Panthers Eliminate Bruins in Game 7

     The Florida Panthers shocked the Boston Bruins 4-3 in overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at TD Garden on Sunday night. The Panthers won the best-of-seven series 4-3 and will face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the next round. It was just the Panthers second series win since the 1996-97 season and third series win in franchise history. 

     It may be the biggest upset in Stanley Cup history. Boston set NHL records in the regular season with 65 wins and 135 points along with capturing the Presidents' Trophy. Florida came in as the lowest seed in the Eastern Conference. 

     There was a 43-point differential between both clubs during the 2022-23 regular season. It was the second largest differential in postseason history that turned out to be an upset. 

     It was just the third time that the Florida Panthers played in a Game 7 during the Stanley Cup Playoffs in their franchise history. They defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road back in the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals and lost to the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in 2012.

     Panthers head coach Paul Maurice marked a major accomplishment. He became the third head coach in National Hockey League history to be victorious in his first four Game 7 contests behind the bench. 

     Sergei Bobrovsky became the first goalie in NHL history to defeat two teams with at least 60 regular season wins in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He helped the Columbus Blue Jackets knock off the Tampa Bay Lightning back in 2019. 

     Florida opened up the scoring on the power play with 7:37 left in the first period. Anton Lundell fed a pass from the left wing. Brandon Montour backhanded a shot from the inner left circle past Jeremy Swayman, who played in his first game in the series, for his fourth goal of the postseason. Montour became the first Panthers defenseman to score in a Game 7. Bobrovsky was credited with a secondary assist from earlier in the play. It was his first playoff assist of his career. 

     The Panthers expanded their lead to 2-0 at the 1:14 mark of the second period. Aaron Ekblad stopped a clearing pass on the right point. Lundell swiped a backhand pass from the top of the zone. Eetu Luostarinen teed it up at the inner right circle and Sam Reinhart snapped a shot from the high slot for his fourth goal of the series. 

     Boston answered back on the man advantage at 7:52. Pavel Zacha pushed the puck from the right wing. Dmitry Orlov angled a pass from the top of the zone. David Krejci got his first goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as he blasted a one-time slap shot from the left circle by Bobrovsky. 

     In the third period, the B's tied it up 2-2 on the power play 55 seconds in. Krejci backhanded a pass from the right side. Orlov skated several steps from the top of the zone and took a wrist shot. It was deflected at the top of the crease by Bertuzzi for his fifth tally of the postseason. Orlov collected his eighth assist in the series against the Panthers. 

     The Bruins got their first lead of the contest 3-2 at 4:11. Brandon Carlo released a slap shot from top right circle which was saved. David Pastrnak rifled a one-time slap shot from the left circle for his fifth goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Krejci picked up another assist in the game.     

     Florida pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 1:58 to go. Carter Verhaeghe connected a diagonal pass from the right wing. Aleksander Barkov placed a shot from the top of the zone which went off a Boston defender in the slot area. Montour smashed a a one-time slap shot from the left circle with 59.3 seconds remaining in the third for his second goal of the game and fifth of the series. 

     The Panthers wrapped up the series at the 8:35 mark in overtime. Matthew Tkachuk touched the puck from behind the Bruins cage. Sam Bennett steered it from the end wall. Carter Verhaeghe snapped a high shot from the right-circle dot for the series-clinching goal and his second goal of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Verhaeghe clinched and capped Florida's series win in Game 6 against the Washington Capitals last season. 

Heat Handle Knicks In Game 1

     The Miami Heat held off the New York Knicks 108-101 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. The Heat lead the best-of series 1-0. 

     Two of the lowest seeds in the Eastern Conference faced each other in the second round. The eighth-seeded Miami Heat upset the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks while the five-seeded New York Knicks knocked off the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. 

     It is the sixth time in NBA history that the Heat and the Knicks have met in the postseason. Miami prevailed in 1997 and 2012. New York won three consecutive years in the NBA Playoffs from 1998 to 2000. 

     New York ran out to a 31-22 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Knicks had a 55-50 advantage at halftime. 

     Miami outscored the New York 31-20 during the third quarter and led 81-75 heading into the final frame. The Knicks came close to the lead 97-94 with 4:53 left in the fourth, however the Heat answered back with seven straight points to bring back to a double-digit lead. 

     Jimmy Butler led Miami with a double-double of 25 points and 12 rebounds. Bam Adebayo added 16 points along with eight rebounds. Gabe Vincent contributed 20 points while Kyle Lowry dropped by 18 points. 

     R.J. Barrett fell short of a double-double with 26 points and nine rebounds. Jalen Brunson scored 25 points with seven assists. Obi Toppin chalked up 18 points and eight rebounds. 

Marlins Sweep Cubs

     The Miami Marlins pulled off a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs with a 4-3 victory on Sunday at loanDepot park. The Marlins were able to extend their winning streak to four games. 

Marlins Leap Over Cubs

     The Miami Marlins piled on the Chicago Cubs 7-6 at loanDepot park on Saturday. The Marlins have already won the three-game series and will go for the three-game weekend sweep on Sunday. 

     Miami(15-13) jumped out to a 5-0 lead with five runs during the bottom of the first. Chicago(14-12) answered back and put up two runs in the top of the second. The Marlins added one run in the third inning and one run in the fourth inning and regained a five-run margin. 

Inter Miami CF Topples Columbus

     Inter Miami CF disposed of the Columbus Crew 2-1 on Saturday night at Lower.com Field. It ended a six-game losing streak for Inter Miami CF. 

     All three goals in the contest happened during the first half. It turned out to be a fast start for Inter Miami CF (3-6-0) as Leonardo Campana scored in the seventh minute of play. 

     Columbus(4-4-2) answered back in the 10th minute when Cucho Hernandez found the cage to tie it 1-1. Campana put in his second goal of the contest during the 41st minutes to give Inter Miami CF a 2-1 lead. 

Miami Dolphins Complete NFL Draft

     The Miami Dolphins finished up the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City on Saturday. The Dolphins had just two selections in the final four rounds of the draft. 

     Miami entered the sixth round and selected Stanford University tight end Elijah Higgins. The Fins went with offensive lineman Ryan Hayes from the University of Michigan in the seventh round. 

Panthers Stop Bruins In Game 6

     The Florida Panthers remained alive in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs as they prevailed over the Boston Bruins 7-5 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at FLA Live Arena on Friday night. The best-of-seven series and now tied at 3-3. Game 7 will be played at TD Garden in Boston on Sunday. 

     Florida got a power-play goal at the 2:01 mark of the first period. Aleksander Barkov sent the puck from the right circle and Matthew Tkachuk connected a pass from the low right circle. Brandon Montour snapped a shot from the top left circle past Linus Ullmark for his third goal of the series. 

     Boston tied it up 1-1 with the man advantage at 6:09. Charlie McAvoy forwarded the puck from the right point to Brad Marchand in the low right circle. He placed a cross-ice pass and Tyler Bertuzzi pushed the puck in from the top of crease by Sergei Bobrovsky for his third tally of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     The Panthers capitalized on a Bruins mistake and made it 2-1 with 6:08 left in the first. Kyle Clifton sent an outlet pass from his own zone and it was intercepted by Nick Cousins. He came into the Boston zone on a two-on-one breakaway on the right side and took a shot which was saved. Tkachuk guided in the rebound from the left side of the crease for his fourth goal of the postseason. 

     In the second period, the B's evened it 2-2 on the power play at 5:42. McAvoy moved the puck from the top of the zone to Marchand on the left point. He skated to the top left circle and advanced it to David Pastrnak at the left goal line. Pastrnak collected his third goal of the series when he took a forehand shot between his legs. 

     It became 3-2 for the Panthers at 9:22 of the second. Carter Verhaeghe passed from the neutral zone. Aleksander Barkov pulled off a give-and-go pass with Anthony Duclair in the slot area. Barkov scored on a backhand shot his first goal of the series from the top of the crease.

     The Bruins matched it again at the 1:33 mark of the third period to tie ti up 3-3. Carlo curled a pass from above the right circle and Bertuzzi snapped a high shot from the right-circle dot for his second goal of the contest and fourth goal of the postseason. Marchand was credited with a secondary assist on the play. 

     Boston got their first lead of the game 4-3 on the power play at 3:53 of the third. Marchand angled a pass from the right wing to Bertuzzi to the right of the crease. He made a backhand cross-ice pass and Pastrnak ripped a slap shot from the low left circle for second tally of the game and fourth goal in the series. 

     The Cats tied it up 4-4 at the 7:21 mark. Anton Lundell pushed the puck from behind the cage and Eetu Luostarinen connected a pass from the end wall. Zac Dalpe blasted a slap shot from the low slot for his first career playoff goal. 

     The B's scored a shorthanded goal with 9:38 left in the third period for a 5-4 lead. Dmitry Orlov dumped the puck deep into the Panthers zone. Pavel Zacha backhanded a pass from the left corner. Jake DeBrusk got it in the slot area, skated on net and put in a backhand shot. 

