P.J. Tucker Heading To Philadelphia

     Miami Heat forward P.J. Tucker will be leaving the club after one season. He is expected to sign a three-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers worth $33.2 million. 

     Tucker won an NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020-21 and brought that organization its first championship in 50 years. He signed as a free agent with the Heat in August 2021. Tucker contributed to Miami having the best record in the Eastern Conference last season. He averaged 7.6 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game in 2021-22. 

Victor Oladipo Staying With Miami Heat

     Miami Heat forward Victor Oladipo has agreed to remain with the team. It is expected to be two-year contract worth $18 million. 

     Oladipo was acquired by the Heat late in the 2020-21 season. He only participated in just eight games last season and averaged 12.4 points per game. 

Dewayne Dedmon Remains With Miami Heat

     Miami Heat center Dewayne Dedmon will be staying with the Miami Heat. He has agreed to sign a two-year deal worth around $9 million. 

     Dedmon was involved in 67 regular season games last season and averaged 6.3 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game for the Heat. He helped Miami with the best record in the Eastern Conference. 

Chicago Cubs Cut Jonathan Villar

     The Chicago Cubs have released second baseman Jonathan Villar. He had a .222 batting average in 46 regular season games this year. 

     Villar was with the Miami Marlins for 22 games in 2020. He compiled a .259 barring average with two home runs, nine runs batted in and nine stolen bases before being traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Gary Denbo Gone From Marlins

     Gary Denbo has departed from the Miami Marlins baseball operations department. He was the vice president of player development and scouting. 

     Denbo joined the Marlins organization in October 2017. He became a part of the Marlins team several weeks after new ownership, which includes Derek Jeter and Bruce Sherman, officially changed at the end of the 2017 regular season. Denbo was employed with the New York Yankees prior to his arrival in Miami. 

Viktor Kozlov Head Coach

     Former Florida Panthers center Viktor Kozlov has been promoted to head coach of Salavat Yulaev Ufa in Russia. He was the assistant coach with that club. 

     Kozlov spent seven seasons with the Florida Panthers from 1997-98 to 2003-04. He had 101 goals and 190 assists in 414 regular season games with the team. He helped the club reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1999-2000. 

Craig Anderson Remains In Buffalo

     Former Florida Panthers goalie Craig Anderson will be staying with the Buffalo Sabres. He has signed a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. He had a 17-12-2 record and a 3.12 goals-against-average with the Sabres in 2021-22. 

     Anderson was with the Panthers from 2006-07 until 2008-09. He compiled a 24-14-7 record, .928 save percentage and a 2.52 goals-against-average in three seasons with Florida. 

Calijah Kancey Makes Phil Steele Magazine Cover

     Former local high school football player Calijah Kancey showed up on the Pennsylvania/Ohio edition magazine cover of the 2022 Phil Steele College Football Preview. He is currently a defensive lineman with the University of Pittsburgh Panthers. 

     Kancey played high school football with the Miami Northwestern Bulls. He helped the Bulls win consecutive FHSAA Class 6A state championships in 2017 and 2018. 

Jordan Travis On Phil Steele Magazine Cover

     Florida State University quarterback Jordan Travis is on the Florida edition magazine cover of the annual Phil Steele's College Football Preview. He has also appeared on the magazine cover of Athlon Sports and Lindy's Sports publications. 

     Travis played high school football with the Benjamin Buccaneers. He spent one year with the University of Louisville before he transferred to Florida State. 

Sandy Alcantara And Marlins Overcome Cardinals

     Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara finally got a win against his former team as the Miami Marlins came back on the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 at Busch Stadium on Wednesday night. The Fish entered the contest 1-31 this season when they trailed going into the ninth inning. 

     The Cardinals have won 10 of the last 12 meetings against the Marlins over the past two seasons. Miami had not been victorious in a game at Busch Stadium since June 2019. The Marlins have Thursday off and will begin a four-game wraparound weekend series against the Washington Nationals on Friday. 

     St, Louis(43-35) broke out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Dylan Carlson hit a sacrifice fly to right field which brought in Edmundo Sosa. 

     Miami(34-40) answered back quickly in the fourth inning to tie it 1-1. Jesus Aguilar knocked in Garrett Cooper with a single into right field. 

     The Marlins took their first lead of the contest 2-1 in the top of the fifth. Bryan De La Cruz grounded into a double play and Brian Anderson crossed the plate. 

     The Cardinals reclaimed the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth. Brendan Donovan drove in Sosa on a sacrifice fly to left field. Carlson followed with a base hit through the right side for Andrew Knizner to score. 

     In the ninth inning, Miami moved ahead 4-3 with two outs. Avisail Garcia smashed a two-run homer to center field on the first pitch with Luke Williams aboard. It was the sixth home run of the year for Garcia. 

Peter Rossi Exits Florida Panthers

     Florida Panthers digital media manager Peter Rossi has left the Florida Panthers organization. He was part of the Panthers marketing department and helped working media in the press box. 

     Rossi, a Quinnipiac University grad, joined the Florida Panthers prior to the 2016-17 National Hockey League season as a website coordinator. He was elevated to digital media coordinator and later was promoted to digital information manager and digital media manager. 

ACC To Eliminate Divisions

     The Atlantic Coast Conference will eliminate their two divisions in football beginning in the 2023 season. This year will be the final season for the Atlantic Division and Coastal Division.

     All 14 ACC schools will compete in the same division as of next year. The top two teams in the standings will play against each other for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. 

     The University of Miami will play ACC football versus their Coastal Division rivals for the final time on yearly basis in 2022. The Hurricanes currently have North Carolina, Duke, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Georgia Tech and Pitt in their division. 

     A new scheduling format will be implemented by the Atlantic Coast Conference. It will be a 3-5-5 structure for all ACC schools. The Hurricanes will play Florida State, Boston College and Louisville every season on a regular basis beginning in 2023. Miami will play five ACC schools in consecutive years in a home-and-away games in 2023 and 2024. They will face the other five ACC schools in the same scheduling format in 2025 and 2026. 

Anthony Duclair Injured

     Florida Panthers left wing Anthony Duclair suffered an Achilles tendon injury recently during off-season training. He is expected to be out for at least four months and will miss the start of the 2022-23 regular season. 

     Duclair joined the Florida Panthers as a free agent last season. He compiled a career season-high 31 goals along with 27 assists for 58 points in 74 games. 

     He helped the club to the best record in the National Hockey League and captured the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history. The Panthers won their first postseason series since 1996 over the Washington Capitals in the first round. Florida won the 2021-22 Atlantic Division title and reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in three straight seasons for the first time ever. 

Sean Burke With Vegas Golden Knights

     Former Florida Panthers goalie Sean Burke has joined the Vegas Golden Knights. He will be the goalie coach and the director of goaltending for the team.

     He was not on any NHL coaching staff during the 2021-22 season. Burke worked for the Arizona Coyotes for seven seasons as a goalie coach. He spent a couple of months in 2021 as the Montreal Canadiens goalie coach and helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final that year against the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

     Burke played part of two seasons with the Florida Panthers in 1998-99 and 1999-00. He was the starting goalie in the Panthers first regular season game inside their new arena in Sunrise on October 9, 1998. He had a 23-29-14 record with a 2.70 goals-against-average, .908 save percentage and three shutouts in 66 games. He was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in November 1999. 

