assists. Bam Adebayo put together a double-double with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Tyler Herro was able to get 20 points while Duncan Robinson had 15 points. Davion Mitchell led the Kings with 21 points and nine assists. 

Brandon Linder Retires

     Former St. Thomas Aquinas offensive lineman Brandon Linder has retired from the National Football League. He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Linder started in 88 games with the Jaguars during his eight-year NFL career.

     Linder played varsity football with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders from 2007 to 2009. He contributed to the school winning consecutive FHSAA Class 5A state titles in 2007 and 2008. STA was also named national champions in 2008. The Raiders had a 42-2 record with him in the lineup. 

     He stayed local and went on to attend the University of Miami. Linder participated in 40 games with the Hurricanes from 2010 until 2013. 

Steve Diener Promoted At Fox Sports 640

     Steve Diener has been promoted to assistant program director at Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM. He has announced sports updates there for the last several years. 

     He will continue to announce his five-minute segment A Dose Of Diener weekdays at 12:55 PM during The Herd with Colin Cowherd. The segment launched in March 2020 and just had its second anniversary last week. Diener also remains to produce at sister-station 850 WFTL-AM. 

     Diener has mostly worked as a producer at WMEN-AM throughout his tenure. He was first noticed locally as a producer and pro wrestling show weekend host alongside DJ Flash. He was a mid-afternoon on-air sidekick and producer for Kevin's Other Show starring Kevin Rolston from February 2018 until September 2018. The program ran on Monday afternoons from October 2018 to December 2018. 

     He co-hosted the Out Of Bounds podcast with Ricky Bobby from January 2019 to late May 2019. Diener was named the afternoon host in April 2019 and announced he local New York Yankees pregame studio host for that entire baseball season. 

Maple Leafs Outscore Panthers

     The Toronto Maple Leafs handled the Florida Panthers 5-2 at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday night. The Panthers finished off a seven-game road trip that lasted two weeks. The Cats return home on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens. 

     Toronto(41-19-5) rocketed out to a 1-0 lead just 49 seconds into the first quarter. Morgan Rielly lifted a shot from the high slot for his seventh goal of the campaign. 

     Florida(44-15-6) tied it up 1-1 with 9:49 remaining in the first. Brandon Montour got his eighth goal of the year as he rifled a left-circle shot on assists from Sam Bennett and Jonathan Huberdeau. 

     The Panthers took a 2-1 lead at the 1:27 mark of the second period. Ryan Lomberg chalked up his sixth tally and Eetu Luostarinen had the only assist on the play. 

     The Maple Leafs regained the lead 3-2 later in the frame. John Tavares compiled power-play goals at 5:10 and at 11:12. He now has 22 goals in the 2021-22 season. 

     In the third period, the Leafs added more goals. Ilya Mikheyev got his 14th goal midway into the stanza at 9:12 for a 4-2 lead. Auston Matthews scored his 48th goal of the season into an empty net with less than one second left in the contest. 

Hurricanes Eliminated By Kansas

     The University of Miami Hurricanes were eliminated from the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament as they lost to the Kansas University Jayhawks 76-50 in the Midwest Region final on Sunday at United Center in Chicago. It ends possibly the best season in Miami Hurricanes men's basketball history as the Canes reached the Elite Eight for the first time. 

     Miami kept it competitive in the first half and were up 35-29 at halftime. Kansas was dominant in the second half as they outscored the Hurricanes 47-15. Kameron McGusty led the Canes with 18 points and Anthony Walker added five rebounds. 

Panthers Come Back On Senators

     The Florida Panthers overcame a three-goal deficit to defeat the Ottawa Senators 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday night at Canadian Tire Centre. The Panthers are 9-1-1 in their last 11 contests.

     It was the Panthers 20th comeback win in 2021-22. The three comeback victories of three or more goals this season by Florida leads the National Hockey League. 

     Ottawa(23-36-6) pulled out to a 2-0 lead after one period. The Sens picked up goals from Alex Formenton at 7:54 and Artem Zub with 4:34 remaining in the first.  

     The Senators expanded it to 3-0 at the 6:47 mark of the second period. Dylan Gambrell chalked up his second tally of the year. 

     Florida(44-14-6) began the comeback at 8:55 of the frame on the power play. Anthony Duclair scored his 26th goal of the season on assists from Claude Giroux and Sam Reinhart. 

     The Cats cut it down to 3-2 midway through the second with 10:03 to go. Patric Hornqvist added his 10th goal this season. Gustav Forsling and Noel Acciari were credited with assists on the play. 

     In the third period, the Panthers tied it 3-3 with 2:16 left in regulation. Aleksander Barkov placed his team-leading 28th goal of the season. Jonathan Huberdeau compiled his league-leading 68th assist of the campaign. Giroux got the secondary assist and now has four assists in his two games with the new organization. 

     Neither squad scored during the overtime period. Florida won in the shootout when Barkov converted on the Panthers second attempt. 

Nets Slam Heat

     The Miami Heat dropped to the Brooklyn Nets 110-95 at FTX Arena on Saturday night. The Heat extended their losing streak to four games. The Nets avoided being swept in the four-game season series.

     Brooklyn(39-35) had a 27-25 edge after one quarter. The Nets outscored the Heat 40-21 during the second quarter and were up 67-46 at halftime. Miami(47-28) could not gain any ground and trailed 96-68 at the end of three quarters. 

     Kevin Durant powered the Nets with a game-high 23 points and Seth Curry had 17 points. Andre Drummond compiled a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. 

     Bam Adebayo placed in a club-high 14 points while Kyle Lowry added 12 points for the Heat. Max Strus and Tyler Herro both scored 13 points each. 

Miami Hurricanes Get To Elite Eight

     The University of Miami Hurricanes advanced in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament as they defeated the Iowa State University Cyclones 70-56 in the Midwest Region semifinal on Friday night at United Center. The Hurricanes advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history. 

     Kameron McGusty led the Canes with 27 points, Charlie Moore had nine assists and Sam Waardenburg chalked up eight rebounds. Miami was up 32-28 at halftime and they pulled away late in the second half. The Hurricanes will challenge top-seeded Kansas University Jayhawks on Sunday in the regional final with the winner going on to the Final Four next Saturday. 

Knicks Surprise Heat

     The New York Knicks shocked the Miami Heat 111-103 at FTX Arena on Friday night. The Heat have lost three straight games and stand 5-5 in their last 10 contests. 

     Miami(47-27) stepped out to a 32-25 advantage at the end of the first quarter and led 58-49 at halftime. The Heat pushed ahead 88-73 after three quarters. New York(32-42) went on a 30-7 run in the first 10 minutes of the fourth quarter to get the victory. 

     Jimmy Butler led the Heat with a game-high 30 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Bam Adebayo barely fell short of a double-double for the second straight game with 17 points and nine rebounds. Kyle Lowry dropped in 17 points and Max Strus added 11 points. 

     R. J. Barrett compiled 18 points and eight rebounds for the Knicks. Immanuel Quickley came off the bench with a team-high 23 points. Obi Toppin put together 15 points along with eight rebounds. 

Jon Sciambi Video Game Voice

     Former local sportscaster Jon "Boog" Sciambi is the new play-by-play announcer for the MLB The Show video game in 2022. He ends up replacing Matt Vasgersian. 

    Sciambi worked as part of the Florida Marlins radio broadcasting crew from 1997 until 2004. He begins his second season as the television play-by-play voice of the Chicago Cubs on Marquee Sports Network. He continues as the play-by-play announcer on Sunday Night Baseball at ESPN Radio with Chris Singleton, who is the game analyst on MLB The Show. 

Andrew Miller Retires

     Former Florida Marlins pitcher Andrew Miller has retired from Major League Baseball. He was with seven teams in his 16-year career. 

     Miller is remembered locally for being acquired in an eight-player trade from the Detroit Tigers for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. in December 2007. He spent three seasons with the Marlins from 2008 to 2010. Miller had a 10-20 record with a 5.89 earned run average in 58 contest for the Fish. 

Dolphins Drop Jesse Davis And Allen Hurns

     The Miami Dolpihns have cut offensive lineman Jesse Davis and wide receiver Allen Hurns from their roster. It was expected that Hurns would be let go with the recent acqusition of Tyreek Hill.

     Davis was with Miami for his entire five-year National Football League career. He participated in 80 games and started in 72 contests. 

     Hurns played just one year with the Dolphins in 2019 and compiled 32 catches for 416 receiving yards with two touchdowns. He was injured and missed the entire 2020 and 2021 regular season. 

Panthers Jump By Habs

     Claude Giroux, Ben Chiarot and Robert Hagg made their Florida debuts as the Panthers edged the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 at Bell Centre on Thursday night. The Panthers, who played their first contest in six days, continued their seven-game road trip. 