     The Cats still scored later in the power play 27 seconds later to even it up 5-5. Gustav Forsling passed it from the blue line and Lundell made a lead pass from the right wing. Tkachuk snapped a shot from the right of the crease for his second goal of the contest and fifth goal of the series.

     Florida kept the momentum with 5:38 remaining in the third and took the lead 6-5. Montour prevented a clearing pass at the right point. Luostarinen skated to the top left circle and powered in a wrist shot for his second goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     Boston pulled their goalie with around two minutes to go. Sam Reinhart banked the puck off the side boards and iit went into the empty net with 28 seconds left. 

Marlins Walk Off Cubs

     The Miami Marlins returned from a seven-game road trip and slipped by the Chicago Cubs 3-2 at loanDepot park on Friday night. The Marlins began a six-game homestand. 

     Miami(14-13) got the game-winning run over Chicago(14-11) in the bottom of the ninth. Jean Segura singled up the middle and Garrett Hampson crossed the plate. 

Miami Dolphins Make Selections

     The Miami Dolphins made their first selections in the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City on Friday night. The Dolphins had no first-round pick during the first round of the draft last night.

     The Dolphins choose defensive back Cam Smith of South Carolina with the 51st overall pick in the second round of the draft. The Fins decided on Texas A&M running back Devon Achane during the third round.  

Florida Panthers Handshake Lines

     There is a possibility that there may be a handshake line in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at FLA Live Arena following the conclusion of Game 6 between the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins tonight It could happen if Boston defeats Florida to end the best-of-seven series. 

     The handshake line is one of the biggest traditions during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The first handshake was between Maurice Richard of the Montreal Canadiens and Jim Henry of the Boston Bruins on April 8, 1952 in the Montreal Forum after Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals. The handshake line is a sign of sportsmanship and respect between both teams at the conclusion of a postseason series. 

     There have only been five handshake lines involving the Florida Panthers in a South Florida venue. Three handshake lines happened at Miami Arena during the Panthers long playoff run in 1995-96. They defeated the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, beat the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and lost to the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Finals. Florida was defeated in the first round by the New York Rangers in 1996-97.

     Two handshake lines have occurred at their current arena in Sunrise. The Panthers were eliminated by the New Jersey Devils on two occasions. New Jersey was victorious over Florida in the 1999-2000 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals and the 2011-12 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. 

Zay Flowers And Calijah Kancey Selected

     Zay Flowers was selected in the 2023 National Football League Draft. He was taken with the 22nd overall pick in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens. 

     Flowers played high school football with the University School Sharks. He later participated with Boston College as a wide receiver in college football. 

     Calijah Kancey was the other South Florida native chosen in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 19th overall pick. 

     Kancey was with the Miami Northwestern Bulls while playing high school football. He later went to the University of Pittsburgh as a defensive tackle. 

Lamar Jackson Re-Signing With Ravens

     Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has agreed to re-sign with the club. It is a five-year contract extension worth $260 million. 

     He has been with the Ravens for the past five seasons. Jackson captured the National Football League Most Valuable Player Award in 2019. 

     Jackson played high school football with the Boynton Beach Tigers. He helped the school reach the FHSAA Playoffs in 2013 and 2014. Jackson moved on to the University of Louisville and won the Heisman Trophy in 2016. 

Marlins Jump Braves

     The Miami Marlins scored five runs in the top of the ninth as they jumped over the Atlanta Braves 5-4 at Truist Park on Thursday. The Marlins snapped a four-game losing streak. 

     The game was stopped in the top of the fourth and the weather delay lasted almost three hours. Division foes now play 12 division games this year instead of 19 division games last in previous seasons. The Marlins will return to Atlanta for two more games later in the 2023 regular season.

     Atlanta(17-9) piled on four runs in the bottom of the fourth following the long delay. It was a strange half inning as Miami(13-13) only allowed just one hit out of the infield during that rally. 

Dolphins Inactive In First Round

     The National Football League held the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City on Thursday night. The Miami Dolphins had no selections on the first night of the draft. 

     The Dolphins were slated to pick 21st overall in the first round. The NFL took away their selection late last year due to the tampering of quarterback Tom Brady by Dolphins owner Stephen Ross along with a person in their team operations department. 

Heat Vanquish Bucks In Game 5

     The Eastern Conference lowest-seeded Miami Heat came back from a 16-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter and defeated the Eastern Conference top seed Milwaukee Bucks 128-126 in overtime in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Fiserv Forum on Wednesday night. The Heat won the best-of seven series 4-1 and eliminated the Bucks for the second time in four seasons. 

     It was the just the sixth time in NBA history that a #8 playoff seed knocked off a #1 playoff seed. It was only the fourth time this occurrence happened in a seven-game series. 

     The Bucks had the best record in National Basketball Association during the 2022-23 regular season with a 58-24 record. Milwaukee exited from the NBA Playoffs in the first round for the first time since 2017-18. 

     Miami will take on their longtime nemesis the New York Knicks in the next round. Both teams will meet for the sixth time ever in the NBA Playoffs. 

     Jimmy Butler passed Chris Bosh for third place all-time in Miami Heat franchise history in career postseason points. Butler also set another team record with his eighth 40-point postseason game. 

     Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra collected his 100th victory in the NBA Playoffs to tie Larry Brown for fifth all-time in NBA history. He passed legendary Boston Celtics head coach Red Auerbach who had 99 career postseason wins. 

     Miami started off up 36-33 at the end of the first quarter. Milwaukee moved by them and led 69-63 at halftime. 

     The Heat had an 81-80 lead with 7:18 remaining in the third quarter. The Bucks went on a 22-5 run for the rest of the frame and were ahead 102-86. The Heat put in eight straight points to begin the fourth quarter on 25-9 spurt and tied it 111-111 with 2:11 left. Jimmy Butler caught an in-bound pass on an alley-oop and scored the basket in mid-air to put it into overtime 118-118 with no time remaining in the fourth. 

     In overtime, Miami started the extra session and outscored Milwaukee 8-1 in the first three minutes and led 126-119. Grayson Allen never got off a running jump shot in the lane from five-feet away to tie it up because time expired. 

     Butler chalked up a game-high 42 points along with eight rebounds for the Heat. Bam Adebayo compiled a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Kevin Love had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Gabe Vincent was able to drop in 22 points in the victory. 

     The Bucks were led by Giannis Antetokounmpo as he scored a team-high 38 points and a brought down a game-high 20 rebounds. Khris Middleton contributed 33 points with six assists and six rebounds. Brook Lopez got a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. 

Panthers Overtime Win Over Bruins In Game 5

     The Florida Panthers remained in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at TD Garden on Wednesday night. The Panthers have been victorious in two games at Boston during this series. The Bruins lead the best-of-seven series 3-2. Game 6 will be played at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise on Friday night. 

     Defenseman Aaron Ekblad returned to the Panthers lineup after missing Game 4. Bruins center Patrice Bergeron participated in his first contest in the series. 

     Florida became the final team in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs to score in the first period. They made it 1-0 at the 8:26 mark of the opening frame. Tyler Bertuzzi sent a bad backhand pass to his own slot area. Carter Verhaeghe picked up the puck in the low slot and was forced to carry it. He centered it from left side of the cage. Anthony Duclair batted the puck in from the low slot past Linus Ullmark for his first goal in the playoffs.  

     In the second period, Boston evened it up 1-1 on the power play at 2:27. Charlie McAvoy took a snap shot from the left circle which was saved by Sergei Bobrovsky. Brad Marchand flicked the puck into the net from the blue paint for his fourth goal of the series. 

     The Panthers reclaimed the lead 2-1 with 1:08 remaining in the second. Nick Cousins touched the puck and Verhaeghe connected a pass from the left wing. Sam Bennett snapped a shot from the high slot for his third tally of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     The B's scored with the man advantage at the 4:33 mark. McAvoy sent a cross-ice pass from the right point. Marchand took a wrist shot from the left point and it was redirected in by Bergeron from the low slot. 

     The Cats pulled ahead 3-2 just 41 seconds later on the power play. Aleksander Barkov angled a pass from the top of the zone. Matthew Tkachuk centered from the right wing and Sam Reinhart scored on a one-time shot from the inner right circle for his second goal of the postseason. 

     The Bruins tied it 3-3 at 9:16 of the frame. Charlie Coyle cycled the puck from the left corner. Brandon Carlo rifled a slap shot from the left point. Taylor Hall controlled the puck and then snapped a shot from the high slot for his fifth goal of the series. 

     Florida scored at 6:05 in overtime for a 4-3 win. Ullmark backhanded the puck from behind his cage and it was intercepted by Verhaeghe on the end wall. He centered it and it went off Ullmark in the blue paint. Tkachuk hustled in for the loose puck in the low slot, went around the goalie and lifted a backhand shot into a wide-open net from the right of the crease. It was the third goal for Tkachuk in the postseason. 

Braves Come Back On Marlins

     The Atlanta Braved overcame the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Wednesday night at Truist Park. The Marlins, who have lost four straight games, will complete a seven-game road swing on Thursday. 

     Miami(12-13) led the contest 4-0 in the middle of the sixth inning. Atlanta(17-8) climbed back into this game with two runs in the bottom the sixth. The Braves added four more runs in the eighth inning to take a 6-4 lead. 