Dave Benz Back In San Francisco

     Former Miami television sportscaster Dave Benz returned to the San Francisco area on Tuesday night. He filled in as the studio host of the San Francisco Giants game broadcast on NBC Sports California. 

     Benz was known in Miami as an evening sports anchor and sports reporter on Sportstown at WAMI-TV Channel 69 from 1999 to 2001. He also was a studio host for Miami Heat and Florida Marlins telecasts. Benz recently was the television play-by-play announcer of the Minnesota Timberwolves from September 2012 until May 2022. 

Cardinals Fly By Marlins

     The St. Louis Cardinals rallied by the Miami Marlins 5-3 on Tuesday night at Busch Stadium. The Marlins have lost four of their last five games. The Cardinals will go for the three-game series sweep of the Fish on Wednesday night. 

     Miami(33-40) took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third. Miguel Rojas sliced a double down the right-field line and Jesus Sanchez scored. Nick Fortes followed with a base hit up the middle to score Rojas. Jorge Soler then singled into right-center field and Fortes crossed the plate. 

     St. Louis(43-34) got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning. Dylan Carlson knocked in Tommy Edman on a single to left field. 

     The Cardinals moved ahead 5-3 in the bottom of the fifth with four runs. Brendan Donovan scored on an Edmundo Sosa triple to deep center. Edman singled through the right side and Sosa reached home. Carlson came up next and hit a ground-rule double to right field for Edman to score from second after a stolen base. Paul Goldschmidt fisted a single to shallow right-center field and Carlson crossed the plate. 

Sandy Leon Acquired By Cleveland

     Former Miami Marlins catcher Sandy Leon was traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Cleveland Guardians. He signed with Cleveland last year on November 23 and was released by them several months ago on March 31. He was signed by the Reda on April 16, did not play in the majors this year and spent time with their Triple-A affiliate in Louisville. 

     Leon was with the Miami Marlins during the 2021 season. He compiled four home runs, 14 runs batted in and a .183 batting average in 83 contests. Leon did win a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2018. 

Marlin Briscoe Passes Away

     Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Marlin Briscoe passed away on Monday at the age of 76. Briscoe was part of the only two Miami Dolphins teams to win the Super Bowl. 

     Briscoe played mainly as a wide receiver in his three seasons with the Dolphins from 1972 to 1974. He was the emergency backup quarterback behind Bob Griese and Earl Morrall when he played for head coach Don Shula. Briscoe had 57 pass receptions for 858 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 28 games with the club. 

     He was a pioneer in pro football as the first black starting quarterback in the Super Bowl era. Briscoe, known as The Magician, was at that position for two games with the Denver Broncos of the American Football League back in 1968. 

Cardinals Rout Marlins

     The St. Louis Cardinals easily handled the Miami Marlins 9-0 at Busch Stadium on Monday night. It was the start of a seven-game road trip for the Marlins.

     Miami(33-39) was shut out for the fifth time in the 2022 season and the fourth time on the road. Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright chalked up his eighth career victory over the Fish. 

     St. Louis(42-34) took the lead three batters into their lineup. Paul Goldschmidt smashed a solo home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch for his 19th homer of the season. 

     The Cardinals made it 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Juan Yepez belted a three-run homer to left field on a 2-2 count for his eighth home run this season. Goldschmidt and Nolan Gorman both scored in front of him on the play. 

     It became 5-0 for the Cards in the fifth inning. Goldschmidt knocked in Tommy Edman on a double to deep center.

     The Marlins surrendered two more runs in the bottom of the sixth and trailed 7-0. Yepez hit a two-run homer to left-center field on a 1-0 pitch with Dylan Carlson aboard for second home run of the contest. Yepez ended up with five runs batted in for a career-high for him. 

     In the eighth inning, St. Louis scored twice. Carlson tripled to right field and Gorman crossed the plate. Carlson would later score on a wild pitch for a nine-run lead. 

Roberto Luongo Elected To Hockey Hall Of Fame

     Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday. Luongo will be the first player who spent the majority of his playing career with the Florida Panthers. The induction ceremony will be held in Toronto this November 14.

     Luongo joined the Panthers when he was traded along with Olli Jokinen from the New York Islanders in June 2000. He spent six seasons with Florida in his first stint with the team. 

     He was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in June 2006. Luongo led the club to a Western Conference Championship in 2011. They fell to the Boston Bruins in seven games during the Stanley Cup Final. He was reacquired by the Panthers in March 2014 and helped them win the Atlantic Division title in 2015-16. 

     Luongo leads the Florida Panthers franchise in almost all goalie categories which includes wins, saves and shutouts. Luongo was third all-time in goalie victories with 489 wins and second all-time with 28,409 saves in National Hockey League history when he retired in 2019. 

     He was the first goalie to be named a captain by the Canucks in 2008. Luongo was on the Canada Olympic hockey team during three occasions. He won two Olympic gold medals as a starting goalie in 2010 and backup goalie in 2014. 

Maxim Mamin Leaving Florida Panthers Again

     Florida Panthers forward Maxim Mamin is leaving the Florida Panthers for the second time. He is expected to sign a three-year contract with CSKA Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League. It will be his second stint with that team. 

     Mamin rejoined the Panthers in 2021-22 and helped the club capture the Presidents' Trophy and the Atlantic Division title. He played in 40 games last season and compiled seven goals along with seven assists. 

     His first stint with the Panthers was in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Mamin had three goals and one assist in 33 games over two seasons. 

Anthony Greco Heads To Europe

     Former Florida Panthers right wing Anthony Greco has left the New York Rangers organization. He has signed a one-year contract with Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League. 

     Greco played in just one game with the Florida Panthers during the 2018-19 season. He chalked up -3 in the plus/minus column. Greco participated in one contest in 2021-22 with the Rangers. 

Matt Kiersted Re-Signs With Panthers

     The Florida Panthers have re-signed defensemen Matt Kiersted to a two-year contract. The first season of the deal in 2022-23 is a two-way contract and the second season of the agreement in 2023-24 is a one-way contract.

     Kiersted was called up from the AHL and played in 10 games with the Florida Panthers in 2021-22. He compiled one goal and one assist while with the parent club. Kiersted participated with the Charlotte Checkers in the American Hockey League last season and had 20 points in 63 regular season contests. 

Paxton Boyd In Kentucky

     Former local television sportscaster Paxton Boyd has a new position. He began as a news anchor at WTVQ-TV in Lexington, Kentucky on Monday. 

     Boyd, a Western Kentucky grad, had a reign while on West Palm Beach television. He was a sports anchor at WPTV-TV Channel 5 and WFLX-TV Channel 29 for several years. Boyd then worked at WPEC-TV Channel 12 as a news reporter in 2020 and 2021. He was a national news correspondent for RT America in Washington D.C. since January 2022. 

Jaylen Waddle On Athlon Sports Cover

     The annual National Football League magazine continued to be issued out this past week. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle appeared on the front magazine cover of Athlon Sports. 

     Waddle played 16 regular season games in his rookie season with the Miami Dolphins last year. He had 104 catches for 1, 015 receiving yards and six touchdowns. 