     The Panthers leaped to first place in the Eastern Conference and are three points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the most points in the National Hockey League. The Cats are now 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. It was the first time they won in Montreal since March 2018. 

     Both clubs scored in the first minute of the first period. Montreal(17-37-10) made it 1-0 on power play 29 seconds in. Nick Suzuki ripped a forehand shot by Spencer Knight for his 18th goal this season. 

     Florida(43-14-6) answered back just seven seconds later as Aleksander Barkov put in his team-high 27th goal of the season on a wrist shot from the left circle. Hagg and Giroux both picked up their first points in a Panthers uniform as they both got assists on the play. 

      In the second period, the Panthers climbed ahead 2-1 at the 1:12 mark. Mason Marchment found the net for the 14th time of the campaign. 

     The Habs tied it 2-2 at 5:59 of the second. Jake Evans chalked up his ninth goal this year and former Panther Mike Hoffman had the secondary assist. Evans has two goals in the last three contests. 

     The Cats reclaimed the lead 3-2 with 12:54 left in the frame. Chiarot snapped a shot from the top of the zone and Anthony Duclair redirected it from the slot area past Jake Allen for his 25th goal this season. Jonathan Huberdeau collected his NHL-leading 66th assist of the 2021-22 campaign. 

     It became 4-2 for Florida at 7:20 of the third period as they scored with the man advantage. Sam Reinhart pushed the puck forward from the right wing to Huberdeau on the right goal line. He made a return pass and Reinhart placed in a snap shot from the inner right circle for his 24th goal of the season. Giroux marked his second assist of the contest.

     The Canadiens added an extra skater and cut the deficit to 4-3 with 3:40 remaining in the third. Christian Dvorak centered the puck from below the left circle and Paul Byron shot the puck in from the top of the crease for his third tally this year. 

West Palm Beach Ratings February 2022

      West Palm Beach sports format radio station ratings were delivered. The time period went from the first week of February until the first week of March. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM stayed at a 0.6 in the month. There was a limited amount of Florida Panthers game broadcasts due to the Winter Olympic Games. Florida Atlantic University basketball was rolling. The Major League Baseball lockout held up New York Yankees spring training contests.

     Sports Radio 1230 The Zone WBZT-AM remained at a 0.0 for the 21st time in 25 months. The Miami Marlins were prevented from opening up spring training camp locally in Jupiter and playing games because of the Major League Baseball lockout. The University of Florida Gators basketball team did not have a great season. 

Warriors Cool Down Heat

     The Golden State Warriors got by the Miami Heat 118-104 on Wednesday night at FTX Arena. It was the first of four straight home contests for Miami. 

     Golden State snapped a three-game losing streak. The Heat stand in first place among Eastern Conference teams while the Warriors remain third in the Western Conference. 

     Miami(47-26) scored 13 straight points midway into the first quarter, however Golden State(48-25) placed the final 11 points in the frame to tie it up 23-23. Both clubs battled it out during the second quarter and were tied 50-50 at halftime. 

     The Warriors began the second half with 19 consecutive points. The Heat answered back with a 30-12 run and trailed 81-80 after three quarters. Golden State outpaced Miami in the fourth quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler, who had 10 points in the first quarter, ended up with 20 points for the Heat. Kyle Lowry added 25 points and Duncan Robinson dropped in 13 points. Bam Adebayo compiled 25 points along with nine rebounds and fell short of a double-double. 

     Stephen Curry was unavailable to play for the Warriors. Jordan Poole led Golden State with a game-high 30 points. Jonathan Kuminga scored 22 points, Andrew Wiggins drained in 22 points and Damion Lee powered in a season-high 22 points. 

Tyreek Hill Traded To Miami Dolphins

     The Kansas City Chiefs have traded wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins will send back a slew of draft selections which includes a 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick, 2022 fourth-round pick, 2023 fourth-round pick and 2023 sixth-round pick. 

     Hill then signed a four-year contract extension at $120 million. It made him the highest paid wide receiver in NFL history. 

     Hill has been with the Chiefs since he was drafted in 2016. Hill has compiled 479 pass receptions for 6,630 receiving yards and 56 touchdowns in 91 regular season games. He had 111 catches for 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021. 

     He helped Kansas City reach the AFC Championship Game in four consecutive years from 2018 to 2021. The Chiefs won Super Bowl LIV, their first Super Bowl title in 50 years, and two AFC championships. 

Terron Armstead Goes To Dolphins

     Offensive tackle Terron Armstead has signed with the Miami Dolphins It is a five-year contract worth $75 million. 

     Armstead has played his entire nine-year National Football League career with the New Orleans Saints. He was selected by the Saints during the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Armstead has made the Pro Bowl on three different occasions. 

Miami Ratings February 2022

     Miami/Fort Lauderdale sports format radio stations received their monthly ratings. The time span went from the first week of February to the first week of March. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM almost lost half of their audience in one month as they fell from a 1.1 to a 0.6. The Florida Panthers had a limited number of games due to the Winter Olympics break and played only a couple of postponed games. The University of Miami Hurricanes basketball team battled it out in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Larry Blustein was fighting for his life due to COVID-19 and Alex Donno filled in for him on his weekly high school sports program. 

     WQAM streaming dropped down from a 0.5 to a 0.2. They first had their streaming ratings published in December at a 0.1 followed by a 0.2 during the holiday period. 

     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM remained at a 0.3 in the period. The Miami Heat made a charge to have the best record in the Eastern Conference. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM stayed at a 0.1 in the month. The station had no Miami Marlins spring training games during the time span due to the Major League Baseball lockout. The University of Florida Gators basketball team continued a mediocre season. 

Marlins Sign Richard Bleier And Grant Dayton

     The Miami Marlins continued to form their roster. They have re-signed pitcher Richard Bleier and pitcher Grant Dayton. 

     Bleier signed a two-year extension with Miami worth $6 million. He was acquired by the Marlins in August 2020 and helped them reach the postseason for the first time since 2003. Bleier has made 87 relief appearances in the last two seasons with the Fish. 

     Dayton agreed to a minor league contract with the Marlins. He spent the last three seasons with the Atlanta Braves and pitched 13 games last year with the eventual World Series champions. He appeared with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 and 2017. 

Sixers Slip By Heat

     The Philadelphia 76ers held off the Miami Heat 113-106 at Wells Fargo Center on Monday night. The Heat remained first in the Eastern Conference while the 76ers leaped to tie the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics for second place. 

     It was Miami's only road contest in a 12-game stretch. The Heat will return to Miami for a four-game homestand.   

     Miami(47-25) got off to a 15-9 start to begin the contest and led 32-26 after one quarter. Philadelphia(44-27) had a slight 57-56 edge at halftime. The Sixers stayed in front 80-79 at the end of three quarters. The 76ers went on a 17-7 run to end the final frame. 

    Jimmy Butler put together a team-high 27 points, six assists and five rebounds for the Heat. Bam Adebayo fell short of a double-double with 22 points and nine rebounds. Kyle Lowry dropped 20 points and Caleb Hill placed in 14 points. 

     Philadelphia did not have James Harden and Joel Embiid play in the game. Tyrese Maxey scored a game-high 28 points in the victory. They had loads of bench scoring as Shake Milton knocked down 20 points while Furkan Korkmaz had 18 points. 

Panthers Pick Up Egor Korschkov

     The Florida Panthers made a three-team trade at the end of the trade deadline on Monday. The Cats acquired forward Egor Korschkov from the Carolina Hurricanes and a 2022 sixth-round draft pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

     Florida dealt Tyler Ianmoto to the Blue Jackets. They also taken 25 percent of the 2021-22 season salary of Max Domi. The Hurricanes gained center Max Domi and moved defenseman Aidan Hreschuck to the Blue Jackets.

Duke Johnson Shuffles To Buffalo

     Miami Dolphins running back Duke Johnson will be heading to the Buffalo Bills He has agreed to a one-year contract 

     Johnson was signed by the Dolphins during the middle of the 2021 NFL season and had an impact. He had 71 carries for 330 rushing yards and three touchdowns in five games.

     He played high school football with the Miami Norland Vikings and captured a FHSAA Class 5A state title in 2011. Johnson later attended the University of Miami for three years. He participated with the Cleveland Browns from 2015 to 2018 and the Houston Texans from 2019 until 2020. 

Jason Bukala At Sporstnet

     Former Florida Panthers director of amateur scouting Jason Bukala was on NHL Network today. He appeared as a panelist on the Sportsnet broadcast of Hockey Central Trade Deadline show.

     He joined Sportsnet as a scouting analyst writer at the start of March. Bukala founded the Pro Hockey Group back in August 2021 and continues with that organization. 

     Bukala worked with the Florida Panthers under general manager Dale Tallon from August 2011 until October 2020. He was with the Nashville Predators as a North American scout under general manager David Polie prior to that from August 2006 to August 2011. 