Willie Snead IV Remains With 49ers

     Former Glades Central Raiders wide receiver Willie Snead IV will be staying with the San Francisco 49ers. He has agreed to a one-year contract. 

     Snead participated in four games with San Francisco last season and was not involved on any offensive plays. He previously played for the New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders during his eight-year NFL career. 

Braves Breeze By Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves eased by the Miami Marlins 7-4 on Tuesday night at Truist Park. The Marlins extended their losing streak to three games. Both clubs will continue the four-game series on Wednesday and Thursday. 

     Atlanta(16-8) attacked in the bottom of the first. Austin Reiley singled into center field for Ronald Acuna Jr. to score. 

     Miami(12-12) evened it up 1-1 during the top of the third. Jazz Chisholm Jr. powered a solo home run to right-center field on a 2-1 pitch for his fourth homer of the season. 

     The Braves added three more runs in the fourth inning to lead 4-1. Ozzie Albies made it 5-1 on a homer to left-center field on a 0-2 count for his sixth home run of the year. 

560 WQAM Marks 30th Anniversary

     560 WQAM-AM reached their 30th anniversary as an all-sports talk radio station earlier this month. They changed their brand, slogan and color scheme to Sports Radio 560 WQAM at the start of the Florida Marlins regular season. The Marlins opened up their inaugural season in Major League Baseball at Joe Robbie Stadium on April 5, 1993. 

     The schedule in April 1993 had The First Team with Jimmy Cefalo and Dave LaMont on the morning shift, John Moynihan in late mornings, Rush Limbaugh in the midday shift, Hank Goldberg in the afternoon block and Ed Kaplan held late nights. 

     There have been a number of broadcasters that had long reigns working at WQAM. Joe Rose has co-hosted or hosted the morning show with two stints from late 1993 to December 2001 and from 2007 to the present. 5 Reasons Sports podcast host Jeff DeForrest was part of The First Team from late 1996 until December 2001. Florida Panthers television play-by-play announcer and WFOR-TV sportscaster Steve Goldstein had reigns from late 1994 to 2004 and from June 2009 to September 2012. 

     Hank Goldberg was mainly the afternoon host there from late 1992 to December 2007. Neil Rogers dominated South Florida hosting the midday shift from late 1997 until his retirement in June 2009. Jim Mandich, a.k.a. Mad Dog, was around from the mid-1990s until he retired in February 2010. Ed Kaplan started at WQAM in 1986 and moved on in 1994. He had a second stint with them from 1997 to late 2008. 

     Marc Hochman has co-hosted the afternoon show since April 2014. Channing Crowder joined him on that program in August 2015. Zach Krantz was at WQAM as a producer in 2004 and then later was an on-air sidekick/co-host from 2007 to December 2022. "The Big O" Orlando Alzugaray was there for two stints from 1995 to September 2010 and from August 2014 to November 2018. Kevin Rogers and Alex Donno had tenure as evening hosts and studio hosts at WQAM in the 2010s and early 2020s. 

     Other on-air talent and producers previously on WQAM have moved on elsewhere in the broadcasting industry throughout the United States. Jon " Boog" Sciambi splits his time as a Major League Baseball and college basketball play-by-play announcer with ESPN along with being the Chicago Cubs television play-by-play announcer for Marquee Sports Network. Bob Wischusen has numerous roles which includes college football, college basketball and NHL play-by-play announcer with ESPN. He is also the radio play-by-play announcer of the New York Jets. Chris Moore works as a weekend sports host on CBS Sports Radio Network and WFAN-AM in New York City. 

     Scott Ferrall is the afternoon sports host on SportsGrid. Phil Schoen handles soccer play-by-play announcer duties for beIn Sport and as the radio voice of Inter Miami CF. Jody Jackson is a studio host of Arizona Diamondbacks and Arizona Coyotes contests on Bally Sports Arizona. 

     Jorge Sedano and Scott Kaplan both co-host an afternoon show on KSPN-AM in Los Angeles. Sedano also does work for ESPN while Kaplan is an NFL sideline reporter for CBS Sports. Sid Rosenberg is the morning host on WABC-AM in New York City. Jesse Agler is the lead radio play-by-play announcer of the San Diego Padres. Dan Le Batard, "Stugotz" Jon Weiner, Roy Bellamy, Michael Ryan Ruiz and the rest of that show's staff are now at Meadowlark Media. Evan Cohen co-hosts the morning show on Mad Dog Radio at SiriusXM Radio. Adam Kuperstein is now a news anchor and news reporter at WNBC-TV. 

     On-air talent, producers and engineers contributed to WQAM over the past 30 years. They included David Schultz, Dan Sileo, Jon Linder, Curtis Stevenson, Greg Likens, Mike Levine, Adam Kuperstein, Michael Irvin, Gino Torretta, Warren Cromartie, Jim "Tree" Crawford, Jim "Fix It" Yelton, Ron Flatter, Larry Blustein, Joe Zagacki, Steve Shapiro, Dave O' Brien, Jason Jackson, Josh Friedman, Jennifer Figueroa, Robert Grieper, Carlos Pickerie, Sean Stanley, Tito Benach, Dan Day, Alejandro Solana, Danny Rabinowitz, Danny Garcia, Vladimir Louissaint, Eric Lauzin, Stefan Delabastied, Matthew Wilson, Zack Duarte, Chris Wittyngham, Jeff Foxx, Ed Freeman, Steve White, Scott Sharpe, Anita Marks and Tony Marino. 

Tyler Huntley Staying In Baltimore

     Former Broward County high school quarterback Tyler Huntley has re-signed with the Baltimore Ravens. He was tendered by the club as a restricted free agent back in March. Huntley is expected to receive $2.63 million for the upcoming 2023 season. 

     Huntley played high school football with the Hallandale Chargers. He faced fellow Ravens teammate and starting quarterback Lamar Jackson for the District 15-6A title on October 31, 2014. Hallandale defeated Jackson and the Boynton Beach Tigers 38-36 on a last-second field goal that day. Huntley later participated with the University of Utah in college football. 

Butler Sets Record, Heat Beat Bucks In Game 4

     Jimmy Butler set a Miami Heat franchise record with 56 points in an NBA Playoffs game as the Heat outhustled the Milwaukee Bucks 119-114 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Monday night at Kaseya Center. Butler, who scored a career-high 56 points, tied for the fourth-most points in a playoff game in NBA postseason history with Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley. Bucks center Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to their lineup after missing Game 2 and Game 3 of the first-round series. 

     The Heat now lead 3-1 in the best-of-seven series and can clinch the series on Wednesday night. Miami has been up 3-1 during a postseason series 13 times in team history and have never blown it. 

     Milwaukee roared out to a 17-5 advantage with 6:55 left in the first quarter. The Heat answered back as Jimmy Butler led the way with a 21-11 run and trailed 28-26 with 1:57 to go in the first. The Bucks held a 33-28 lead by the end of the first quarter. 

     Butler set a new Miami Heat franchise record scoring 22 points in the first quarter, which included 20 consecutive points for the team during a stretch. He tied a Miami Heat NBA Playoffs record by Dwyane Wade with the most points scored in any quarter with 22. 

     Miami kept the momentum and tied it 38-38 with 6:41 remaining in the second quarter. Milwaukee took over late in the quarter and had a 57-50 halftime lead. Butler compiled 24 points while Antetokounmpo had 17 points at halftime. 

     The Heat were behind by around 10 points in the first nine minutes of the second half. The Bucks led 89-78 at the end of three quarters. 

     Milwaukee had a 101-89 lead with 6:09 remaining in the fourth quarter. Miami poured in 13 consecutive points to led 102-101 with 3:19 left in the fourth. Both teams exchanged the lead several times in the final three minutes of the contest. Butler dropped in a field goal with 58.2 seconds to go and gave them a 112-110 lead. He set a Miami Heat franchise record with that basket as he collected his 51st point on the play. LeBron James had 49 points against the Brooklyn Nets back on May 12, 2014. 

     The Heat scored 41 points in the fourth quarter of this game to also chalk up another Heat franchise record. Butler was able to compile 21 of his 56 points in the final frame. 

     Butler ended up with a game-high 56 points and nine rebounds for Miami. Bam Adebayo added 15 points along and eight rebounds in the victory. Gabe Vincent missed a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds while Caleb Martin drained in 12 points. 

     The Bucks got 36 points and 11 rebounds from Brook Lopez for a double-double. Antetokounmpo pulled off a triple-double with 26 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Khris Middelton and Jrue Holiday both scored 14 points each. 

Braves Bash Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves smashed the Miami Marlins 11-0 at Truist Park on Monday night. The Houston Astros pulled off a three-game sweep of the Braves in Atlanta this past weekend. The Marlins are now 2-2 on their seven-game road trip. 

     Atlanta(15-8) starting pitcher Spencer Strider was pitching a perfect game through six innings. Jazz Chisholm Jr. got on base with none out on fielding error by Matt Olson at first base. 

     Miami(12-11) broke it the no-hitter with one out in the top of the eighth. Jean Segura reached out over the plate with his bat and singled to shallow left field.