Marlins Avoid Sweep To Mets

     The Miami Marlins edged the New York Mets 3-2 at loanDepot park on Sunday. The Marlins avoided a three-game series sweep by the Mets. The Marlins will play 11 of their next 13 games on the road. 

     The game between New York(47-27) and Miami(33-38) was tied 2-2 going into the ninth inning. Nick Fortes cranked a walk-off solo home run to left field on a 0-1 pitch for his third homer of the year. It was the first walk-off homer for Fortes in his Major League Baseball career. 

Inter Miami CF Strike Minnesota United FC

     Inter Miami CF stinged Minnesota United FC 2-1 at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night. Inter Miami CF increased their unbeaten streak at home to seven games. 

     It was the first time both teams met in a Major League Soccer contest. Both competing clubs once had the Strikers NASL franchise headquarters in their home regions. 

     Minnesota United FC got out to a 1-0 lead during the 65th minute of play. Luis Amarilla put the ball in the net. 

     Inter Miami CF came back late in the second quarter to take a 2-1 lead and win the game. Indiana Vassilev had goals in the 87th minute and 90th minute. 

Mets Defeat Marlins

     The New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 5-3 on Saturday night at loanDepot park. The Mets defeated the Marlins by the same score on Friday night. 

Dale Tallon Joins Vancouver Canucks

     Former Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon has joined the Vancouver Canucks hockey operations department. He will work as a senior advisor and professional scout. 

     He was selected by the Canucks second overall in the 1970 National Hockey League draft. Tallon was the first draft pick ever in Vancouver Canucks franchise history. 

     Tallon had a long reign as the Florida Panthers general manager. He held that role with the club from May 2010 until August 2020. He guided the Panthers to their first two division titles in franchise history in 2011-12 and 2015-16. The team reached the postseason three times while Tallon was at the helm.

Mets Down Marlins

     The New York Mets defeated the Miami Marlins 5-3 on Friday night at loanDepot park. Both teams med each other last weekend in a four-game series. 

     In the first inning, New York(46-26) made it 1-0. Francisco Lindor lifted a solo home run barely over the center-field wall for his 12th home run of the season. 

     Miami(32-37) tied it 1-1 in the bottom of the first. Garrett Cooper drove in Jazz Chisholm Jr. with a base hit into center field.

     Both clubs scored in the fifth inning. The Mets retook the lead 2-1 on a solo home run by Mark Canha to left field on a 2-2 pitch for his sixth homer this year. The Marlins evened it up 2-2 as Jon Berti scored on a ground out to second by Jorge Soler. 

     New York got their third lead of the contest with three runs in the top of the seventh. Lindor doubled into right-center field for Tomas Nido, Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte to score. 

Marc Hochman Miami New Times Award Winner

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM and Sports Talk 790 The Ticket afternoon co-host Marc Hochman has been named the best talk radio personality by Miami New Times. It was part the publication's annual awards issue.  

     He was the executive producer of the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz when it launched on The Ticket in August 2004 and held that position until August 2012. Hochman worked as the program director from September 2009 to December 2011. He eventually became an on-air talent at that station as a morning co-host with Stugotz in May 2012. Jonathan Zaslow replaced Stugotz in August 2012 and Joy Taylor was later added to the morning program. 

     Hochman, a University of Miami grad, left 790 The Ticket in December 2013. He joined WQAM in April 2014 and has held the afternoon co-host spot since then. His first co-host was Zach Krantz and they added Channing Crowder in August 2015. Hochman and Crowder have been simulcast on both WQAM and The Ticket since August 2019. 

Miami Heat Select Nikola Jovic

     The 2022 National Basketball Association Draft happened on Thursday night. It was held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. 

     The Miami Heat had just one draft pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The club choose Nikola Jovic from Serbia. with the 27th overall selection in the first round. The Heat did not have a second-round pick because it was forfeited due to a tampering violation. 

     Jovic joined Mega Basket in February 2021. He has played the last two seasons with that club in Belgrade, Serbia. 

Marlins Close Out Rockies

     The Miami Marlins moved by the Colorado Rockies 3-2 at loanDepot park on Thursday. The Marlins will host the National League East Division leader the New York Mets in a three-game series this weekend.

     Miami(32-36) got out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Miguel Rojas singled into center field for Jesus Aguilar to score.

     Colorado(30-40) scored their only two runs in the contest during the top of the third. Brendan Rodgers doubled to deep center and C.J. Cron scored. Ryan McMahon followed with a base hit up the middle and Rodgers reached home. 

     The Marlins evened it up 2-2 in the bottom of the third. Jorge Soler knocked in Jon Berti on a sacrifice fly to left field. 

     They made it 3-2 in the eighth inning. Avisail Garcia grounded into a force out at second and Luke Williams scored the go-ahead run. 

Marlins Storm Rockies

     The Miami Marlins blew by the Colorado Rockies 7-4 on Wednesday night at loanDepot park. The Marlins have won three of their last four games. 

     Colorado(30-39) started off strong with a run in the first inning. Charlie Blackmon hit a sacrifice fly to center field and Yonathan Daza scored. 

     Miami(31-36) came back with seven unanswered runs in the contest. They scored four runs in the bottom of the third and three runs in the bottom of the seventh. The Rockies did compose three runs in the ninth inning. 

Jonathan Huberdeau NHL Second-Team All Star

     Florida Panthers left wing Jonathan Huberdeau was named a Second-Team All Star by the National Hockey League for the 2021-22 season. Huberdeau led the NHL with 85 assists last season and compiled 115 points, which was tied for second in the league. He also reached the 30-goal plateau for the second time in his NHL career. 

     Huberdeau helped Florida capture the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history and win the Atlantic Division with 121 regular season points. The Panthers won their first postseason series since 1996 as they defeated the Washington Captials in the first round. 

Paul Maurice New Florida Panthers Head Coach

     The Florida Panthers have hired Paul Maurice as their new head coach. He replaced interim head coach Andrew Brunette, who guided the Panthers to a 51-18-6 record in 75 regular season games this past season.

     Brunette took over as the interim head coach of the Panthers when head coach Joel Quenneville resigned seven games into the 2021-22 campaign. He helped Florida get the most regular season points to capture the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history. 

     He coached the Panthers to their first playoff series victory since 1996. They knocked off the Washington Capitals during the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in six games. Florida fell to the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Semifinals as they lost in six games.

     Maurice has coached several teams in the National Hockey League. He was the last head coach of the Hartford Whalers in their final two seasons before they moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. Maurice was at the helm of the Carolina Hurricanes for seven seasons. 

     He led the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Maurice returned to the Carolina Hurricanes for a second stint from 2008-09 until 2011-12. He was the Winnipeg Jets head coach from 2013-14 until early in the 2021-22 season. 

     Maurice has a career record of 775-680-99-130. He has been the head coach in 1,684 regular season games, the fourth most in NHL history. Maurice is seventh in National Hockey League history with 775 head coaching victories. 

Marlins Climb Over Rockies

     The Miami Marlins chipped at a four-run deficit to top the Colorado Rockies 9-8 at loanDepot park on Tuesday night. The Marlins started a six-game homestand following a 10-game road trip. 