Jacoby Brissett Heads To Cleveland

     Quarterback Jacoby Brissett is leaving the Miami Dolphins. He is signing a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns. 

     He spent last season with the Miami Dolphins mainly as a backup quarterback. He made 141 passes for 1,283 yards and five touchdowns in 11 games. 

     Brissett played high school football with the Dwyer Panthers and helped the school capture the FHSAA Class 4A state championship in 2009. He later spent time at the University of Florida and North Carolina State. 

     He won a Super Bowl LI with the New England Patriots in his only season there. Brissett was traded to Indianapolis Colts and was there for four seasons. 

Brandon Powell Staying With Rams

     The Los Angeles Rams have re-signed wide receiver/special teams returner Brandon Powell.  It is a one-year contract between him and the team. 

     Powell was part of the Miami Dolphins practice squad at the start of the 2021 season and was released in October. He joined the Rams organization in November 2021. He contributed to the club winning their first Super Bowl since 1999. 

     He participated in high school football with the Deerfield Beach Bucks. He later attended and played with the University of Florida. 

Florida Panthers Acquire Robert Hagg

     The Florida Panthers have acquired defenseman Robert Hagg from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2022 sixth-round selection. That specific draft pick once belonged to the Calgary Flames. 

     Hagg was dealt by the Philadelphia Flyers to the Buffalo Sabres for Rasmus Ristolainen  prior to the 2021-22 NHL season. He ended up with one goal and seven assists in 48 contests with Buffalo. Hagg was with the Flyers for five seasons and participated in 236 games from 2016-17 until 2020-21. 

Big O Show Adds More Exclusive Contributors

     The Big O Show podcast with Orlando Alzugaray has taken steps recently by adding more sports media associates. Many of them will be used as exclusive weekly contributors and not be heard on another local audio or radio platform. 

     Some have high profiles nationally while others work for other local media organizations. A national media personality that will contribute to the Big O Show podcast is NFL Network writer and reporter Ian Rapoport. Other new additions include Florida Panthers beat writer George Richards of Florida Hockey Now, Florida Panthers reporter David Dwork of WPLG-TV Channel 10, Miami Herald Miami Heat beat reporter Anthony Chiang and ESPN NFL Nation Miami Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques. 

     Alzugaray relaunches his podcast in June 2021. They already had South Florida Sun-Sentinel Miami Heat beat writer Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Miami Dolphins beat reporter Omar Kelly, The Athletic Miami Hurricanes beat writer Manny Navarro, Palm Beach Post Miami Dolphins beat reporter Joe Schad, NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe and WPLG-TV Channel 10 sportscaster Clay Ferraro as exclusive contributors in the past seven months. 

Flyers Trade Claude Giroux To Panthers

     The Florida Panthers have acquired center Claude Giroux, forward Connor Bunnaman, forward German Rubttsov and a 2024 fifth-round pick from the Philadelphia Flyers for right wing Owen Tippett, a 2024 conditional first-round pick and a 2023 third-round selection. The Flyers will retain 50 percent of his salary for the rest of the 2021-22 season. 

     Giroux was with Philadelphia for his entire 15-season National Hockey League career and had the longest reign as Flyers team captain in franchise history. He has compiled 291 goals and 609 assists for 900 points. Giroux played in his 1,000th NHL regular season game on Thursday night in a home contest against the Nashville Predators. He has compiled 18 goals and 24 assists in 57 games with Philadelphia during 2021-22. 

     He helped the club overcome a 3-0 series lead against the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was just the third time it happened in NHL history. Philadelphia eventually became Eastern Conference champions that year and lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Final. 

     Tippett was drafted by the Panthers 10th overall during the 2017 NHL Draft. He played parts of three seasons with Florida. Tippett had six goals and eight assists in 42 contests this season with the Cats. He finished overall with 14 goals and 19 assists in 94 games with the Panthers 

Marlins Signing Jorge Soler

     The Miami Marlins will be adding Jorge Soler to their outfield/ He has agreed to sign a deal for three years at $36 million. 

     Soler split his time last season with the Kansas City Royals and the Atlanta Braves. He helped the Braves win their first World Series in 1995. Soler had a combined 27 home runs, 70 runs batted in and .238 batting average in 149 games. 

     He broke into the majors with the Chicago Cubs in 2014. Soler contributed to that franchise in 2016 to win their first World Series since 1908. It ended a 108-year drought for the team, which is the longest in Major League Baseball history. 

FC Cincinnati Rolls By Inter Miami CF

     Inter Miami CF fell to FC Cincinnati 3-1 on Saturday at TQL Stadium. The first MLS regular season game ever at that venue was played last year with Inter Miami CF as the visiting squad. 

     FC Cincinnati ripped out to a 2-0 lead during the first half. Ronald Matarrita booted in a right-footed shot from 15 yards out in the 17th minute and Brandon Vazquez followed in the 23rd minute with a header from six yards. Inter Miami CF closed it to 2-1 at the 30th minute when Gonzalo Higuain scored. 

     There was only one goal in the second half. Vazquez nailed his second tally of the contest during the 82nd minute on a header from seven yards away on the right side to make it 3-1. 

Panthers Blank Ducks

     The Florida Panthers pounded the Anaheim Ducks 3-0 at Honda Center on Friday night. Spencer Knight chalked up his first NHL shutout in his 27th career game. 

     The Panthers will have six days off then continue their seven-game road trip at the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. The Ducks began a three-game homestand. 

     Florida(42-14-6) charged out to the 2-0 lead during the first period. Jonathan Huberdeau go his 20th goal of the campaign on the man advantage with 6:06 left. Sam Reinhart and Anthony Duclair were credited with the assists. 

     Huberdeau added his 21st goal of the season with less than seven seconds remaining in the frame. Aleksander Barkov and Mason Marchment picked up the assists on the play. 

     Anaheim(27-26-11) surrendered another tally at the 3:44 mark of the second period and trailed 3-0. Joe Thornton burned his former division rival with his fifth goal this season. It was set up by Carter Verhaeghe and Noel Acciari. 

Heat Knock Down Thunder

     The Miami Heat got by the Oklahoma Thunder 120-108 on Friday night at FTX Arena. The Heat have one contest remaining on their seven-game homestand. 

     Miami(47-24) had a 27-26 edge at the end of one quarter and extended it to 69-54 by halftime. Oklahoma City(20-50) lost ground in the second half and trailed 103-79 after three quarters. 

     Tyler Herro garnered a team-high 27 points and seven rebounds for Miami. Bam Adebayo fell short of a double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds. Duncan Robinson dropped in 19 points while Kyle Lowry added 16 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 26 points. 

Miami Marlins Sign Delino DeShields Jr.

     The Miami Marlins have signed outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. to a contract. There was no mention of the money and length of the deal. 

     DeShields has bounced around the majors recently. After he spent five seasons with the Texas Rangers from 2015 to 2019, he was with Cleveland in 2020 and the Cincinnati Reds in 2021. DeShields compiled one home run, six runs batted in and a .255 batting average in 25 games.  

Golden Knights Lance Panthers

     The Florida Panthers lost to the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3 at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday night. The Cats lost in regulation for the first time in eight contests. Aaron Ekblad set a franchise record with the most career points by a Panthers defenseman in team history. 

     The Panthers continued with their long seven-game road swing. The Golden Knights snapped a five-game losing streak. 

     Florida(41-14-6) made it 1-0 at 8:04 of the first period. Carter Verhaeghe scored his 21st goal this season on assists from Eetu Luostarinen and Ekblad. 

     Vegas(33-26-4) tied it 1-1 with 2:51 left in the first. Brett Howden collected his ninth goal of the season. 

     In the second period, the Golden Knights moved ahead 2-1 at the 5:38 mark. Derrick Pouliot passed forward in the neutral zone. Evgenii Dadonov skated into the Florida zone, cut through the right circle and snapped a shot from the inner right circle past Spencer Knight. Pouliot made his team debut with Vegas. 

     It became a two-goal margin for VGK as they scored on the power play with 5:28 to go in the frame. Jack Eichel won the faceoff in the right circle and Shea Theodore fired a shot from the top of the zone. Dadonov deflected it in from the top of the crease for his second tally of the contest and 14th goal this season. 

     The Panthers answered back and trailed 3-2 with 2:24 remaining in the second. Anthony Duclair angled the puck from the low slot and Sam Bennett tapped it in from the right of the crease for his 25th goal. 

     The Cats evened it up 3-3 on the man advantage with 7:34 left in the third period. Aleksander Barkov passed the puck from the right wing and Ekblad released a slap shot from the blue line. Sam Reinhart redirected it in from the crease area for his 23rd goal of the season. Ekblad got his 290th point and passed Robert Svehla for the most points by a Panthers defenseman in franchise history. 