Ryan Maguire Joins Westwood One

     Former Miami radio executive Ryan Maguire has joined Westwood One as their vice president of affiliate relations for sports. He leaves his position as director of content at Good Karma Brands Milwaukee, WTMJ-AM and WKTI-FM. Maguire received that post in February 2022. 

     Maguire was the program director at 560 WQAM-AM from May 2015 to February 2018. He held numerous program director positions prior to his arrival in Miami. Maguire was at WQSN-AM in Kalamazoo, WLBY-AM in Ann Arbor, WTKA-AM in Ann Arbor, WSSP-AM in Milwaukee, KCSP-AM in Kansas City and KDKA-FM in Pittsburgh. 

     After his stint in South Florida, he became the director of programming at KIRO-FM in Seattle from March 2018 until August 2019. He moved on to SpokenLayer as a producer in April 2020. Maguire joined Barrett News Media as a columnist in September 2020. 

     Maguire then picked up two different positions. He started at WMVP-AM in Chicago as the Chicago White Sox Radio Network executive producer in December 2020. Maguire added duties as a writer with Barrett Sports Media during 2021. 

Bruins Escape Panthers In Game 4

     The Boston Bruins outlasted the Florida Panthers 6-2 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at FLA Live Arena on Sunday. The Bruins have a 3-1 series lead in the best-of-seven series and can eliminate the Panthers on Wednesday night in Game 5. 

     The Panthers have lost their last four home postseason games. They are 3-5 at home in the last three seasons in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     Casey Fitzgerald made his postseason debut with the Florida Panthers. He and his father Tom Fitzgerald became the first father-son duo to play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with Florida. Tom Fitzgerald participated with the Cats during their first five seasons of the franchise from 1993-94 until 1997-98. Fitzgerald is a cousin of Panthers right wing Matthew Tkachuk. 

     Boston took a 1-0 lead at the 9:45 mark of the first period. David Pastrnak made a diagonal pass from the right circle. Tyler Bertuzzi one-timed a forehand shot from the left of the crease followed by Pavel Zacha from close range and Sergei Bobrovsky made both saves. Brad Marchand poked in the loose puck from the blue paint for his third goal of the series. 

     The Bruins struck early in the second period at 1:52 with the man advantage. Taylor Hall carried the puck to the high slot area and angled a pass. Dmitry Orlov snapped a shot from the right circle and it was deflected in by Jake DeBrusk at the top of the crease for his second tally of the postseason. 

     Florida closed it to 2-1 with 4:00 left in the second. Brandon Montour pushed the puck from the right corner and Carter Verhaeghe placed it on the back lip of the cage. Matthew Tkachuk swooped in and picked up the puck on the right goal line. He pulled the puck to underneath his body and shot it between his legs past Linus Ullmark for his for second goal of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     In the third period, the B's regained a two-goal lead 3-1 at the 2:26 mark. Nick Foligno cycled the puck from the right wing. Brandon Carlo released a slap shot from the right point and Bertuzzi redirected it in from the inner right circle for his second goal of the series. 

     The Panthers stayed in it with a power-play goal at 6:11 and were down 3-2. Tkachuk connected a pass from the top of the zone to Brandon Montour at the top left circle. His forehand shot went off the stick of a Bruins defender. Sam Bennett scored on a second attempt at the top of the crease for his second tally of the postseason. 

     It became 4-2 for the B's at 8:05. Hall sent a cross-ice pass from the right circle and Zacha fired a one-time shot from the left circle. It was saved and DeBrusk guided it in from the top of the crease for his second goal of the contest and third goal of the playoffs. 

     Boston increased it to 5-2 with 3:36 left in the third. Tomas Nosek lifted a backhand pass out of his own zone. Hall went around Radko Gudas in the neutral zone for a breakaway and put in a forehand shot. Ullmark was credited with a secondary assist on the play. Hall added another empty-net goal with 28.8 seconds remaining. 

Guardians Hold Off Marlins

     The Cleveland Guardians hampered the Miami Marlins 7-4 at Progressvie Field on Sunday. The Marlins, who swept a doubleheader yesterday, head for Atlanta to face the Braves.

     Cleveland(11-11) starting pitcher Logan Allen made his Major League Baseball debut with the club. Miami(12-10) scored the first run of the contest during the top of the third. They gave up six unanswered runs over the next five innings of play. 

Heat Slay Bucks In Game 3

     The Miami Heat wiped out the Milwaukee Bucks 121-99 at Kaseya Center in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Saturday night. The Heat lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 will be held on Monday night at the same venue. 

     Miami held a 29-22 advantage at the end of first quarter. They maintained a 66-53 lead at halftime. The Heat stayed ahead 94-79 by the end of the third quarter. Milwaukee could never chip at the lead in the final frame and were outscored in all four quarters of the contest. 

     The Heat picked up a game-high 30 points from Jimmy Butler. The team had great bench scoring as Duncan Robinson contributed 20 points and Kyle Lowry added 15 points. Bem Adebayo compiled a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. 

     Khris Middleton led the Bucks with a club-high 23 points and six assists. Jrue Holiday dropped in 19 points while Grayson Allen had 14 points. 

Marlins Sweep Doubleheader From Guardians

     The Miami Marlins were victorious in both ends of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday at Progressive Field. It was the first matchup between both clubs since the Guardians changed their nickname from Indians before the 2022 season.

     Miami(12-9) won the first game of the doubleheader 6-1. Cleveland(10-11) lost the second game of the twin bill as they were edged 3-2. 

     Both franchises are best remembered meeting in the 1997 World Series. The Marlins won Game 7 at Miami in the 11th inning by the score of 3-2 when Edgar Renteria singled up the middle to score Craig Counsell. It gave the then Florida Marlins their first World Series title in franchise history. 

Houston Dynamo Waltz By Inter Miami CF

     The Houston Dynamo tangled and defeated Inter Miami CF 1-0 at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday night. It was the first time both clubs have faced each other in Houston for a Major League Soccer game. 

     Inter Miami CF(2-6-0) has not played a game in two weeks. They have lost six straight contests since winning their first two regular season games in 2023. Inter Miami CF now shares the basement for last place in the Eastern Conference with CF Montreal. 

     Houston(4-3-1) scored the only tally of the contest during the 72nd minute of play. Daniel Steres scored on a left-footed volley from 12 yards away. 

Bruins Handle Panthers In Game 3

     The Boston Bruins knocked off the Florida Panthers 4-2 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at FLA Live Arena on Friday night. The Bruins now lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. 

     It was the first time in 27 years that Boston played a Stanley Cup Playoff game in South Florida. The last time that it happened was when the Panthers eliminated the Bruins in Game 5 of the 1996 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Miami Arena. Bill Lindsay got the go-ahead goal as he went around Ray Bourque and scored while in mid-air on a forehand shot past Bill Ranford with 4:57 left in the third period. Lindsay was introduced to the crowd in Sunrise during a pregame ceremony. 

     It turned out to be the first postseason series victory for the Panthers in franchise history. Florida went on to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the next two rounds to capture the 1996 Eastern Conference Championship. 

     The Panthers had their complete roster that they have used since early March. The Bruins were without Patrice Bergeron for the third straight game of the series. He is expected to be back for Game 5. David Krejci was also missing from the Bruins lineup.  

     Boston rolled out to a 1-0 lead at the 2:26 mark of the first period. Dmitry Orlov send a lead pass from his own right circle. Taylor Hall skated from outside the Panthers blue line to above the top right circle and snapped a shot past Alex Lyon for his second goal of the series. 

     In the second period, the B's increased their lead to 2-0 at 6:00. Brad Marchand released a wrist shot from the right point and Charlie Coyle redirected it in from the top of the crease. The Cats had only 12 shots on goal after two periods. 

     It became 3-0 for the Bruins at the 8:32 mark of the third period. Tyler Bertuzzi touched the puck on the end wall. Orlov connected a long lead pass from his own zone to David Pastrnak behind the defense at the Panthers blue line. He skated into the left circle and scored on a snap shot for his second tally of the postseason. 

     Florida surrendered another goal and were down 4-0 with 8:15 left in the third. Hall backhanded a pass from the right wing and Nick Foligno steered it in from the crease area by Sergei Bobrovsky. 

     The Panthers broke the shutout with 5:19 remaining in the frame. Eric Staal made an outlet pass from the Florida zone and Eetu Luostarinen sent a diagonal pass in the neutral zone to Gustav Forsling. He moved to the left circle and blasted a slap shot past Linus Ullmark for a shorthanded goal. It was just the third shorthanded goal ever scored by the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Lindsay accomplished it in 1996 and Tomas Kopecky did it in 2012. Staal chalked up his 37th career postseason assist. 

     The Cats pulled their goalie for an extra attacker and they succeeded with 4:01 to go and trailed 4-2. Sam Reinhart poked in the puck from the blue paint for his fourth career playoff goal. Aleksander Barkov and Anton Lundell were credited with assists on the play. Barkov passed Jonathan Huberdeau for first all-time in Florida Panthers history with his 17th career postseason assist. 