     Colorado(30-38) scored four runs between the second and fourth innings. Miami(30-36) came back and compiled five runs in the bottom of the fifth to go up 5-4. After the Rockies put up one more run in the top of the fifth, the Marlins answered back with three runs in the bottom of the frame. 

     The Fish moved ahead 9-8 in the eighth inning. Garrett Cooper doubled into the left-center field gap for Nick Fortes to score the winning run. 

Florida Panthers In Final Awards Balloting

     The National Hockey League had their annual awards ceremony. It was held in Tampa where the Lightning are hosting the 2022 Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche. The ceremony had been held for the last couple of years in Las Vegas. 

     The Hart Memorial Trophy for the Most Valuable Player went to Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Florida Panthers had Johnathan Huberdeau finish in fifth while Aleksander Barkov ended in 12th place. 

     Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche received the Norris Trophy for best defenseman. Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers finished in sixth place and teammate MacKenzie Weegar landed in 14th place. 

     Anton Lundell was voted sixth among rookie players for the Calder Trophy. Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider ended up with the award.   

Marlins Add Billy Hamilton And Ryan Lavarnway

     The Miami Marlins added two Major League Baseball veterans to their roster. They signed outfielder Billy Hamilton and assigned him to their Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville. The Marlins also acquired catcher Ryan Lavarnway in a trade with the Detroit Tigers. 

     Hamilton played in the minor league system of the Seattle Mariners this season and was given his release on May 28. Lavarnway has spent the 2022 season with the Detroit Tigers Triple-A affiliate in Toledo. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick Joins Television Crew

     Former Miami Dolphins starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has entered into television broadcasting. He will be the pregame analyst for Amazon Prime Video NFL games on Thursday nights beginning in September. 

     Fitzpatrick played for the Miami Dolphins in 2019 and 2020. He had 494 completions for 5,620 yards and 33 touchdowns with the club in two seasons. 

Miami.Rivals.com To Launch

     A new University of Miami Hurricanes website will be launched on July 1. It will be a part of Rivals and be known as Miami.Rivals.com. 

     Several local high school football and college recruiting media will be involved. They include Football Hotbed lead writer Marcus Benjamin along with The Crib South Florida founder/writer Frank Tucker and 305 Sports founder/writer Anthony Yero. Benjamin will be the publisher of the new organization. 

Mets Blank Marlins

     The New York Mets shut out the Miami Marlins 6-0 at Citi Field on Monday. It completed a four-game wraparound weekend series between both clubs. The Marlins finished the 10-game road trip with a 5-5 record. 

     The Marlins return home on Tuesday to begin a six-game homestand against the Colorado Rockies followed by the Mets. The Mets go on the road and visit the Houston Astros before arriving in Miami. 

     New York(45-24) was able to load the bases during the first inning. Mark Canha walked and Brandon Nimmo crossed the plate. 

     It became 3-0 for the Mets in the bottom of the fourth. Eduardo Escobar drove in J.D. Davis on a sacrifice fly to left field. Jeff McNeil would later score on a wild pitch by Marlins pitcher Trevor Rogers. 

     In the fifth inning, New York expanded the gap to four runs. Pete Alonso powered a sacrifice fly to left field and Nimmo reached home. 

     Miami(29-36) surrendered two more runs in the eighth inning and trailed 6-0. Escobar singled up the middle for Davis and Luis Guillorme to score. 

Peter DeBoer New Dallas Stars Head Coach

     Former Florida Panthers head coach Peter DeBoer has been named the new head coach of the Dallas Stars. He was recently the Vegas Golden Knights head coach and was released on May 13. 

     DeBoer was the head coach of the Florida Panthers from 2008-09 to 2010-11. He joined the New Jersey Devils and guided them to an Eastern Conference title during his first season at the helm in 2012. 

     After four seasons in New Jersey, he was hired by the San Jose Sharks in 2015. DeBoer helped the Sharks capture the 2016 Western Conference championship in his first season. 

     He was let go by San Jose during the 2019-20 campaign and then hired by the Vegas Golden Knights. The team reached the Western Conference Finals in 2020 and the Stanley Cup Semifinals in 2021. DeBoer had a 98-50-12 record in his recent stint with Vegas. 

Encarnacion Grand Slam And Marlins Shock Mets

     Jerar Encarnacion hit a grand-slam home run in his Major League Baseball debut as the Miami Marlins surprised the New York Mets 6-2 at Citi Field on Sunday. The Marlins ended a three-game losing streak and look to split the four-game series tomorrow. 

     New York(44-24) scored in the sixth inning to lead 1-0. Francisco Lindor singled into center field for former Marlins player Starling Marte to cross the plate. 

     Miami(29-35) answered back in the top of the seventh. Jerar Encarnacion connected with a grand-slam homer to right field on a 3-2 pitch for his first hit and home run in the majors. Miguel Rojas, Jacob Stallings and Bryan De La Cruz scored in front of him on the play. It was just the second time in Marlins franchise history that a player made his Major League Baseball debut and hit a grand-slam homer in the same game. Jeremy Hermida accomplished that same feat in 2005. 

     The Fish added another run in the frame to make it 5-1. Jon Berti doubled into the right-field corner for Jazz Chisholm Jr. to race around the bases and score from first. 

     The Mets cut it to 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh. Luis Guillorme knocked in Jeff McNeil on a base hit through the left side. 

     The Marlins extended their lead to 6-2 in the ninth inning. Chisholm drove in Encarnacion with a double to deep left. 

Atlanta United FC Snap Inter Miami CF

     Inter Miami CF lost to Atlanta United FC 2-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday. It was the first time that Inter Miami CF played in a Major League Soccer game since May 28 at home against the Portland Timbers. Inter Miami CF had their five-game unbeaten streak snapped. 

     Atlanta United FC struck quickly in the fourth minute to go up 1-0. Luiz Araujo rocketed a left-footed shot from 25 yards away. 

     In the second half, Inter Miami CF trailed 2-0 during the 61st minute. Josef Martinez lifted a right-footed shot from 12 yards out into the top portion of the cage. It was Martinez's third goal of the season and his first since the month of March. 

Dee Strange-Gordon Let Go By Nationals

     The Washington Nationals have released Dee Strange-Gordon. He is a utility player that can play infield and outfield positions. 

     Strange-Gordon did have a stint with the Miami Marlins from 2015 to 2017. He is best remembered for hitting a long home run to right field on the Marlins first game following the death of pitcher Jose Fernandez on September 25, 2016. 

Mets Hold Off Marlins

     The New York Mets picked up a 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Saturday at Citi Field. The Marlins have lost five of their last six games. It was the second contest of a four-game wraparound weekend series between both teams. 

     New York(44-23) took a1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Jeff McNeil singled into right field for Mark Canha to cross the plate. 

     It became 3-0 for the Mets in the third inning. Francisco Lindor smashed a two-run homer to left-center field on a 2-2 pitch for his 11th home run of the season. Starling Marte scored in front of him on the play. It was the second straight game that Lindor homered against the Marlins. 

     Miami(28-35) made it 3-1 in the top of the seventh. Avisail Garcia knocked in Jazz Chisholm Jr. on a double to right-center field with two outs. 

     The Marlins added one run in the ninth inning and trailed 3-2. Garrett Cooper lifted a single into center field and Jon Berti scored. 