     The Golden Knights broke the tie to go up 4-3 with 6:37 remaining as Nicolas Roy scored an unassisted goal. William Karlsson added an empty-net goal with 1:50 left for a 5-3 cushion. 

Trent Sherfield Added By Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins have signed wide receiver Trent Sherfield for the 2022 campaign. There was no mention of teams between him and the team. 

     Sherfield played last season with the San Francisco 49ers. He compiled nine catches for 87 receiving yards and one touchdown. Sherfield was with the Arizona Cardinals from 2018 until 2020. 

Brennan Scarlett Re-Signs With Dolphins

      Miami Dolphins linebacker Brennan Scarlett has re-signed with the team. No terms of the deal have been mentioned.

     Scarlett joined Miami last year after five seasons with the Houston Texans. He played 13 games with the Dolphins in 2021 and had 13 total tackles. 

Dolphins To Add Raheem Mostert

     The Miami Dolphins are about to add running back Raheem Mostert to their roster. He is expected to ink a one-year deal at $1.2 million. 

     Mostert briefly played one game with the Miami Dolphins back in 2015. He has been with the San Francisco 49ers for the last six seasons. Mostert was part of the club when they captured the NFC Championship in 2019. His best season was that year when he compiled 137 rushing attempts for 772 yards and eight touchdowns. 

Florida Panthers Acquire Ben Chiarot

     The Florida Panthers have acquired defenseman Ben Chiarot from the Montreal Canadiens. The Cats sent prospect Ty Smilanic, Florida's 2023 first-round selection and a 2022 fourth-round pick the Panthers just got from the New York Rangers in the Frank Vatrano deal earlier today. The Habs will retain 50 percent of Chiarot's salary for the rest of the 2021-22 season.

     Chiarot has been with the Canadiens for the past three seasons. He contributed to Montreal reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993. Chiarot has seven goals and 11 assists in 54 contests this season. 

Amari Cooper Traded To Cleveland Browns

     Former local high school player Amari Cooper has been officially traded by the Dallas Cowboys to the Cleveland Browns. The deal also involved several 2022 draft picks in the later rounds exchanged between both clubs. 

     Cooper played high school football with the Miami Northwestern Bulls. He then went to the University of Alabama for three seasons and helped the Crimson Tide win the BCS National Championship in 2012. 

     He was selected fourth overall by the Raiders in the 2015 NFL Draft. Cooper was with that organization and was traded away midway through the 2018 season to the Dallas Cowboys. Cooper has 517 pass receptions for 7,076 receiving yards and 46 touchdowns in 108 games during his seven-year NFL career. 

Alec Ingold Signing With Dolphins

     Fullback Alec Ingold is about sign with the Miami Dolphins. It is expected to be a two-year contract worth $7/5 million. 

     Ingold has been in the Raiders organization throughout his three-year National Football League career. He had 10 catches for 85 receiving yards and one touchdown. Ingold was limited being a blocking back as he chalked up just two carries for one rushing yard. 

Florida Panthers Trade Frank Vatrano

     The Florida Panthers have traded center Frank Vatrano to the New York Rangers for a conditional 2022 fourth-round pick. Vatrano scored two goals, which included the game-winning overtime tally, against the San Jose Sharks last night. 

     Vatrano has played the last five seasons with the Panthers. He had 73 goals and 53 assists in 271 regular season contests. He helped the club reach the postseason in consecutive years, in 2019-20 and 2020-21, for the first time since 1995-96 and 1996-97. 

     He was acquired from the Boston Bruins in February 2018. His best season with Florida was in 2018-19 as he compiled 24 goals and 15 assists in 81 games. Vatrano had 10 goals and nine assists in 49 games this season. 

Ereck Flowers Released By Washington

     The Washington Commanders have cut offensive lineman Ereck Flowers. He started and played 16 games for Washington last season. 

     Flowers did play14 games with the Miami Dolphins during 2020. He was traded to Washington in April 2021. 

     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 in 2019. 

     Flowers played his senior year of high school football with the Miami Norland Vikings and helped them to capture the 2011 FHSAA Class 5A state championship. He followed that with three seasons with the University of Miami Hurricanes. 

Zachary Uens Signs With Florida Panthers

     The Florida Panthers have signed defenseman Zachary Uens to a three-year, entry-level contract. It will be enforced beginning with the 2022-23 NHL campaign. 

     Uens was selected by the Panthers in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. He played 81 games for Merrimack College over the last three seasons and compiled 44 points. He had 19 points in 34 contests during 2021-22. 

Dontrelle Willis Rejoins Dodgers Telecasts

    Former Florida Marlins pitcher Dontrelle Willis will return to Spectrum Sportsnet LA. He will be a studio analyst and game analyst on Los Angeles Dodgers games for the 2022 season. 

     Willis, known as the D-Train, will continue as a studio analyst on Fox Sports and Fox Sports 1. He joined Fox Sports 1 as a studio analyst on MLB Whiparound in April 2015. He filled in as a Los Angeles Angels game analyst for several games on Fox Sports West in July 2018. Willis worked as a studio analyst on Oakland A's telecasts at NBC Sports California during the 2020 season. 

     He was named National League Rookie of the Year in 2003. Willis helped the Marlins win their second World Series title in franchise history. He played his first five seasons in majors with the Florida Marlins and was traded with Miguel Cabrera to the Detroit Tigers in December 2007. 

Cameron Maybin Added To MLB Network

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Cameron Maybin has expanded his broadcasting duties. He has been named a new studio analyst for MLB Network. 

     Maybin was named as a YES Network game analyst on New York Yankees games last month. He also joined Marquee Sports Network as a studio analyst yesterday. 

Cliff Floyd And Cameron Maybin On Cubs Telecasts

     Two former Marlins players have been added to Marquee Sports Network to work on Chicago Cubs games. Cliff Floyd and Cameron Maybin will join their broadcasts as studio analysts. 

     Floyd played six seasons with the Fish from 1997 to 2002 and helped the club capture their first World Series title in 1997. He joined Fox Sports Florida on Marlins telecasts in 2010 after he retired from Major League Baseball. Floyd has done some analyst work on Toronto Blue Jays contests at Sportsnet and New York Mets games on SNY. He continues as a studio analyst at MLB Network and a show co-host on MLB Network Radio and Fantasy Sports Radio channels at SiriusXM Radio. 

     Maybin, who had two stints with the Marlins franchise designated as Florida and Miami, recently retired after a 15-year career in the majors. He has picked up numerous broadcasting positions recently. Maybin was hired last month as a game analyst at YES Network to announce New York Yankees contests. He was also named on Tuesday as a new studio analyst at MLB Network. 

Sam Eguavoen Remains With Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins have reupped linebacker Sam Eguavoen to a new contract. It is a one-year deal worth $2 million. 

     Eguavoen has been with the Dolphins over the past three years. He played in all 17 regular season games in 2021 and had 16 total tackles. 

Panthers Sail By Sharks

     Joe Thornton made his return to Northern California as the Florida Panthers edged the San Jose Sharks 3-2 in overtime at SAP Center on Tuesday night. The Panthers have won six of their last seven games. 

     Thornton, who was given a video tribute by the Sharks franchise early in the first period, played 15 seasons with the Sharks from 2005-06 until 2019-20. He had 251 goals and 804 assists for 1,055 points in 1,104 games. 

     The Panthers compiled their eighth overtime victory this season, which tied the Dallas Stars and Detroit Red Wings for the top spot. Florida got their NHL-leading 18th overtime win since the start of the 2020-21 campaign. 

     San Jose(26-25-8) struck first on the power play to go up 1-0 at the 8:19. Logan Corture beat Spencer Knight from close range for his 20th goal of the season. 

     Florida(41-13-6) picked up a shorthanded with 8:39 left in the first to tie it up 1-1. Jonathan Huberdeau came in on net and placed in his 19th goal this season. Huberdeau had not scored a road goal since January 23 in Seattle. 

     The Sharks reclaimed the lead 2-1 with 6:02 remaining in the frame. Nicolas Meloche chalked up his second goal of the year. 

     In the third period, the Panthers evened it 2-2 at 3:29. Noel Acciari fed the puck to the slot area and Frank Vatrano snapped a shot by former Florida goalie James Riemer for his ninth tally of the campaign. 

     The Cats won the same way in overtime like they did against the Sharks earlier this season. Vatrano fired a one-time slap shot from the high slot for his second goal of the contest and 10th goal of the season. Gustav Forsling and Sam Reinhart were credited with assists on the play. 