Marlins And Guardians Postponed

     The Miami Marlins contest at the Cleveland Guardians was postponed on Friday night due to inclement weather. It will be made up tomorrow in a doubleheader between both clubs. 

     The Marlins and the Guardians have not met each other since the Guardians changed their nickname from the Indians. Both teams faced each other in the 1997 World Series and the Marlins captured their first world championship in franchise history.

West Palm Beach Ratings March 2023

     The West Palm Beach sports talk radio ratings were issued. The time span went from the first week of March to the last week of March. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM surprisingly dropped from a 0.7 to a 0.5 in the period. The Florida Atlantic University Owls men's basketball won their first four games in the NCAA Tournament and reached the Final Four for the first time in school history. This story caused a tremendous buzz and found a new audience among local listeners. WMEN was not planning to have the New York Yankees Radio Network for the second year in a row in 2023. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM finished with a 0.2 for the seventh straight month. They were getting ready to broadcast Miami Marlins regular season games to celebrate their 30th anniversary. The Florida Panthers fought down the stretch for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. 

Chosen Anderson Signs With Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins have signed wide receiver Chosen Anderson to a deal. It is a one-year contract worth $1.165 million. 

     Anderson split his time last season between the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals. He had a combined 20 pass receptions for 282 receiving yards and one touchdown between in 16 games with both clubs. 

Bucks Blast Heat In Game 2

     The Milwaukee Bucks pounded the Miami Heat 138-122 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Wednesday night a Fiserv Forum. The Bucks evened the best-of-seven series 1-1. The Heat will host Game 3 on Saturday night. 

     Milwaukee rolled out to a 35-28 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Bucks outscored the Heat 46-27 during the second quarter and had a 81-55 halftime lead. Miami sank behind even more in the second half and trailed 118-85 after three quarters. 

     Jimmy Butler led Miami with a team-high 25 points. Bam Adebayo dropped in 18 points and Gabe Vincent scored 16 points.  

     Jrue Holiday had 24 points and eight assists in the victory for Milwaukee. Brook Lopez drained in 25 points while Khris Middleton contributed 16 points. 

Panthers Stun Bruins In Game 2

     The Florida Panthers surprised the Boston Bruins 6-3 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at TD Garden on Wednesday night. The Bruins and the Panthers are tied 1-1 in the best-of-seven series. The first-round series will shift to FLA Live Arena for Game 3 on Friday night and Game 4 on Sunday afternoon.

     Panthers center Sam Bennett returned to the lineup in Game 2. He had missed the last 13 contests for the Cats. 

     Neither club was able to score during the first period. Florida scored at the 1:42 mark of the second period to make it 1-0. Matthew Tkachuk stopped an outlet pass at the top of the Bruins zone and passed ahead. Bennett got to it in the slot area and snapped a forehand shot from the low slot by Linus Ullmark. 

     Boston tied it up 1-1 on a shorthanded goal with 7:47 left in the second. Anthony Duclair turned the puck over in the Cats defensive zone on a cross-ice pass to the middle that was deflected by Tomas Nosek. Brad Marchand skated with it to the high slot and placed a snap shot past Alex Lyon for his second tally of the series. Marchand set a new Bruins franchise record scoring in his seventh-straight consecutive postseason game. 

     The Panthers quickly answered back with 5:42 to go in the period for a 2-1 lead. Eric Staal pushed by the puck ahead from the neutral zone to Nick Cousins on the left side. He centered it to the middle and Staal ripped a wrist shot from the high slot.     

     The B's made it 2-2 with 2:59 remaining in the frame on the power play. Dmirty Orlov angled a pass from the top of the zone to Pavel Zacha on the right wing. His one-time slap shot went off the foot of Tyler Bertuzzi for his first career playoff goal. 

     In the third period, the Cats found the net in a 4-on-4 situation just 22 seconds in and reclaimed the lead 3-2. Aleksander Barkov touched the puck on the left goal line and Sam Reinhart cycled the puck from behind the Bruins cage to Brandon Montour on the right point. He moved slightly to the middle and placed in a forehand shot. 

     Florida got a two-goal cushion at 7:00 of the third. Tkachuk collected the puck at the right point and angled a pass to his left from the high slot. Carter Verhaeghe put in a snap shot from the low left circle to give Florida a 4-2 lead. 

     It became 5-2 for the Panthers with 7:30 left in the third. Colin White won the faceoff in the right circle and Cousins passed it back to Montour on the right point. Montour rifled a slap shot from the top of the zone for his second tally of the game. Montour is the first defenseman in Florida Panthers franchise history to score twice in a contest during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     The Bruins pulled their goalie in the last couple of minutes of the third period. Eetu Luostarinen scored an empty-net goal for Florida with 2:25 remaining to make it 6-2. Boston cut it to 6-3 with 1:10 to go on a goal by Taylor Hall. 

Miami Ratings March 2023

     Miami/Fort Lauderdale sports talk radio stations received their ratings. The time span went from the first week in March until the last week in March. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM bounced back from a 0.4 to a 0.5 in the period. The University of Miami Hurricanes basketball team had a tremendous run in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and reached the Final Four for the first time in school history. The Miami Heat were on their way to a winning record this season and a position to make the NBA Playoffs. The Florida Panthers played nine home games during the period and were battling it out for an Eastern Conference wild-card playoff spot. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM dropped to a 0.1 after being at a 0.2 for the three straight months. The Miami Marlins celebrated their 30th anniversary as a Major League Baseball franchise as they began the 2023 regular season. 

     The WQAM stream went up from a 0.1 to a 0.2 in the period. They had more game broadcasts than usual with the numerous broadcast timing conflicts between the University of Miami Hurricanes basketball team, Miami Heat and Florida Panthers. WKIS-FM-HD2 remained at a 0.0 in the month. 

Giants Rally By Marlins

     The San Francisco Giants avoided a three-game series sweep with a 5-2 win in 11 innings against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on Wednesday. The Marlins finished the homestand with a 4-2 record and have won six of their last eight contests. The Giants snapped a five-game losing streak and concluded a five-game road trip with a 1-4 mark. 

     The Marlins celebrated the 20th anniversary of their upset victory over the Giants in the 2003 National League Division Series. The Fish took that best-of-five series 3-1. The series ended in Game 4 when Jeff Conine threw the ball from left field to home plate and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez tagged out J.T. Snow while getting barreled over in the top of the ninth for the final out of the game.

     San Francisco(6-11) moved out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Darin Ruff doubled off the left-center field wall and Wilmer Flores crossed the plate. Marlins starting pitcher Trevor Rogers left the game after that play due to an injury.

     Miami(10-9) evened it up 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Garrett Cooper singled through the left side and Garrett Hampson scored. 

     The Giants got the victory in the top of the11th. Michael Conforto blasted a two-run homer to right-center field on the first pitch with ghost-runner Thairo Estrada aboard. It was the fourth home run for Conforto this year. 

     They continued the rally later in the frame. Three batters later, Mike Yastrzemski belted a two-run home run to right field on a 1-1 count to make it 5-1. American Heritage High School grad David Villar was on base during the play. It was his second homer for Yastrzemski versus the Marlins in the last two games and his fourth overall this season. 

     The Marlins put up one run in the bottom of the 11th. Jon Berti knocked in Avisail Garcia on a double down the right-field line. 

Roxy Bernstein ESPN NHL Announcer

     Former Florida Marlins radio play-by-play announcer Roxy Bernstein has been working National Hockey League games on ESPN, ESPN+ and Hulu. He was involved in two games for them in April 2022. Bernstein was brought back to call NHL contests by ESPN earlier this year in January. He was assigned several first-round games in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs by that organization. 

     Bernstein, a University of California-Berkeley grad, was employed with the Florida Marlins Radio Network. He was a radio play-by-play announcer working with Dave Van Horne from 2005 until 2007. 

     He has been extremely busy over the last 15 years. Bernstein worked as the radio play-by-play announcer on University of California men's basketball games, hosted weekend shows on 95.7 The Game KGMZ-FM in San Francisco, once handled college football radio play-by-play announcer duties alongside Gino Torretta on Touchdown Radio Productions and continued as a Pac-12 Networks college football and college basketball play-by-play announcer. He began play-by-play announcing with ESPN several years ago. 

Marlins Speed By Giants

     The Miami Marlins were victorious over the San Francisco Giants 4-2 on Tuesday night at loanDepot park. The Marlins continued to roll as they have won six of the last seven contests. The Giants are currently 0-4 on their road trip. 

     San Francisco(5-11) rocketed out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Thairo Estrada singled to left field with one out and then stole second. Mike Yastrzemski came up and powered a two-run homer to right field on a 2-0 pitch for his third home run of the season. It would be the only runs for the Giants in the game. 

     Miami(10-8) trailed 2-1 in the bottom of the third. Jon Berti hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Jacob Stallings reached home. 

     The Marlins took a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning. Jazz Chisholm Jr. lifted a three-run homer to right field on a 1-0 count with Jorge Soler and Bryan De La Cruz aboard. It ended up being the third home run for Chisholm in 2023. 