Chris Lammons Remains With Chiefs

     Former local high school football player Chris Lammons will be staying with the Kansas City Chiefs. He has re-signed a deal with that club. 

     Lammons played with the Plantation Colonels and the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. He was with the Miami Dolphins on their practice squad in 2018 and their main squad for 12 games in 2019. Lammons joined the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad when they won Super Bowl LIV. 

Marco Sturm New AHL Head Coach

     Former Florida Panthers left wing Marco Sturm has been named the new head coach of the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League. They are the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings. 

     Sturm played his final NHL season with the Florida Panthers in 2012-13. He had five points in 42 games with the Panthers. 

Mets Roll By Marlins

     The New York Mets hammered the Miami Marlins 10-4 at Citi Field on Friday night. It was the first time that both clubs faced each other in the 2022 regular season. The Marlins have fallen in four of their last five games and are 3-4 on their 10-game road trip. 

     New York(43-23) ripped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Francisco Lindor powered a three-run homer to right field on a 0-1 pitch. Starling Marte and Brandon Nimmo were able to score in front of him on the play. 

     Miami(28-34) responded and made it 3-1 in the top of the fifth. Bryan De La Cruz bashed a solo home run to left field on a 3-2 count for his third homer of the year. 

     The Mets came down like an avalanche and compiled seven runs in the sixth inning to lead 10-1. It was capped by a Pete Alonso grand-slam homer over the left-center field fence on the first pitch with J.D. Davis, Marte and Lindor aboard. Alonso connected with his 19th home run of the season. He passed Todd Hundley and tied Lucas Duda for eighth all-time in Mets franchise history with his 125th career homer. 

NHL 2022-23 Salary Cap Parameters

     There will be a change in the National Hockey League salary cap parameters for the upcoming 2022-23 season. The salary cap ceiling will be increased to $82.5 million. It was at $81.5 million during the 2021-22 campaign. 

     The National Hockey League also placed a minimum amount to the floor of the salary cap for next season. The new amount will be $61 million. 

Evgenii Dadonov Traded To Canadiens

     The Vegas Golden Knights have traded former Florida Panthers forward Evgenii Dadonov to the Montreal Canadiens for the contract of Shea Weber. 

     Dadonov was originally traded by the Golden Knights to the San Jose Sharks, however it was negated. Nobody knew that Dadonov had a 10-team, no-trade list. He finished the 2021-22 season with Vegas. 

     He was with the Florida Panthers in two separate stints for six seasons that stretched from 2009-10 to 2019-20. Dadonov compiled 91 goals and 111 assists for 202 points in 280 games. 

2022-23 NHL Season Starting On Time

     The National Hockey League announced that the upcoming 2022-23 regular season will start on time. It is expected to begin on October 11. 

     The NHL campaign will have a total of 82 regular season games for all 32 teams. This would be the first time since the 2018-19 season, which was prior to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Miami Hosting 2026 World Cup Games

     The city of Miami will be hosting several games of the FIFA World Cup in 2026. The venue that will be used is Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. 

     The 2026 World Cup is being held in the three North American countries of the United States, Canada and Mexico. There were 11 cities in the United States that were selected. Orlando and Tampa Bay were not selected as host cities. 

West Palm Beach Ratings May 2022

     Radio ratings were released for sports talk format radio stations in the West Palm Beach media market. The time span went from the final week of April to the final week of May. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM saw an increase from a 0.5 to a 0.8 in the month. It matched their high in October 2016, November 2016, July 2018 and January 2022. The all-time high for WMEN as a sports radio station was in December 2011 with a 1.1 in that period. The Florida Panthers clinched the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history with the most regular season points. The Panthers won their first postseason series since 1996 as they defeated the Washington Capitals in six games during the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The Cats fell to the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning as they were swept in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

     WBZT-AM changed their brand from Sports Radio 1230 The Zone to Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler on May 16. They also switched syndicated programming from CBS Sports Radio Network to Vegas Stats and Information Network, a.k.a. VSIN. In addition, WBZT added The Greek as their new local mid-afternoon host. 1230 The Gambler stayed at a 0.0 in the period, which is the 24th time in the last 28 months. The Marlins ended April winning seven consecutive games, however they could string two straight wins just once in the month of May. 

Craig Counsell 564th Milwaukee Brewers Win

     Former Miami Marlins player Craig Counsell set the Milwaukee Brewers franchise record with his 564th career win as a manager. He passed Phil Garner for the club record. Counsell has managed the Brewers since May 4, 2015. 

     Counsell joined the Florida Marlins as a second baseman in 1997. He scored the winning run in Game 7 to capture the Marlins first World Series title in team history. 

Phillies Come Back On Marlins

     The Miami Marlins lost on the final pitch to the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday. The Phillies took the three-game series with two walk-off wins. 

     The Marlins, who have fallen in three of their last four games, next play a four-game wraparound weekend series at the National League East Division leader New York Mets. It will be the first time that they face each other in the 2022 campaign. The Phillies have won 11 of their past 13 games. 

     Miami(28-33) waited until the top of the fifth to lead 1-0. Miguel Rojas led off and lifted a solo home run that went off the left-field pole screen on a 0-1 pitch. It turned out to be the fifth homer for Rojas this season. 

     Philadelphia(32-31) came back in the bottom of the ninth to get the walk-off victory. Garrett Stubbs ripped a three-run homer to right field on a 2-2 pitch with two outs. Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto scored in front of him on the play. 

ESPN West Palm Adds Rick Ankiel

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM has named former Major League Baseball player Rick Ankiel as a contributing member of their afternoon program Josh Cohen and The Hometeam every Wednesday. The show consists of Josh Cohen, Din Thomas and Kristina Costanza, a.k.a. Tina Hometeam. 

     Ankiel, a Port St. Lucie High School grad, was in the majors from 1999 to 2013. He had stints with the St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals, Houston Astros and New York Mets. 

Marlins Outlast Phillies

    The Miami Marlins outscored the Philadelphia Phillies 11-9 on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. The Marlins have been victorious in six of their last eight contests. The Phillies lost for just the second time in 12 games. 

     Miami(28-32) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Jesus Aguilar blasted a two-run homer to left-center field on 2-0 pitch with Jorge Soler aboard. It ended up begin Aguilar's ninth home run of the season. Two batters later, Avisail Garcia cleared the center-field fence with a two-run home run on a 2-2 count with Jesus Sanchez on base. 

     Philadelphia(31-31) closed it to 4-1 in the bottom of the third. Former Marlins player. J.T. Realmuto grounded into a force out at second for Kyle Schwarber to score.

     The Phillies compiled three runs to even it 4-4 in the fourth inning. Rhys Hoskins smashed a three-run homer to left field on a 3-1 pitch for his 12th home run of the year. Matt Vierling and Schwarber scored in front of him on the play. 

     It became 8-4 for Philadelphia in the bottom of the fifth. Alec Bohm singled into center field for Realmuto and Didi Gregorius to cross the plate. Four batters later, Hoskins powered a double to center and Bohm along with Vierling reached home. 

     Miami got four runs in the top of the seventh to tie it 8-8. Jacob Stallings connected with a three-run homer to left field on 1-2 pitch for his second round-tripper this season. It was his first home run since opening day in San Francisco against the Giants. Garcia and Berti were able to score on the home run. Jazz Chisholm Jr. came up next and hammered a solo home run to right field on a 1-2 count for his 13th homer of the year. 