Heat Hold Off Pistons

     The Miami Heat beat the Detroit Pistons 105-98 at FTX Arena on Tuesday night. The Heat complete their seven-game homestand on Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

     Miami(46-24) had a 29-22 edge at the end of the first quarter and led 57-51 at halftime. Detroit(18-51) outscored the Heat 22-11 during the third quarter and were up 73-68. Miami went on a 20-11 run in the final five minutes of the contest. 

     Tyler Herro poured in a game-high 29 points for the Heat. Bam Adebayo and Max Strus both had 16 points each. Duncan Robinson was able to contribute 12 points in the victory. Jerami Grant led the Pistons with a team-high 22 points.      

James White Staying With Patriots

     Former local high school running back James White has re-signed with the New England Patriots. It is a two-year contract worth $5 million. 

     He has been with the Patriots for the past eight seasons and won three Super Bowl titles. White is best remembered of scoring the first Super Bowl overtime touchdown in Super Bowl LI. 

     White played with the St. Thomas Aquinas from 2006 to 2009 and won two FHSAA Class 5A state championships in 2007 and 2008. The school also captured a national championship in 2008. He later attended the University of Wisconsin for four years. 

Janoris Jenkins Released By Titans

     Former local high school defensive back Janoris Jenkins has been released by the Tennessee Titans. He played 13 games with the Titans last season in his only year with that club. 

     He has made 27 career interceptions in the National Football League. Jenkins has played for the St. Louis Rams from 2012 to 2015, New York Giants from 2016 to 2019 and New Orleans Saints from 2019 to 2020. 

     Jenkins played high school football with the Pahokee Blue Devils. He helped the school win three FHSAA Class 2B state championships in 2004, 2006 and 2007. He participated in four consecutive state title games. Jenkins attended the University of Florida and University of North Alabama to play college football. 

Preston Williams Re-Signs With Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins have re-signed wide receiver Preston Williams. It is a one-year deal worth almost $2 million. 

     Williams has played eight games every year in his three seasons with the Dolphins. He has 56 catches for 787 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in his NFL career. Williams numbers dropped in 2021 with six pass receptions for 71 receiving yards. 

Dolphins Ink Connor Williams

     The Dolphins are about to sign offensive lineman Connor Williams. It is a two-year contract worth $14 million. 

     Williams has been with the Dallas Cowboys in his four seasons in the National Football League. He played in all 17 regular season games in 2021. 

Teddy Bridgewater Joins Miami Dolphins

     Former local high school quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is coming home to Dade County and play for the Miami Dolphins. He has agreed to a one-year deal for $6.5 million. 

     He spent last season with the Denver Broncos. He had 285 pass completions for 3,052 yards and 14 touchdowns in 14 games. Bridgewater was with the Minnesota Vikings from 2014 until 2017, New Orleans Saints from 2018 to 2019 and Carolina Panthers in 2020. 

     Bridgewater played high school football with the Miami Northwestern Bulls. He appeared in the 2008 FHSAA Class 6A state championship title game and lost to Seminole. 

Dolphins Signing Cedrick Wilson

     Wide receiver Cedrick Wilson will sign a new deal with the Miami Dolphins. It is a three-year deal worth $22.8 million. 

     Wilson has played his entire three-year NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys. He had a career-high 45 catches for 602 receiving yards and six touchdowns. 

Keion Crossen Going To Dolphins

     Defensive back Keion Crossen will soon sign with the Miami Dolphins It is expected to be a three-year contract worth $10.5 million. 

     Crossen was with the New York Giants in 2021 and had 13 total tackles. He previously played for the New England Patriots and Houston Texans. 

Miami Dolphins Sign Chase Edmonds

     The Miami Dolphins are about to sign running back Chase Edmonds. It is expected to be a two-year contract worth around $12.6 million. 

     Edmonds had spent his entire four-year NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals. He helped them capture the NFC West Division in 2021 with 116 carries for 592 rushing yards and two touchdowns. 

Dolphins Keep Emmanuel Ogbah

     The Miami Dolphins have re-signed defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah. It is expected to be a four-year deal worth $65 million. 

     Ogbah has played for Miami over the last two seasons. He has compiled 18 sacks in 36 games for the Dolphins. Ogbah helped the Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LIV, their first championship in 50 years. 

Kings Walk By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers began a seven-game road trip and were topped by the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in a shootout at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night. The Panthers had their winning streak of five games end. 

     The Cats now have a 30-0-1 record when leading after two periods. The Kings ended up sweeping the season series between both clubs. 

     Los Angeles(33-20-8) got out ahead 1-0 with 8:10 left in the first period. Quinton Byfield steered the puck ahead from the neutral zone. Rasmus Kupari slashed across the high slot area and backhanded a shot from the left circle by Spencer Knight for his fourth goal of the campaign. Jordan Spence picked up his first career point on the play in his third NHL game. 

     Florida(40-13-6) tied it up 1-1 on a shorthanded goal 43 seconds into the second period. Jonathan Huberdeau angled a centering pass at the red line. Eetu Luostarinen skated into the Kings zone, snapped a shot from the slot past Jonathan Quick and delivered his ninth goal of the season. It was Huberdeau's league-leading 65th assist of the regular season. He is now tied in the National Hockey League with 83 points this season. Luostarinen chalked up his first career NHL shorthanded goal. 

     The Panthers leaped to a 2-1 lead at the 3:44 mark. Aleksander Barkov skated with the puck from the right wing to the top of the zone. His wrist shot went off Patric Hornqvist in the crease area and Brandon Montour scored on a forehand shot from the low slot for his seventh goal this season. Barkov has one goal and 10 assists in the last five games. 

     In the third period, the Kings evened it up 2-2 with 31.7 seconds left in regulation. They pulled their goalie on the power play for a 6-on-4 situation. Martin Frk got his second goal of the year on a feed by Sean Durzi.  

     The contest went into a shootout. Barkov converted in the second round for Florida with a shot between the legs of Quick. Adrian Kempe responded with a tally in the third round for Los Angeles with a snap shot. Trevor Moore won it in the fifth round  for the Kings as he scored and Anthony Duclair was stopped. 

Isaiah McKenzie Reups With Buffalo Bills

     Former local high school player Isaiah McKenzie has re-signed a new deal with the Buffalo Bills. It is a two-year contract worth around $8 million. He will retain his roles as a wide receiver and special teams returner. 

     McKenzie played for the American Heritage Patriots while in high school. He contributed to the school winning their first FHSAA Class 5A state title in 2013. McKenzie then moved on to the University of Georgia. 

Marlins Have Players Sign Minor League Deals

     The Miami Marlins have signed several players to minor league contracts. It was expected with transactions unfrozen and clubs making player decisions following the end of the Major League Baseball lockout. 

     The most recognizable player agreeing to a deal was outfielder Roman Quinn. He played five of the last six seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. Quinn was only involved in 28 games during 2021 and had a .173 batting average along with two runs batted in. 

     The Marlins allso signed other players to minor league deals. They included pitcher Shawn Armstrong, catcher Willians Astudillo and pitcher Jimmy Yacabonis. 

Dolphins Ink Elijah Campbell

     The Miami Dolphins have re-signed defensive back Elijah Campbell. He will compete for a roster spot in training camp. 

     Campbell was picked off from waivers by the Dolphins in September 2021. He played in seven games last season and had two tackles. Campbell was in three contests during his rookie year with the New York Jets in 2020. 

LAFC Shuts Out Inter Miami CF

     Inter Miami CF was blanked by Los Angeles Football Club 2-0 at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday. Both teams had only met only once during the regular season in Major League Soccer. Inter Miami CF played their franchise opener in March 2020 at Los Angeles and lost to LAFC 2-0.

     It became 1-0 for LAFC during the 45th minute when Kwadwo Opoku blasted a left-footed shot from seven yards away. Inter Miami CF surrendered another goal in the 82nd minute as Ismael Tajouri-Shradi fired a 25-yard direct kick from the right sideline. 

Timberwolves Outpace Heat

     The Minnesota Timberwolves pulled off a 113-104 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday night at FTX Arena. The Heat have two contests left in their seven-game homestand. Miami will now play just three games in the next 10 days. 

     Minnesota(39-30) sprinted with a 20-10 spurt and led 30-25 after one quarter. Miami(45-24) went on a 38-13 run during the second quarter and were up 67-55 by halftime. The Timberwolves outscored the Heat 34-19 in the third quarter and moved ahead 89-86. The T-Wolves had a 13-4 spurt in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter. 

     Tyler Herro had a game-high 30 points along with seven rebounds for Miami. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Kyle Lowry put together 14 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Max Strus came off the bench and drained in 19 points. 

     All five Minnesota starters and three reserve players put up double-figures in scoring. Karl-Anthony Towns chalked up 15 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. 

Dolphins Tender Nik Needham

     The Miami Dolphins have tendered defensive back Nik Needham. He is expected to be a restricted free agent in a couple of weeks. 