Florida Panthers Get Uvis Balinskis

     The Florida Panthers have signed a deal with defenseman Uvis Balinskis. It is a one-year, entry-level contract that goes into effect for the 2023-24 season. 

     Balinskis played this past season with the Liberec White Tigers of the Czech Extraliga. He compiled 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points in 50 games during the regular season. Balinskis led all defensemen in the league in goals and points. He finished up third in assists for defensemen. 

Bruins Top Panthers In Game 1

     The Florida Panthers opened their campaign in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs and fell to the Boston Bruins 3-1 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at TD Garden on Monday. The Bruins lead the best-of-seven series 1-0. 

     The B's entered the playoffs setting the National Hockey League single-season records with 65 wins and 135 points during the 2022-23 regular season. They easily captured the Presidents' Trophy. The Cats finished up with 92 points and landed in the Eastern Conference second wild-card spot. 

     Both franchises have met only once time in the postseason. The Panthers defeated the Bruins in Eastern Conference first round during the 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Florida was able to prevail in five games and clinched the series on a Game 5 go-ahead goal by Bill Lindsay in Miami Arena with less than five minutes left in the third period. 

     Boston raced out to a 1-0 lead with the man advantage at 5:58 of the first period. David Krejci took a one-time slap shot from the top left circle and Alex Lyon made a leg save. Tyler Bertuzzi made a blind backhand pass from the top of the crease and David Pastrnak put in a forehand shot from the inner right circle into a wide-open net. 

     In the second period, the Bruins extended their lead to 2-0 at the 3:41 mark. Dmitry Orlov backhanded the puck out of his zone. Charlie McAvoy made a left outlet pass from the neutral zone. Brad Marchand skated into the Florida zone and scored on a wrist shot from the top left circle.      

     Florida cut it to 2-1 at 6:34 of the period. Orlov touched the puck in the right corner and bounced to the middle of the Bruins zone. Matthew Tkachuk collected it in the inner right circle and flipped a shot from the right of the crease by Linus Ullmark. 

     It became 3-1 for Boston with 2:28 left in the second. Jake DeBrusk poked the puck into the cage from the edge of the blue paint. Bertuzzi and Pavel Zacha were both credited with assists on the play. 

Marlins Ride By Giants

     The Miami Marlins got by San Francisco Giants 4-3 at loanDepot park on Monday night. The Marlins have won five of their last six games. The Giants continued another long road trip in the eastern half of the United States during their first month of the regular season. 

     San Francisco(5-10) got out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Heliot Ramos drove in Joey Bart with a double to the left-field warning track. It was the first run batted in for Ramos in his MLB career. 

     The Giants expanded the gap to three runs in the top of the third. American Heritage High School grad David Villar doubled to right-center field for Wilmer Flores and Darin Ruf to score. 

     Miami(9-8) began to climb back into the contest in the bottom of the third. Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled up the middle and Jesus Sanchez reached home. 

     The Fish closed it to 3-2 during the sixth inning. Luis Arraez knocked in Chisholm on a base hit through the right side. 

     In the seventh inning, the Marlins leaped over the Giants to take a 4-3 lead. Pinch-hitter Jorge Soler bashed a go-ahead, two-run homer to center field on a 0-1 pitch with Jean Segura aboard. It was the fifth home run of the season for Soler. 

National Television Announcers For Panthers Series

     The national television announcing crews were revealed for the upcoming Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series between the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins. Contests will be split between the two national television carriers of the National Hockey League. 

     ESPN will carry the first two games of the series to be held at TD Garden in Boston. The broadcast will have their top announcing staff on the call. Sean McDonough will be the play-by-play announcer, Ray Ferraro handles the game analyst role and Emily Kaplan is the rinkside reporter. 

     McDonough, a Syracuse University grad, is in his second season as the lead hockey play-by-play voice at ESPN. Ferraro has worked several decades announcing contests on TSN Canadian television. Kaplan has worked as a writer for ESPN since 2017. 

     Turner Sports will broadcast Game 3 and Game 4 at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise. Jim Jackson, Jody Shelley and Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre will be the announcers. 

     Jackson, a Syracuse University grad, has been the Philadelphia Flyers television play-by-play announcer since 1995. He was the Flyers radio voice for two seasons prior to that. Shelley has been the television game analyst of the Columbus Blue Jackets since the 2014-15 campaign. Grand-Pierre has been a Columbus Blue Jackets television studio game analyst since 2019-20. 

Steve Lapa Starts New Website

     Former South Florida radio executive Steve Lapa has started a new business venture. He has launched the website 3MinutePlanner.com as the founder and owner. 

     He is the owner of Lapcom Communications. Lapa branched out becoming the owner, founder and affiliate relations manager of Lapcom Ventures.

     Lapa worked in management at James Crystal Radio Group in Fort Lauderdale during the 2000s and 2010s. He was the vice president and general manager of 850 WFTL-AM, 640 WMEN-AM and 1400 WFLL-AM. Lapa did write the Steve Lapa Daily in the late 2010s. 

Dan Le Batard Show In New Studio

     The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz launched its Meadowlark Media program in their studio on Monday. It is located on Brickell Avenue just across the street from Bayside and several blocks south of the Miami Heat's home Kaseya Center. 

     The show just ended a long reign with their studio located at The Clevelander in South Beach that started just a little while after they joined ESPN Radio. Le Batard, Stugotz and their entire production crew of Roy Bellamy, Chris Cote, Michael Ryan Ruiz, Jessica Smetana, Billy Gil, Luis, Jeremy Tache and Mike Fuentes were part of their first program in their new location. 

Heat Upset Bucks In Game 1

     The Miami Heat began their foray into the 2023 NBA Playoffs and upended the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks 130-117 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Fiserv Forum on Sunday night. The Heat lead the best-of-seven series 1-0. 

     Both clubs have met each other in the postseason in three of the past four years. The Heat had their highest-scoring postseason game in franchise history with 130 points. They did have 125 points against the Boston Celtics in a 2020 playoff game. 

     Miami started out with an 24-12 spurt in the first eight minutes to begin the contest. They held a 33-24 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

     Milwaukee scored nine consecutive points and they were down 43-42 with 7:24 to go in the first half. Miami bounced back with a 12-4 turn and led 55-46 with 3:52 to go. The Heat kept the lead and were up 68-55 by halftime. 

     The Heat had a double-digit lead during the opening minutes of the second half. The Bucks put in 11 unanswered points and trailed 78-75 with 5:16 remaining in the third. Miami responded back and made it a 10-point margin 93-83 with 2:27 to go in the frame. The Heat led 102-88 at the conclusion of the third quarter. 

     Miami expanded it to a 15-point gap, their largest margin at that point of the game, 105-90 at 11:13 of the fourth. Milwaukee cut the deficit to 122-114 with 2:03 left in the final quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler led the Heat with a game-high 35 points and 11 assists for a double-double. Bam Adebayo was able to drop in 22 points in the victory. Kevin Love made his Miami Heat playoff debut and compiled 18 points along with eight rebounds. Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin both had 15 points each. 

     Khris Middleton had a team-high 33 points for the Bucks. Jrue Holiday contributed a double-double of 16 points and 16 assists. Bobby Portis contributed 21 points and eight rebounds.              

Diamondbacks Blank Marlins

     The Arizona Diamondbacks shut out the Miami Marlins 5-0 at loanDepot park on Sunday. The Diamondbacks avoided a three-game sweep to the Marlins. 

     Miami starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara ended up with the loss as he allowed five runs on seven hits and struck out nine batters in six innings of work. Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen went 6 2/3 innings and surrendered no runs on two hits for the victory. 

     Arizona(9-7) had a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Alek Thomas singled up the middle and Corbin Carroll was able to score. 

     The Diamondbacks piled on four more runs in the sixth inning for a 5-0 lead. Pavin Smith drove in Jose Rojas with a base hit into right field. Christian Walker followed with a double to the right-center field wall and Smith crossed the plate. 

     Carroll came up next and smashed a two-run homer to center field on the first pitch for his fourth home run of the 2023 season. Walker scored in front of him on the play. 

     Miami(8-8) tried the break the shutout in the ninth inning. They got their first two batters on base, however Jorge Soler grounded into a double play to end the game. 

Marlins Move By Diamondbacks

     The Miami Marlins edged the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 on Saturday at loanDepot park. The Marlins will go for the three-game sweep on Sunday. 

     Arizona(8-7) scooted out to a 1-0 lead during the first inning. Christian Walker hit a sacrifice fly to left field and Ketel Marte reached home. 

     Miami(8-7) matched it in the bottom of the fifth. Garrett Hampson socked a solo home run down the left-field line on a 3-2 pitch for his first homer of the campaign. 

     It became 2-1 for the D-Backs in the top of the seventh. Gabriel Moranso singled up the middle to score Corbin Carroll. 

     The Marlins leaped over their opponent in the bottom of the seventh to lead 3-.2. Jean Segura knocked in Avisail Garcia as he dumped a base hit into right field. Two batters later, Luis Arraez fisted a singled into shallow center field and Segura scored the go-ahead run. 