     The Phillies pushed ahead 9-8 in the eight inning. Hoskins socked his second home run of the game on a full count for his 13th homer of the 2022 campaign. 

     The Fish bounced back and capitalized on several Phillies errors in the top of the ninth and took the lead 11-9. Garrett Cooper drove in Luke Williams on a base hit through the left side. Two batters later, Aguilar sliced a three-run double into the right-center field gap that scored Nick Fortes and Chisholm. 

Miami Ratings May 2022

     Radio ratings were issued for sports format stations in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale media market. The time span went from the last week of April until the last week of May. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM remained at a 0.7 for the second straight period. The Florida Panthers won the Presidents' Trophy as they finished with the most regular season points in the National Hockey League for the first time. The Panthers defeated the Washington Capitals in six games during the first round to win their first playoff series since 1996. Florida was swept in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM rose from a 0.5 to a 0.6 in the month. The Miami Heat knocked off the Philadelphia 76ers in six games and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in the past three seasons and the sixth occasion in the last 12 seasons. It was the first complete period that The Ticket aired Inter Miami CF games. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM stayed at a 0.1. The Miami Marlins finished the month of April with seven consecutive wins. They only won two straight games only once during the month of May. The Marlins went through a stretch in which they lost 16 of 22 contests. 

     WAXY streaming increased from a 0.1 to a 0.2 in the period. It was the third straight period that it appeared in the ratings. WQAM streaming stayed at a 0.0 while WKIS-FM-HD2 moved from a 0.0 to a 0.1 using WQAM streaming. 

Panthers Ink Anton Levtchi

     The Florida Panthers have signed forward Anton Levtchi. It is a one-year, entry-level deal worth $842,500 between him and the team for the 2022-23 campaign. 

     Levtchi led all Liiga players with 61 points in the 2021-22 season. He was first with 26 goals and second with 35 assists during the regular season with Tampere. He helped the club win their 18th league championship. 

Phillies Slip By Marlins

     The Philadelphia Phillies got by the Miami Marlins 3-2 at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night. The Marlins have lost their last two games following a five-game winning streak. The Phillies are rolling since the managerial change on June 3 going 10-1 in their last 11 games. 

     Philadelphia(31-30) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Bryce Harper doubled to center field and Rhys Hoskins crossed the plate. 

     Miami(27-32) evened it up 1-1 in the fifth inning. Miguel Rojas knocked in Jon Berti on a double into left field. 

     The Marlins gained the lead 2-1 in the top of the sixth. Rojas doubled for the second time in the ocntest. This time it went to deep center and Berti reached home. 

     The Phillies tied it up 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth. Didi Gregorius singled down the right-field line and Hoskins scored. 

     The Phils picked up a walk-off victory during the ninth inning. Hoskins drove in Matt Vierling with a double into center field. 

Orlando Franklin Returns To Denver Radio

     Former Atlantic Eagles and Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Orlando Franklin has returned to the radio airwaves. He began a second stint at 104.3 The Fan KKFN-FM in Denver on Monday as an evening co-host. 

     Franklin was with the same radio station for three years. He joined as a Sunday morning host in August 2018 and was elevated to late morning co-host in August 2019. Franklin left them in August 2021 for a coaching position with the San Francisco 49ers. 

     He played for the Atlantic Eagles from 2003 to 2006 and his school was eliminated by the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders in the FHSAA Class 5A Playoffs during his final three years. Franklin moved on to the University of Miami Hurricanes and participated in 51 games from 2007 to 2010. 

     Franklin was taken 46th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He spent the first four seasons of his seven-year career in the National Football League with that team. 

Panthers Release Ulf Samuelsson & Derek MacKenzie

     The Florida Panthers have let go assistant coaches Ulf Samuelsson and Derek MacKenzie. Samuelsson joined the Panthers organization on November 9, 2019. 

     He was a part of the Panthers coaching staff when his former Hartford Whalers teammate Joel Quenneville was the head coach of Florida. Samuelsson previously was an assistant coach with the Arizona Coyotes, New York Rangers and Charlotte Checkers. 

     MacKenzie was acquired by the Panthers as a free agent on July 1, 2014. He played five seasons with Florida and had 54 points in 304 regular season games. 

Astros End Marlins Winning Streak

     The defending American League champion Houston Astros avoided a three-game series sweep with a 9-4 win over the Miami Marlins at Minute Maid Park on Sunday. The Marlins had their five-game winning streak snapped. The Fish continue their nine-game road trip on Monday in Philadelphia. 

     Houston(37-23) got a 1-0 lead in the opening frame. Michael Brantley grounded out to first for Jose Altuve to score. 

     The Astros made it 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Jeremy Pena smashed a two-run homer to left field on the first pitch with Yuli Gurriel aboard for his ninth home run of the season. Jose Siri scored on a force out to second by Brantley. Two batters later, Yordan Alvarez drove in Brantley with a base hit into center field. 

     Miami(27-31) stepped it up with four runs in the top of the seventh and trailed 5-4. Willians Astudillo reached base on a fielding error and Jorge Soler scored. Bryan De La Cruz later lined a three-run homer to left field on a 0-1 pitch. Astudillo and Fortes scored in front of him on the play. 

     In the eighth inning, Houston capped the contest with four runs. Altuve lifted a three-run home run to left field on a 2-2 pitch with Pena and Jason Castro aboard for his 12th homer of the year. Alvarez eventually knocked in Brantley on a sacrifice fly to center field. 

Gerry Hamilton In Texas

     Former local football recruiting analyst Gerry Hamilton is currently based at The Woodlands, Texas. He works as a senior national recruiting analyst for On3 Sports, On3 Recruits and Inside Texas. 

     Hamilton was based in South Florida during the 2010s. He was the national recruiting analyst for ESPN and all of their platforms. 

     He did work as a television football analyst on WTVX-TV Channel 34 in West Palm Beach on Friday night high school football contests from 2016 to 2019 alongside play-by-play announcer Jeremy Marks-Peltz and later Mike Mreczko. Hamilton did host a weekend show on ESPN West Palm 106/3 WUUB-FM and was the play-by-play announcer for two high school football games in 2019. 

Rickie Ricardo Added To New York Yankees Radio Network

     John Sterling will cut back from some of his road play-by-play announcing duties on the New York Yankees Radio Network for the rest of the 2022 regular season. He will continue to broadcast games in New York City, Boston and Baltimore. 

     Several people will fill in for Sterling on radio broadcasts. Rickie Ricardo was brought in for eight contests during the 2020 Major League Baseball season because Sterling had contracted COVID-19. 

     Ricardo was a sports reporter and WZTA-FM morning host for Clear Channel Miami during the mid 2000s. He moved on from Miami and joined the Philadelphia Phillies as their Spanish language radio play-by-play announcer from 2007 to 2013. 

     He became the Philadelphia Eagles Spanish language radio voice in the late 2000s and currently holds that spot. Ricardo later added duties as the Spanish language radio play-by-play voice of the New York Yankees in 2014 and has done that job for the past nine seasons. He also hosts sports talk programs on Sports Radio 94 WIP-FM in Philadelphia and Sports Radio 66 WFAN-AM in New York City. 