     Needham has been with the Dolphins for the past three seasons. He has played in 45 games and had six interceptions during that time. 

Heat Push By Cavaliers

     The Miami Heat got by the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-105 at FTX Arena on Friday night. The Heat, who have won four of their last five games, continue their seven-game homestand on Saturday versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

     Miami(45-23) rolled out to a 28-18 advantage after one quarter and had a slight lead 58-57 at halftime. Cleveland(38-28) was unable to keep up with the pace during the third quarter and trailed 85-72. 

     Bam Adebayo led the Heat as he compiled a game-high 30 points and 17 rebounds for a double-double. Jimmy Butler added 24 points and Tyler Herro drained in 22 points. Max Strus came off the bench with 17 points. 

     The Cavaliers got several double-doubles from their club. Darius Garland put together a team-high 24 points along with 10 assists while Evan Mobley had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Lauri Markkanen dropped in 15 points and Kevin Love contributed 11 points with eight rebounds. 

Lamarcus Joyner Staying With New York Jets

     Former local high school defensive back Lamarcus Joyner has re-signed with the New York Jets. He played just one game for that organization last season and was placed on injured reserve. 

     Joyner played his first three years of high school football with Southwest Miami and his senior year in 2009 with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders. He later attended Florida State University and helped them capture the 2013 BCS National Championship. 

     He was drafted by the Rams in 2014 and played his first five NFL seasons with that organization in St. Louis and then in Los Angeles. Joyner was on the 2018 NFC Championship squad. He was with the Raiders in Oakland and Las Vegas back in 2019 and 2020

Khalil Mack Traded To Chargers

     The Los Angeles Chargers acquired former local high school linebacker Khalil Mack from the Chicago Bears for two draft picks. He played the last four seasons with the Bears. 

     Mack once played high school football with the Fort Pierce Westwood Panthers. He went on to play college football at the University of Buffalo. Mack was drafted fifth overall by the Oakland Raiders in 2014 and spent his first four seasons with them. 

Sam Reinhart Hat Trick And Panthers Take Flyers

     Sam Reinhart scored a hat trick as the Florida Panthers knocked off the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 at FLA Live Arena on Thursday night. It was the sixth career hat trick for Reinhart. Florida defenseman Petteri Lindbohm made his debut with the club. 

     It will be the Panthers final home game in almost three weeks. Florida will play their next seven contests on the road. The next time the Panthers participate in Sunrise will be March 29 against the Montreal Canadiens. 

     Florida(40-13-5) bolted out to a 4-0 lead during the first period. Carter Verhaeghe made it 1-0 at the 3:26 mark. The Cats added power-play tallies from Reinhart at 14:12 and 18:11. Verhaeghe increased it to 4-0 on his 20th goal of the campaign with 30 seconds remaining in the first. 

     Philadelphia(18-29-10) controlled the second period as they scored three times and trailed 4-3. James van Riemsdyk got his 13rd goal at 9:01, Cam Atkinson compiled his 21st at 12:23 and Travis Konecny converted on the man advantage for his 10th goal this season with 1:08 left in the second. 

     In the third period, the Panthers extended their lead. Anthony Duclair scored on the power play at 6:59 with his 24th goal of the season. Jonathan Huberdeau set a franchise record with his 63rd assist of the campaign, which broke his record from 2018-19.  

     Reinhart completed the hat trick into an empty net with 2:06 to go on his 22nd goal and made it 6-3. Huberdeau got the primary assist on the play, his fourth assist of the contest, and took the lead in the National Hockey League with his 82nd point this season. 

Major League Baseball Spring Training Begins

     The lockout between the Major League Baseball owners and the Major League Baseball Players Assocation has ended. The 99-day stoppage came to a halt when both sides agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement through the 2026 season. 

     All 30 spring training camps involving teams will begin on Friday. Spring training games will begin on March 18. The 2022 regular season will open up on April 7. 

Major League Baseball Lockout Ends

     The Major League Baseball lockout has ended after 99 days. The lockout was implemented by Major League Baseball owners on December 2 when a collective bargaining agreement could not be ratified upon by the Major League Baseball Players Association. The new collective bargaining agreement will go from the 2022 season to the 2026 season.  

     All actions by 30 Major League Baseball clubs can now occur after being stopped due to the lockout. It means that teams can sign free agents and make trades again. 

     The 2022 regular season, which is scheduled for 162 games, will begin on April 7. The number of playoff teams have increased from 10 teams to 12 teams. Both leagues will have six teams each for the postseason. The top two division winners in the American League and National League will have a first-round bye. The lowest division winners will take on the lowest wild-card record while the top two wild-card clubs will face each other. All first-round play will be the best-of-three series. 

     The single-elimination, wild-card game involving the two wild-card teams has been stopped. It was played from 2012 to 2021 when five playoff clubs from both leagues made the postseason. 

     There will now be a universal designated hitter for both the National League and American League beginning this year.  The National League used the designated hitter rule in the shortened 2020 season. The American League has placed the designated hitter in their lineup since 1973. 

     The Marlins will open their 2022 campaign at the San Francisco Giants on April 8 to begin a three-game series. Following a two-game stop in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels, Miami will have their home opener on April 14 versus the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Suns Rock Heat

     The Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns drove by the Miami Heat 111-90 at FTX Arena on Wednesday night. The Heat have the best record in the Eastern Conference standings while the Suns have the record in the Western Conference and National Basketball Association standings.    

     Miami(44-23) broke out to a 20-10 advantage in the first five minutes of the contest, however Phoenix(53-13) bounced back and led 29-27 at the end of the opening quarter. The Suns held a 57-55 lead at halftime. Phoenix began the second half on a 23-10 run and had their biggest lead at the end of the third quarter 91-74. The Suns improved their record to 40-0 when leading going into the fourth quarter. 

     Duncan Robinson dropped in 22 points and Tyler Herro added 17 points for Miami. Bam Adebayo was able to contribute 17 points. 

     Devin Booker led the Suns with 23 points, nine assists and eight rebounds and missed a triple-double. Mikal Bridges had 21 points and nine rebounds in the victory. Deandre Ayton compiled 19 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. 

Major League Baseball Moves Opening Day Again

     Major League Baseball has moved back opening day of the regular season for the second time. It is unlikely that there will be 162 games played by each team in 2022. 

     All regular games have been canceled through April 13, which is two weeks into the 2022 campaign. MLB has taken into consideration that April 15 is the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball. 

     The start of spring training has been pushed back several times since the baseball lockout. MLB eliminated the first week of the 2022 regular season back on March 1. 

     The Miami Marlins will lose another six games on the schedule. They were to visit the San Francisco Giants from April 8 to April 10 and the Los Angeles Angels from April 11 to April 12. The Fish are to begin a four-game series at loanDepot Park on April 14 against the Philadelphia Phillies.\ 

Andre Iguodala Starts Meadowlark Media Podcast

     Former Miami Heat player Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner have launched a platform named New Amendment at Meadowlark Media. It will provide additional content to that organization. 

     Iguodala and Turner were former teammates with the Philadelphia 76ers. Both will co-host a weekly podcast called Point Forward. 

     Iguodala played with the Miami Heat for two seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21. He participated in 84 games and averaged 4.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Iguodala returned to the Golden State Warriors this season. 

     He played six seasons in his first stint with Golden State from 2013-14 to 2018-19. Iguodala helped the Warriors capture three NBA championships and five consecutive Western Conference titles. 

Miami Heat Sign Haywood Highsmith

     The Miami Heat have signed forward Haywood Highsmith to a three-year contract. There was no mention by the club about the amount of the deal. 

     Haywood had previously inked 10-day contracts with Miami on December 30, February 15 and February 26. He has appeared in 10 contests with the Heat this season and averaged 2.4 points along with 1.4 rebounds per game. 

Panthers Outlast Penguins

     The Florida Panthers held off the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night. Florida, who have won four straight games, increased their winning streak on the road to a season-high five games. 

     The Panthers return home on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers for their only home game in Sunrise over the next three weeks. The Cats will play the following seven games on the road.

     Patric Hornqvist made his second appearance in Pittsburgh since he was traded in September 2020. He helped the Penguins win Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017. 

     In the first period, Florida(40-13-5) took a 1-0 with 7:17 left. The Cats won the faceoff in their own zone, Radko Gudas tapped it back and Gustav Forsling made an outlet pass. Sam Reinhart carried the puck through the neutral zone and the slot area. He batted it in from the top of the crease past Tristan Jarry for his 19th goal of the season. 

     It became 2-0 for the Panthers with 5:22 remaining. Carter Verhaeghe backhanded the puck around the boards from the right wing. Aleksander Barkov made a pass from behind the cage and Aaron Ekblad released a wrist shot from the top of the zone for his 15th goal this season. 