War Memorial Auditorium Update

     The South Florida media was given a Fort Lauderdale War Memorial Auditorium update by Florida Panthers President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Caldwell during the first intermission of their home game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. The announcement cleared up several things about the status of the renovated facility. 

     Caldwell mentioned that the timeline for the project had fallen behind. It was expected to be done sometime during this summer. It is anticipated that it will be completed during the fall season. 

     This information has changed some future plans of the Florida Panthers for the upcoming 2023-24 National Hockey League season. The team could possibly hold training camp at the new facility this September, however they may have to use the ice rinks at their longtime training facility in Coral Springs. 

     An additional issue was what the club would do next season for off-day practices outside of their main headquarters at FLA Live Arena. It looks like they may begin the campaign with Coral Springs as their facility. The Panthers would try to hold some practices at the Fort Lauderdale War Memorial Auditorium venue later in the 2023-24 regular season once the construction project was completed. 

Heat Run Down Bulls And Advance

     The Miami Heat eliminated the Chicago Bulls 102-91 in the NBA Play-In Tournament at Kaseya Center on Friday night. The Heat advanced to the 2023 NBA Playoffs as the eighth-seeded and will face the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in Wisconsin on Sunday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. 

     The Heat reached the NBA Playoffs for the 12th time in the last 15 seasons. It will be the 24th postseason appearance for the team in franchise history. Miami and Milwaukee will meet each other for the third time in four years. 

     Miami pulled out to a 29-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. They were able to stay in front 49-44 at halftime. Chicago kept in close range and had a slight 68-67 advantage after three quarters. The Bulls had a 10-3 spurt and led 81-75 with 8:27 to go in the fourth. The Heat answered back with a 21-10 run. It was capped by a Max Strus three-point shot from the right side with 1:14 left to make it 96- 91.  

     Strus and Jimmy Butler shared a game-high with 31 points each in the victory. Tyler Herro compiled 12 points, seven assists and eight rebounds. Bam Adebayo grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds and poured in eight points. DeMar DeRozan fell short of a double-double for the Bulls with a club-high 25 points and nine assists. 

Marlins Slide By Diamondbacks

     The Miami Marlins handled the Arizona Diamonbacks 5-1 at loanDepot park on Friday night. The Marlins returned home following a six-game road swing in New York and Philadelphia. 

     Miami(7-7) piled on five runs during the bottom of the fourth. Jacob Stallings singled up the middle for Avisail Garcia to cross the plate. Garrett Hampson followed with a double off the left-field wall to score Jean Segura. Jon Berti came up next and doubled down the left-field line for Stallings and Hapson to score. Garrett Cooper continued the rally as he drove in Berti with a base hit to center for a 5-0 lead. 

     Arizona(8-6), who entered the contest leading the National League West, got their only run in the top of the seventh. Gabriel Moreno grounded into a fielder's choice and Evan Longoria reached home. 

Showtime Adds Rachel Nichols

     Former South Florida sportswriter Rachel Nichols has joined Showtime. She began Headliners With Rachel Nichols as a studio host yesterday. The program will be on Thursday nights at 10 P.M. 

     Nichols was first noticed locally as a sportswriter for the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel from 1995 to 1996. She went on to work for the Washington Post, ESPN, CNN and Turner Sports. 

Marlins Trade Alex De Goti

     The Miami Marlins have dealt Alex De Goti to the Minnesota Twins for cash considerations. He signed a minor league contract prior to the 2023 regular season. 

     De Goti was signed by the Marlins on December 1, 2022. His only experience in Major League Baseball was when he batted two-for-six with two runs and one RBI for the Houston Astros in 2021. 

Mike Dee Exits Audacy

     Former Miami Dolphins executive Mike Dee is exiting Audacy. He held the position of President of Sports with them and under their previous name Entercom for the past six years. He will continue as a senior advisor at Audacy.

     Dee was Chief Executive Officer of the Boston Red Sox. He then joined the Miami Dolphins as their President and Chief Executive Officer. Dee moved to the west coast and became the President and Chief Operating Officer of the San Diego Padres. 

Anaheim Ducks Part Ways With Dallas Eakins

     The Anaheim Ducks have not renewed the contract of head coach Dallas Eakins. He has been the head coach of the club since the 2019-20 season and had a 100-147-44 record. 

     He had a reign as a head coach with the Edmonton Oilers from 2013 to December 2014. He landed with the San Diego Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks AHL affiliate, and had a tenure there from 2015-16 until 2018-19. 

     Eakins played with the Florida Panthers in their first two NHL seasons of the franchise in1993-94 and 1994-95. He participated in just one contest during their inaugural season. Eakins played in 17 games during the shortened 1994-95 campaign and chalked up one assist. He returned to the Panthers in their final season at Miami Arena in 1997-98 and had one assist in 23 contests.

Panthers And Bruins Series Set

     The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs will begin next week as the Florida Panthers challenge the Presidents' Trophy winners the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Game 1 will be in Boston on April 17(Monday) and Game 2 will be in the same venue on April 19(Wednesday). Game 3 at FLA Live Arena will occur on April 21(Friday) and Game 4 will happen on April 23. If necessary contests include Game 5(April 25) in Boston, Game 6(April 27) in Florida and Game 7(April 29) in Boston. 

     Both teams have postseason history against each other. The Florida Panthers met the Boston Bruins in the 1996 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The Panthers won their first Stanley Cup Playoff series in franchise history during their third season in existence. Florida defeated Boston in the best-of-seven series 4-1. 

     Game 5 in Miami Arena is best remembered for a third-period, go-ahead goal by Bill Lindsay as he went around Ray Bourque in the right circle and slid a forehand shot while in mid-air past Bill Ranford from the top of the crease. The goal gave the Panthers 4-3 lead with 4:57 left in the third. 

Craig Anderson Retires

     Former Florida Panthers goalie Craig Anderson announced his retirement from the National Hockey League. He played his final game with the Sabres in Buffalo on Thursday night and picked up a 4-3 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators. 

     He finished with 319 career wins, which is the fifth most among goalies born in the United States in NHL history. Anderson, a Broward County resident, played in 709 NHLcontests and had a 2.86 goals-against-average, .912 save percentage and 43 shutouts. He was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2017. 

     Anderson was with the Florida Panthers from 2006-07 until 2008-09. He compiled a 24-14-7 with a 2.52 goals-against-average and a .928 save percentage in 53 games while in Florida. 

Panthers Lose Home Finale To Hurricanes

     The Carolina Hurricanes clinched the Metropolitan Division as they defeated the Florida Panthers 6-4 at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise on Thursday night. Regardless of the result, Florida has reached the postseason for the fourth consecutive season. The team only had four playoff appearances from their inaugural season in 1993-94 until the 2014-15 campaign. 

     The Panthers finished with the Eastern Conference second wild-card spot and will play the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals next week. The Carolina Hurricanes ended up first in the Metropolitan Division and will challenge the New York Islanders in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     It was Fan Appreciation Night at the venue. The team had the Jerseys Off Their Back ceremony involving players and the fans following the game. It was the first time the club held the event since 2019. 

     The Panthers clinched their first division title, the Southeast Division crown, in franchise history on April 7, 2012 against Carolina. The Hurricanes became the second visiting team to ever clinch a division title in Sunrise. The Montreal Canadiens wrapped up the Atlantic Division title back on April 3, 2017. 

     Carolina(52-21-9) made it 1-0 at the 8:21 mark. Sebastian Aho won a faceoff in the right circle. Seth Jarvis touched it on the right wing and Aho sent the puck to the right point. Brent Burns blasted a one-time slap shot for his 17th goal this season with his new team. 

     The Hurricanes increased it to 2-0 at 1:12 of the second period. Jesperi Kotkaniemi rainbowed a snap shot from the above the right circle past Alex Lyon for his 18th goal of the campaign. 

     Florida(42-32-8)

Marlins Slip By Phillies

     The Miami Marlins picked up a 3-2 victory in 10 innings over the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies  on Wednesday in Citizens Bank Park. The Marlins completed a six-game road trip and will host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.

     Miami(6-7) scored in the top of fourth to go up 1-0. Bryan De La Cruz singled into right field on a full count to score Luis Arraez. 

     Philadelphia(4-8) evened in up 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Brandon Marsh got a base hit through the right side and Nick Castellanos crossed the plate. Marsh extended his hitting streak to five games. 

    The Phillies took the lead 2-1 in the fifth inning. Bryson Stott doubled to the base of the right-field wall and Kody Clemens scored from first. 

     In the eighth inning, the Marlins tied it 2-2. Jorge Soler smashed a leadoff solo home run to left-center field on a 2-1 pitch. It was his fourth homer so far this season. 

     The Fish reclaimed the lead 3-2 during the 10th inning. De La Cruz knocked in Nick Fortes with a single down the right-field line. 

Panthers Ink Mike Benning

     The Florida Panthers have signed defenseman Mike Benning. It is a three-year, entry-level contract between him and the club. He was selected by the Florida Panthers in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. 

     He had been with the University of Denver for the last three seasons. Benning captured an NCAA Division I national championship with the Pioneers in 2022 and was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Frozen Four. Benning was fourth with 13 goals and tied for fifth with 34 points among defensemen this season. 