Marlins Stop Astros

     The Miami Marlins handled the Houston Astros 5-1 on Saturday at Minute Maid Park. The Marlins will go for the three-game sweep on Sunday. 

     Miami(27-30) increased their winning streak to five games. Houston(36-23) remains eight games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels for first place in the American League West Division. 

     The Marlins leaped out to a 3-0 lead during the top of the second. They had the bases loaded when Bryan De La Cruz walked and Jesus Aguilar crossed the plate. Luke Williams followed with a single through the left side and Nick Fortes scored. Jon Berti came up next and grounded out to the pitcher for Willians Astudillo to score.

     The Fish expanded it to 4-0 in the third inning. Miguel Rojas grounded into a fielder's choice and Jorge Soler reached home. 

     Houston cut the deficit to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Jose Altuve drove in Jeremy Pena on a double to deep center field. 

     It became 5-1 for Miami in the top of the ninth. Berti was able to knock in Williams with a base hit through the right side. 

Marlins Streak By Astros

     The Miami Marlins made a rare appearance in Houston(36-22) and beat the defending American League champion Astros 7-4 at Minute Maid Park on Friday night. Miami(26-30) extended their winning streak to four games and are 7-3 in the month of June. 

     The Marlins were able to compile four home runs during the contest. Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit two homers in the game and led them to victory. 

Panthers Sign Calle Sjalin

     The Florida Panthers have signed defenseman Calle Sjalin to a deal. It is a two-year, entry-level contract between him and the team that will begin in the 2022-23 season. 

     Sjailin spent the 2021-22 campaign with Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League. He had six goals and 16 assists for 22 points in 46 games last season. 

Marlins Spoil Stephen Strasburg's Season Debut

     Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg made his 2022 Major League Baseball debut at loanDepot park on Thursday night and they fell to the Miami Marlins 7-4. Strasburg has not pitched a MLB game in over a year and last appeared on June 1, 2021. 

     The Fish completed a three-game series sweep against the Nationals and finished the homestand with a 5-2 record. It is their longest winning streak since April 23-30 when they were victorious in seven consecutive games. The Marlins will play only eight home games in the next 31 days. 

     Miami(25-30) jumped on Washington(21-38) with three runs in the first inning. Jesus Sanchez doubledd through the right side for Jazz Chisholm Jr. to score. Jon Berti followed with a base hit to center which brought in Avisail Garcia and Sanchez. Strasburg pitched 4 2/3 innings and surrendered seven runs on eight hits. 

Marlins Walk Off Nationals

     The Miami Marlins topped the Washington Nationals 2-1 in 10 innings on Wednesday night at loanDepot park. The Marlins, who picked up two straight wins for the first time since May 16-17, have won five of their last eight games.

     Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara pitched nine innings and allowed six hits. Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray went five innings and gave up six hits. 

     There was no scoring by Miami(24-30) and Washington(21-37) until the 10th inning. Keibert Ruiz singled into center field for Luis Garcia to score to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead. 

     The Marlins answered back in the bottom of the frame. Willians Astudillo got a base hit to right field and Jazz Chisholm Jr. reached home to tie it up 1-1. Jesus Aguilar lined a single up the middle off second base and Astudillo scored the winning run. 

New York Giants Sign Isaiah Ford

     The New York Giants have signed wide receiver Isaiah Ford. The terms of the deal between him and the Giants is for one year. 

     Ford had two different stints with the Miami Dolphins over the last four seasons. He was taken by the Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Ford had 12 catches for 161 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2021. 

Dallas Stars Re-Sign Alexander Petrovic

     The Dalllas Stars organization has re-signed former Florida Panthers defenseman Alexander Petrovic. He spent the 2021-22 campaign with their American Hockey League affiliate in Frisco and had 19 points in 71 contests. 

     Petrovic played his entire nine-season NHL career with the Florida Panthers. The exception was his nine-game stint after he was traded by Florida to the Edmonton Oilers on December 30, 2018. He played 254 games with the Panthers and compiled 49 points. 

Katie Gaus Joins Altitude TV

     Former Florida Panthers television rinkside reporter Katie Gaus has joined Altitude TV in Denver. She will work as a studio host and rinkside reporter on Colorado Avalanche games. 

     Gaus announced on May 30 that she was leaving her position as rinkside reporter for Bally Sports Florida and digital reporter of the Florida Panthers. She became a part of Fox Sports Florida telecasts of the Panthers in September 2019. 

Marlins Sock Nationals

     Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit his first career grand-slam homer as the Miami Marlins knocked off the Washington Nationals 12-2 at loanDepot park on Tuesday night. The Marlins have been victorious in four of their last seven contests. 

     Miami(23-30) broke out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning. The Marlins had the bases loaded with two out. Nick Fortes drove in Avisail Garcia  on a base hit into right field. 

     Chisholm followed with a grand-slam home run to center field on a 3-0 count. Bryan De La Cruz, Miguel Rojas and Cortes scored in front of him on the play. It turned out to be the ninth homer by Chisholm this season. 

     It became 10-0 for the Marlins in the bottom of the fourth. Fortes cracked a three-run homer to left field on the first pitch with Jon Berti and Rojas aboard for his second home run of the year. Two batters later, Jorge Soler added a two-run homer over the center-field wall on a 0-0 count for his 12th homer of the season and a Marlins 10-run gap. 

     Washington(21-36) surrendered two more runs during the fifth inning and trailed 12-0. Chisholm collected his second home run of the game and 10th this season with a two-run homer on the first pitch. He became the first Marlins leadoff hitter to have at least six runs batted in since Kurt Abbott on July 17, 1996. 

     The Nationals got on the scoreboard and broke the shutout in the top of the sixth. Luis Garcia smacked a solo home run to right-center field on a 2-0 count for his first homer of the 2022 campaign. 

     The Nats cut it to 12-2 in the eighth inning. Nelson Cruz sliced a double into right field and Lane Thomas crossed the plate. 

Jordan Travis On Athlon Sports Magazine Cover

     Former Benjamin Buccaneers and current Florida State University Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis appears on the Florida edition national magazine cover of Athlon Sports. Travis showed up on the Lindy's Sports national magazine cover Florida edition last week. 

     Travis was the starting quarterback for Benjamin through the 2017 season. He began his college football career with the University of Louisville and stayed with the Cardinals for one season. Travis transferred to Florida State in December 2018. 

Tua Tagovailoa Lindy's Sports Magazine Cover

     The annual pro football magazines began to roll out this past week. All of them usually have an edition with a Miami Dolphins player on the cover.

     Lindy's Sports has Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa appear on their magazine cover in 2022. It is the second straight year that Tagovailoa showed up of the cover of that publication. 

Chris Wideman Staying With Canadiens

     Former Florida Panthers defenseman Chris Wideman has signed a contract extension with the Montreal Canadiens. It is a two-year deal through the 2023-24 season worth $1.525 million. 

     Wideman was with the Florida Panthers for one season in 2018-19. He played in just one game and spent the rest of the campaign in the American Hockey League. 

Giants Splash Marlins

     Donovan Walton had a grand-slam homer to lead the San Fransico Giants over the Miami Marlins 5-1 at loanDepot park on Sunday. Miami has not won consecutive games since May 16 and May 17. 