     Pittsburgh(34-15-9) scored two goals in a nine-second span to tie it up 2-2.  Bryan Rust snapped a shot from the right circle off the stick of MacKenzie Weegar and by Sergei Bobrovsky for his 19th tally of the campaign at the 3:07 mark. Marcus Pettersson and Brian Dumoulin were both credited with assists on the play. 

     Sidney Crosby would win a faceoff in the left circle and Jake Guentzel scored his 28th goal of the season with a one-time slap shot from above the left circle at 3:16. 

     The Cats reclaimed the lead 3-2 at 7:02 with the man advantage. Barkov took a slap shot from the right wing which was saved by Jarry. Jonathan Huberdeau centered it from the left circle and Anthony Duclair scored on a snap shot from the low slot. Duclair tied a career high with his 23rd goal of the season. Huberdeau chalked up his NHL-leading 60th assist this season while Barkov marked down another multi-point contest. 

     Florida extended it to 4-2 with 8:49 left in the third period. Maxim Mamin stole the puck in his own zone and pushed it ahead. Verhaeghe raced down the ice with it on a 2-on-1 breakaway. He waited and scored on a foreahand shot from the inner left circle for his 18th goal this season. 

     The Penguins closed it to 4-3 with 2:09 remaining. Jeff Carter made a cross-ice pass from the right corner and Crosby placed in the puck from the top of the crease for his 19th goal of the season. Rust got the second assist on the tally on the goal for his second point of the contest. 

Miami Dolphins Franchise Tag Mike Gesicki

     The Miami Dolphins have used their franchise tag on tight end Mike Gesicki. The value for tight ends being tagged is around $10.93 million. 

     Gesicki has spent the last four seasons with the Dolphins. He had his best season with the club in 2021. Gesicki had 73 pass receptions for 780 yards and two touchdowns last year. 

South Florida Drops To 14 Sports Radio Stations

     The number of sports talk format radio stations in South Florida is now at 14. The high point in the region was 16 back in March 2020. A Fort Myers translator at 103.3 FM flipped from sports to rock music last week. 

     ESPN Southwest Florida WBCN-AM 770 is the only sports radio station with its own transmitter in that media market. Its signal is on two Fort Myers translators at 98.1 FM and 104.3 FM. The Fox Sports Radio signal is still piped at 105.9 on a Naples translator.

     Miami has four sports stations with AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM, Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM, Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM and Unanimo Deportes 990 WNYM-AM. West Palm Beach consists of four with ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM, Deportes Radio 760 AM WEFL-AM, Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM and Sports Radio 1230 The Zone WBZT-AM. Key West carries Sports Radio 1600 WKWF-AM and The Zone 97.7 Sports Radio WAVK-FM. 

Heat Light Up Rockets

     The Miami Heat defeated the Houston Rockets 123-106 on Monday night at FTX Arena. The Heat, who continued their long seven-game homestand, stayed atop of the Eastern Conference standings. Miami have been victorious in 17 of their last 20 home contests. 

     Houston(16-49) rolled out to a 32-25 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Miami(44-42) answered back and moved ahead 62-58 at halftime. The Heat began the second half with an 11-5 spurt to get a double-digit lead. They finished the third quarter up 90-78. Miami scored the first five points in the fourth on their way to an 18-point margin midway through the final frame. 

     Tyler Herro put up a game-high 31 points for the Heat. Jimmy Butler contributed 21 points and seven rebounds. P.J. Tucker added a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds and Duncan Robinson dropped in 13 points. Victor Oladipo made his season debut and chalked up 11 points in 15 minutes against his former club. Kevin Porter Jr. led the Rockets with a team-high 22 points and Jalen Green had 20 points. 

Panthers Wipe Out Sabres

     Florida right wing Sam Reinhart returned to Buffalo for the first time as the Panthers blasted the Sabres 6-1 at KeyBank Center on Monday night. It began a stretch in which the Panthers will play nine of their next ten games on the road. 

     Florida have outscored their opponents 15-3 in the last three contests. The Panthers set a franchise record as they scored multiple power-play goals for the fourth straight game. 

     Florida(38-13-5) got a 1-0 lead at the 5:22 of the first period. Brandon Montour burned his former club with his sixth goal of the campaign as he beat Craig Anderson. 

     The Panthers dominated the second period with four goals in a 6:48 time span. Noel Acciari snapped a shot from the low left circle for his first tally of the year at the 5:54 mark. Anthony Duclair added a power-play goal from the low slot off a feed from Aleksander Barkov in the right circle at 7:39. Reinhart was credited with the secondary assist on the play. 

     Mason Marchment pushed the puck from the slot area and Carter Verhaeghe tapped the puck from the left of the crease with 8:21 left for his 17th goal this season. It turned out to be Marchment's third assist of the contest. 

     It became a 5-0 lead for the Cats with 7:18 remaining. Two passes by Sam Bennett and MacKenzie Weegar in the crease was finished off by a Patric Hornqvist forehand shot for his ninth goal of the season. 

     Buffalo(18-32-8) surrendered another power-play goal at the 6:50 mark of the third period. Duclair angled a diagonal pass from the right circle and Jonathan Huberdeau passed from the low left circle. Barkov then one-time a shot from the low slot for his 26th goal this season. 

     The Sabres finally got the puck by Spencer Knight with 6:18 to go. Rasmus Asplund fired a shot from the right wing and it was redirected in by John Hayden in the right circle for his second tally of the year. 

Calvin Ridley Suspended One Year By NFL

     The National Football League has suspended former local high school player and current Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley for gambling. He will not play in the 2022 NFL season. 

     The NFL has ended up suspending other players in the past for one year due to gambling. They included Green Bay Packers Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alex Karras in 1963. Both of them later became members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

     Ridley participated with the Monarch Knights while in high school until 2014. He later spent time with the University of Alabama Crimson Tide. Ridley won the CFP National Championship in 2015 and 2017. 

Anthony Stewart Buys Toronto Six

     Former Florida Panthers right wing Anthony Stewart and other investors have bought the Premier Hockey Federation franchise the Toronto Six. It is considered the top women's ice hockey league in the world.

     Stewart played the first four seasons of his National Hockey League career with the Florida Panthers. He compiled four goals and eight assists in 105 games with the Panthers from 2005-06 to 2008-09.  

     Following his NHL career, Stewart has been involved in the broadcasting field. He is a midday co-host of Hockey Central on 590 The Fan CJCL-AM in Toronto, Sportsnet and at one-time NHL Network. 

Olli Juolevi Claimed By Detroit Red Wings

     Florida Panthers defenseman Olli Juolevi has been picked up off waivers by the Detroit Red Wings. He spent just a limited time with the Florida Panthers. 

     Juolevi was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks back on October 10. He had no points in 10 games played with the Panthers. 

Jazz Chisholm Jr. on Athlon Sports Cover

     Miami Marlins infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. showed up on the 2022 Athlon Sports baseball magazine cover. It is the first time that Chisholm has appeared on a national magazine cover. 

     Chisholm has played the last two years with the Marlins. He had 18 home runs, 53 runs batted in, 23 stolen bases, .248 batting average and a .728 OPS in 2021. Chisholm helped Miami reach the postseason in 2020 for the first time since winning the 2003 World Series. 

Austin FC Routs Inter Miami CF

     Austin FC pounded Inter Miami CF 5-1 at Q2 Stadium on Sunday. It was the first time ever both teams faced each other in a Major League Soccer game. 

     The second-year MLS franchise, Austin FC, leads the league with 10 goals scored in 2022. Austin FC(2-0-0) found the net five times in their season opener. It is the most goals scored through the first two contests of a season in Major League Soccer history.

     Inter Miami CF(0-1-1) surrendered the first three goals of the game. They closed it to 3-1 during the 53rd minute. Leanardo Campana, who entered the contest as a substitute, blasted a left-footed shot from 16 yards out for his first tally in his Major League Soccer career. 

Heat Breeze By 76ers

     The Miami Heat knocked off the Philadelphia 76ers 99-82 at FTX Arena on Saturday night. It was the first contest for the Heat in a seven-game homestand. 

     The Heat extended their lead in the Eastern Conference standings. Miami is in first place while the Sixers are three games behind in second place.      

     Miami(43-22) stomped out to a 22-14 lead after one quarter and were ahead 54-40 by halftime. Philadelphia(39-24) bounced back and trailed 73-68 after three quarters. The Heat responded with 24-12 run to begin the fourth quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro both had 21 points each for the Heat. Gabe Vincent scored 16 points and Caleb Martin drained in 14 points. 

     Joel Embiid led the Sixers with game highs of 22 points and 15 rebounds for a double-double. Tyrese Maxey added 17 points and Tobias Harris contributed 16 points along with eight rebounds. 

Panthers Drive By Red Wings

     The Florida Panthers closed out a five-game homestand with a 6-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night at FLA Live Arena. The Panthers play nine of their next ten games on the road. 