     Both teams ended up splitting the four-game weekend series. They will have Monday off and resume their schedules on Tuesday. The Marlins will remain home to face the Washington Nationals while the Giants host the Colorado Rockies. 

     San Francisco(29-24) raced out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Donovan Walton lifted a grand-slam homer over the right-center field wall on the first pitch from Marlins starting pitcher Braxton Garrett. Thairo Estrada, Jason Vosler and Curt Casali scored in front of Walton on the play. 

     It was the first grand-slam home run for Walton in his Major League Baseball career. The Giants got their second grand-slam homer in this four-game series. Brandon Crawford hammered one back on Friday night during the seventh inning. 

     Miami(22-30) closed it to 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Garrett Cooper powered a solo home run to right field on a 1-0 count for his fourth homer of the season. 

     The Giants were able to add an insurance run to make it 5-1 in the eighth inning. Austin Slater singled into left field and Casali crossed the plate. 

Marlins Step By Giants

     The Miami Marlins overcame a four-tun margin and got a 5-4 walk-off victory over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night at loanDepot park. Both teams will play the final game of the four-game series on Sunday. 

     San Francisco(28-24) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Jason Vosler cracked a solo homer to right field on a 1-0 pitch for his fourth home run of the year. 

     The Giants extended it to a four-run gap in the top of the fourth. Donovan Walton doubled to deep left field for Joc Pederson, Brandon Crawford and Thairo Estrada to cross the plate. 

     Miami(22-29) compiled four runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie it up 4-4. Jesus Sanchez knocked in Avisail Garcia on a double into center field. Sanchez would score on a stolen base of second by Jon Berti and a throwing error by catcher Joey Bart. Garrett Cooper later singled to right which brought in Berti and Jazz Chisholm Jr. 

     The Marlins got the walk-off win in the ninth inning. Sanchez hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Luke Williams scored. 

Giants Rout Marlins

     The San Francisco Giants bashed the Miami Marlins 15-6 at loanDepot park on Friday night. It was the second contest of a four-game series between both teams. 

     Miami(21-29) has surrendered 28 runs in their last three games. San Francisco(28-23) has won four of their last six contests. 

WQBA And WAQI Sold

     TUDN Radio 1140 WQBA-AM and Radio Mambi 710 WAQI-AM has been sold by TelevisaUnivision to Latino Media Network. The deal also involves 16 other radio stations in the United States and is worth $60 million. 

     WQBA flipped from a Spanish language news talk format to a Spanish language sports talk format in April 2017. It initially carried Univision Deportes Radio and was later branded TUDN Radio. 

     The radio station was the Spanish language flagship station of the Miami Heat, during their three NBA Championship seasons, from the 2004-05 to the late 2010s with play-by-play announcer Jose Paneda. He has held the post with the team since the 1989-90 season. 

     WQBA has been the Spanish language flagship station of the Miami Dolphins since 2010, with the exception being the 2016 season. They did have the Spanish language radio rights to Miami FC in the 2017 season with Arley Londono as play-by-play announcer. 

Phillies Let Go Joe Girardi

     The Philadelphia Phillies have fired manager Joe Girardi. He has been at that post for the last three seasons. Girardi had a 132-141 record with the Phillies and finished second in the National League East Division last season. 

     Girardi first managed in the majors with the Florida Marlins in 2006. He was there for just one season with a 78-84 record and was named the National League Manager of the Year. 

     He joined the New York Yankees as their manager in 2008. Girardi led them to the 2009 World Series title in 2009 and the club has not won a championship since then. Girardi was let go after the Yankees were eliminated in the 2017 American League Championship Series to the Houston Astros. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick To Retire

     Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is set to retire from the National Football League. He played with the Washington Football Team in 2021. 

     Fitzpatrick joined the Miami Dolphins in 2019 and was with the team for two seasons. He had 494 completions for 5,620 passing yards and 33 touchdowns with the Dolphins. Fitzpatrick had stints earlier with the St. Louis Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers prior to his arrival in Miami. 

Marlins Shut Out Giants

     The Miami Marlins blanked the San Francisco Giants 3-0 at loanDepot park on Thursday night. The Marlins did not have much time to prepare for this contest. Miami played a doubleheader in Denver against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday and returned on a flight home overnight. 

     Miami(21-28) got a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Jacob Stallings picked up a base hit through the left side to score Avisail Garcia. 

     The Marlins added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth for a 3-0 lead. Jesus Aguilar drove in Jorge Soler with a double into the left-field corner. Two batters later, Miguel Rojas singled up the middle which brought in Aguilar for a three-run margin over San Francisco(27-23).

Joe Dunand Gone From Marlins

     Miami Marlins infielder Joe Dunand has been claimed by the Atlanta Braves. He was sent to the Braves Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett.

     Dunand, a nephew of Alex Rodriguez, made his debut in the majors on May 7 with the Marlins. He hit a solo home run to left-center field in his first Major League Baseball at-bat. Dunand ended up playing three games and had a .300 batting average, .364 on-base percentage, .700 slugging percentage and 1.064 OPS. 

Marlins Complete Deal

     The Miami Marlins completed a trade that they made with the Baltimore Orioles back in April. The Marlins sent a player to be named later with outfielder Kevin Guerrero and pitcher Antonio Velez for relief pitchers Cole Sulser and Tanner Scott. 

     The player being dealt is pitcher Yaqui Rivera. He was recently signed recently by the Fish and participated in the Dominican Republic Summer League last season. 

Blake James Boston College Athletic Director

     Blake James has joined Boston College as the new athletic director. He moves from one Atlantic Coast Conference school to another. 

     James was the athletic director for the University of Miami from 2013 until November 2021. He held position of senior associate athletic director for development and ticket sales from 2004 to 2013. 

Rockies Outscore Marlins

     The Colorado Rockies outpaced the Miami Marlins 13-12 in 10 innings at Coors Field on Wednesday night. It was the second game of a doubleheader between both teams. The Marlins won the earlier contest 14-1 to split the doubleheader. 

     Miami(20-28) finished up an eight-game road trip and return to South Florida. They will begin a four-game weekend series against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night. 

      There were six lead changes in the first six innings of the contest. After giving up one run in the top of the 10th, Colorado(23-27) answered back with two runs in the bottom of the frame on a Brendan Rodgers two-run homer to left-center field on a 3-2 pitch. It was his third home run of the game and the first walk-off hit in his Major League Baseball career. 

Marlins Dominate Rockies

     The Miami Marlins blew out the Colorado Rockies 14-1 on Wednesday at Coors Field. It was the first game of a doubleheader between both clubs. 

     Miami(20-27) put up one run in the top of the second and four more runs in the top of the fifth for a 5-0 lead. Colorado(22-27) surrendered three runs in the sixth inning along with six runs in the seventh inning and trailed by a 14-run margin. 

Jordan Travis On Lindy's Sports Magazine Cover

     The state of Florida edition of annual Lindy Sports college football magazine was released this week. Several athletes with local roots appeared on the 2022 magazine cover. 

     It included former Benjamin Buccaneers player and current Florida State University Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis. He was the quarterback for Benjamin through the 2017 season. Travis began his college football career with the University of Louisville for one season in 2018 and transferred to FSU in December 2018.