     The Panthers leaped over the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Red Wings are 15 points behind for the final wild-card spot. 

     Florida(37-13-5) jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the 13th goal of the season by Mason Marchment at the 4:10 mark of the first period. Detroit(24-26-6) evened it up 1-1 as Robby Fabbri scored his 16th goal of the year at 7:10. 

     The Panthers got a pair of power-play goals later in the frame to make it 3-1. Anthony Declair compiled his 21st goal with nine minutes remaining and Anton Lundell placed in his 13th goal this season with 1:58 to go.  

     The Cats dominated the second period with three goals and extended their lead to 6-1. Sam Bennett nailed his 24th goal of the season at 7:54. Lucas Carlsson collected his third tally of the year with 8:59 left and Lundell put in his second goal of the contest with 3:47 remaining. 

Olli Juolevi Placed On Waivers By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers have placed defenseman Olli Juolevi on waivers. It will be determined in the next 24 hours if one of the other 31 NHL clubs make a claim. 

     He was acquired by the Panthers from the Vancouver Canucks for Juko Lammikko and Noel Juulsen on October 10. Juolevi has compiled no points in 10 games this season with Florida. 

MLB Pushes Back Spring Training Games

     Major League Baseball had decided to once again cancel spring training contests. There will be no games played until at least March 18. It will impact local baseball facilities like Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter and The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach. 

     MLB has twice prolonged the start of spring training due to the lockout. Games were first dropped unitl March 5 and then until March 11.

Miami Dolphins Hire Ricardo Allen

     The Miami Dolphins have hired recently retired Ricardo Allen to their coaching staff. He will have the role of special teams assistant.

     Allen played last season with the Cincinnati Bengals as a defensive back. He helped that club win the AFC Championship Game over the Kansas City Chiefs and reach Super Bowl LVI last month. 

     He was with the Atlanta Falcons in his first six NFL seasons from 2015 to 2020. Allen contributed to them winning the NFC title game in 2016. They blew a 25-point lead against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. 

Heat Down Nets

     The Miami Heat held off the Brooklyn Nets 113-107 at Barclays Center on Thursday night. The Heat now lead the Eastern Conference by 2 1/2 games over the Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls. 

     Brooklyn(32-32) got out to a 35-23 lead at the end of one quarter and led 67-60 at halftime. Miami(42-22) took over to begin the second half and were ahead 88-84 after three quarters. The Heat extended it to a 12-point lead at 109-97 with 4:21 left in the fourth quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 30 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. They had bench scoring as Tyler Herro had 27 points while Caleb Martin added 22 points. Max Strus was able to place in 21 points. 

     Kevin Durant had a game-high 31 points for the Nets. Bruce Brown dropped in 21 points and former Heat player Goran Dragic scored nine points in 28 minutes of play. 

Panthers Blank Senators

     The Florida Panthers shut out the Ottawa Senators 3-0 on Thursday night at FLA Live Arena. The Cats were able to snap a three-game home losing streak. Sergei Bobrovsky compiled his 36th career shutout and third with the Panthers organization.      

     Jonathan Huberdeau had his 10-game assist streak snapped. The Panthers finish off their five-game homestand against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night. 

     Florida(36-13-5) made it 1-0 on the man advantage at the 10:04 mark of the first period. Sam Bennett released a wrist shot from the high slot which was saved by Anton Forsberg. Patric Hornqvist tapped the puck and Mason Marchment swept it in with his right skate on the edge of the blue paint for his 12th goal of the campaign. 

     In the third period, the Panthers increased it to 2-0 at 3:09 on another power-play tally. Brandon Montour took a slap shot from the top of the zone and it was stopped, Marchment had his forehand shot from the right of the crease saved and then Hornqvist pushed in the puck from the top of the crease for his eighth goal this season. 

     Ottawa(19-29-5) surrendered another goal just 12 seconds later and trailed 3-0.  Eetu Luostarien backhanded it from the slot area. Frank Vatrano blasted a shot from the low right circle and Ryan Lomberg put in the rebound from blue paint for his fifth goal of the seaosn. 

Jason Taylor Joining University of Miami

     Former Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor has joined the University of Miami Hurricanes football coaching staff. He will have the title of off-field analyst. 

     Taylor has spent the last five seasons on the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders coaching staff. He joined the high school as a defensive line coach in 2017 and was elevated to defensive coordinator in 2020. St. Thomas Aquinas won three consecutive FHSAA Class 7A state championship from 2019 to 2021. 

     He will continue as the Miami Dolphins radio game analyst. He started working preseason games in 2016 and began to announce regular season games in 2020 alongside radio play-by-play announcer Jimmy Cefalo and game analyst Joe Rose. 

Good Karma Brands Complete Major Deal

     Good Karma Brands has completed a $15 million deal for three sports talk format radio stations in the three largest media markets of the United States. They are WEPN-AM in New York City, KSPN-AM in Los Angeles and WMVP-AM Chicago. The transaction made with The Walt Disney Company was announced back in December. 

     Good Karma Brands has two radio stations in West Palm Beach. They are ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM and Deportes Radio 760 AM WEFL-AM.

Bucks Survive Heat

     Jrue Holiday put in a driving layup with 1.9 seconds left as the Miami Heat barely lost to the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks 120-119 at Fiserv Forum on Wednesday night. Both clubs split the season series 2-2. The Heat remained first in the Eastern Conference while the Bucks are three games back.

     Milwaukee(38-25) had a 36-28 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Miami(41-22) responded during the second quarter and led 66-64 at halftime. 

     The Heat came out with an 11-2 spurt to begin the second half. The Bucks then answered back with a 14-2 run to go ahead 80-79 with 5:27 remaining in the third. Miami would take a 97-93 lead after three quarters. The Heat went on a 16-6 rally to start the fourth quarter. Milwaukee came back on a 21-6 run to end the game 120-119. 

     Tyler Herro scored game-high 30 points while Gabe Vincent added 21 points for Miami. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds. Duncan Robinson was able to drop in 15 points. 

     The Bucks were led by Giannis Antetokounmpo with team-high 28 points and 17 rebounds for a double-double. Holiday also had a double-double of 25 points and 11 assists. Khris Middleton poured in 26 points and Bobby Portis drained in 15 points. 

Mike Berardino In South Bend

     Former local sportswriter Mike Berardino is currently the University of Notre Dame beat writer for the South Bend Tribune. Prior to that, he joined the Pioneer Press as the Minnesota Twins beat reporter in February 2013. 

     Berardino entered the South Florida market with the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel in 1998. The newspaper later rebranded itself as the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Berardino held several posts there which included baseball columnist, Miami Dolphins beat writer and sports columnist until November 2012. He was a Saturday afternoon show co-host on 640 WMEN-AM from December 2012 to February 2013. 

Peter DeBoer Gets 500th Win

     Former Florida Panthers head coach Peter DeBoer picked up his 500th National Hockey League win on Tuesday night. The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-1 in Las Vegas. DeBoer and his teams have appeared in the last three Stanley Cup Semifinals. 

     DeBoer got his first NHL head coaching opportunity with the Florida Panthers. He spent three seasons with the club from 2008-09 to 2010-11 and had a 103-107-36 record. 

     He joined the New Jersey Devils from 2011-12 until 2014-15. The Devils won the Eastern Conference title during his first season there. 

     DeBoer moved on to the San Jose Sharks and stayed there for five seasons from 2015-16 to 2020-21. He guided the Sharks to a Western Conference title in his first season. 

     After being fired mid-season by the club, he was quickly hired by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2020-21. He has helped them reach the Stanley Cup Semifinals in the last two years. 

Major League Baseball Eliminates Games

     Major League Baseball has eliminated all regular season games for the first week of the 2022 regular season. None of the contests will be made up. All 30 teams will now play up to a maximum 155 games this year. 

     The decision made by MLB will slightly impact the Miami Marlins club. The Marlins was to open their 2022 campaign at home for the first week with six games. They were to face the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves from March 31 to April 2. The Marlins were to take on the Texas Rangers from April 4 to April 6. 

     Miami will now open the 2022 campaign at the San Francisco Giants from April 8 to April 10 followed by visiting the Los Angeles Angels on April 11 and April 12. Due to the change, the Marlins will have their home opener on April 14 against the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Florida Panthers Sign Petteri Lindbohm

     The Florida Panthers have signed defenseman Petteri Lindbohm. It is a one-year deal between him and the club. Lindbohm helped Finland capture a gold medal for the first time ever in men's hockey at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. 

     He spent the 2021-22 season with Jokerit in the Kontinental Hockey League and compiled eight points in 45 contests. Lindbohm had three points in 40 games with St. Louis Blues from 2014-15 to 2016-17.