     Benning and his family have roots in the National Hockey League. His father Brian Benning played his final two NHL seasons during the Florida Panthers first two NHL seasons in 1993-94 and 1994-95. He had 31 points in 97 games with Florida. His older brother Matt Benning is currently playing with the San Jose Sharks in his seventh NHL season. 

Florida Panthers Clinch Playoff Spot

     The Florida Panthers clinched a postseason berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday night, even though they did not participate in any contest. The Panthers reached the postseason for the fourth consecutive year, which is a franchise record. Florida, who have 92 points with one game left, will finish either in the top Eastern Conference wild-card spot or the second wild-card spot.  

     The Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night and remain at 90 points with one game left. The Cats have the tiebreaker against them in regulation-overtime wins and regulation victories. The Buffalo Sabres were on the road and were eliminated as they fell to the New Jersey Devils in regulation time. 

Hawks Hinder Heat

     The seventh-place Miami Heat did not move into the NBA Playoffs with a 116-105 defeat to the eight-place Atlanta Hawks in an NBA Play-In Tournament game at Kaseya Center on Tuesday night. The Heat will host another play-in tournament contest on Friday night against either the ninth-place Chicago Bulls or the tenth-place Toronto Raptors. The Hawks will visit the Boston Celtics for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon. 

     It was the first time in Miami Heat franchise history that the team was involved in a play-in tournament. The concept has been used by the National Basketball Association since 2020. 

     Atlanta rolled out to a 23-13 in the first eight minutes of the contest and led 36-27 after one quarter. The Hawks were up 53-36 with 6:49 to go in the second. They pushed it to a 20-point margin 59-39 with 3:30 remaining in the first half. The Heat trailed 65-50 by the time the contest reached halftime. 

     Miami began the second half on a 6-2 spurt. They cut the deficit down to five points, however Atlanta gained momentum and had a 91-78 at the end of the third quarter. The Hawks had a 110-99 lead with 3:27 remaining in the fourth. 

     Kyle Lowry came off the bench for the Heat and had a game-high 33 points. Tyler Herro contributed 26 points along with six rebounds. Jimmy Butler fell short of a double-double with 22 points and nine assists. 

     Trae Young led Atlanta with a club-high 25 points. The Hawks ended up with seven players who scored in double figures. 

Luis Arraez Cycle Rolls Phillies

     Luis Arraez hit the first cycle in Marlins franchise history as the Miami Marlins took the Philadelphia Phillies 8-4 on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. It was done in the Marlins 4,700th regular season Major League Baseball game.

     Miami(5-7) got out to a 1-0 lead during the third inning. The Marlins extended their lead to 4-0 in the top of the sixth. Philadelphia(4-7) made it competitive as they compiled three runs in the bottom of the sixth and were behind 4-3. 

David Schultz Back In Lafayette

     Former Miami radio on-air talent David Schultz has returned to Lafayette, Louisiana. He announced that he is new afternoon host at KPEL-FM as of April 17. 

     Schultz, a SUNY-Oswego grad, had a stint at Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM from 2009 until 2011. He began as a sports anchor and fill-in host at that radio station. Schultz added duties as the Florida Marlins reporter and Florida Panthers reporter. He left the radio business for two years to become the membership manager at Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo. 

     He returned to the radio airwaves in September 2013 as program director and morning host at KWLB-FM in Lafayette. Schultz remained at that post until March 2019. He added a simulcast of his KWLB-FM morning program at KXKW-TV. After that, he launched and hosted the Shut Up Dave podcast. Schultz was also a Sunday weekend host at KPEL-AM. He moved to Mobile in August 2019 to be a program director and afternoon host at WNSP-FM. Schultz held on to that position until February 2023.

     Schultz was a minor league baseball radio play-by-play announcer from 1992 to 2005. Some of the clubs who he announced for included the Syracuse Chiefs, Harrisburg Senators, Somerset Patriots, Jacksonville Suns and Peoria Chiefs.  

     He also held other positions outside of the radio business while in South Florida. He was employed as a media liaison with PGA Tour events at Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami from 2006 until 2011

Rich Herrera Exits Radio

     Former Miami sports talk radio host Rich Herrera exited the radio business back in November 2022. He held the position of program director and afternoon host at KCUB-AM in Tucson. 

     Herrera is best remembered locally for a one-year stint as a weekend host at Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM until December 2016. He left for San Diego in early 2017 to become the senior executive producer and pregame studio host of the San Diego Padres Radio Network. Herrera then joined KWFN-FM as an assistant program director. 

Maple Leafs Stop Panthers

     The Florida Panthers continued to make a playoff push as they fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 in overtime at FLA Live Arena on Saturday night. Florida. who had their six-game winning streak snapped, still picked up their 92nd point because the game went beyond regulation time and the Cats remain in the top Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

     The Panthers will play their final game of the regular season at home on Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. Marc Staal participated in his 1,100 NHL contest. 

     After a scoreless first frame, Toronto(48-21-11) moved out to a 1-0 lead with 2:13 left in the second period. T.J. Brodie made a short pass at the top of the zone. Mitch Marner released a shot from the high slot area and it was deflected in by Auston Matthews in the low slot past Alex Lyon for his 40th goal of the season. 

     It was Matthews fourth consecutive season with at least 40 goals in a season and fifth time overall in his NHL career. Marner collected his 69th assist of the campaign on the play. 

     In the third period, Florida (42-31-18) tied it up 1-1 at the 9:36 mark. Marc Staal pushed the puck ahead. Carter Verhaeghe sent a centering pass from the left wing and Brandon Montour snapped a shot from the slot area by Ilya Samsonov for his 16th goal this season.   

     Montour, who expanded his point streak to seven games, matched Aaron Ekblad for the most goals scored in a season by a defenseman in Florida Panthers franchise history. Verhaeghe garnered his 31st assist of the season, which tied his career high in 2021-22. 

     The Maple Leafs got the victory with 21.3 seconds remaining in overtime. Morgan Rielly flipped the puck out of his zone. John Tavares raced to the puck at the Panthers blue line. He moved through the left circle and lifted a backhand shot from the top of the crease for the tally with his 36th goal of the season. 

Phillies Cream Marlins

     The Philadelphia Phillies crushed the Miami Marlins 15-3 at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night. The Marlins continue their six-game road trip. 

     Philadelphia(4-6) compiled five runs during the bottom of the third. Miami(4-7) surrendered four more runs in the fifth inning and they were down 9-0.

     The Phillies added four more runs in the bottom of the sixth for a 13-run margin. The Marlins answered back in the top of the seventh with three runs and trailed 13-3. 

Alex Lyon NHL Third Star Of Week

     Florida Panthers goalie Alex Lyon has been named the National Hockey League Third Star of the Week. The time period for the week started on May 3 and ended on May 9.

     He jumped into the Panthers lineup and has become a reliable backup goalie behind Sergei Bobrovsky on the Florida depth chart. Lyon finished with the 3-0-0 record, 1.67 goals-against-average and .959 save percentage over the past week. Lyon stopped 117 of 122 shots on goal in three contests. He has a 9-3-1 record, 2.88 goals-against-average and .916 save percentage in 13 games played this season. 

     Lyon got victories over the Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals in the last seven days. The Panthers leaped over the New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference standings. They currently hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with two games remaining in the 2022-23 regular season. 

Patric Hornqvist Bill Masterton Trophy Nominee

     Florida Panthers right wing Patric Hornqvist has been nominated by the club for the 2023 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. It is given to an NHL player for sportsmanship, perseverance and dedication to the game of hockey. 

     Hornqvist joined Florida for the 2020-21 campaign. He has one goal and two assists in 22 games with the Panthers this season. The club has reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the past two seasons. 

Marlins Avoid Sweep By Mets

     The Miami Marlins got by the New York Mets 7-2 at Citi Field on Sunday. The Mets have won five of the seven contests between both clubs. The new regular season format has division opponents face each 12 times this year than in the previous seasons going back to 1998 which was 19 times. 

     Miami(4-6) piled on three runs in the top of the first. Bryan De La Cruz connected with a three-run homer to left field on a 0-2 pitch with Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Luis Arraez aboard. It was his first home run of the campaign. 

     New York(5-5) chalked up one run in the bottom of the second. Francisco Alvarez drove in Mark Canha on a base hit into right field. 

     The Fish increased it to a five-run margin 6-1 in the top of fifth. Chisholm singled through the left side to score Jon Berti. Garrett Cooper then smashed a two-run homer to left field on a 0-1 count for his third home run this year. 

     The Mets tried to keep it close during the bottom of the fifth. Pete Alonso powered a base hit to center field that brought in Luis Guillorme. 

     It became 7-2 for Miami in the top of the seventh inning. De La Cruz knocked in Cooper on a sacrifice fly to center. 

Heat Top Magic in Udonis Haslem Finale

     Udonis Haslem scored 24 points during 25 minutes of play in his final regular season game as the Miami Heat handled the Orlando Magic 123-110 at Kaseya Arena on Sunday in their regular season finale. It tied for the third-most points put in by Haslem in his NBA career. A pregame ceremony was held for the Miami forward and captain before the contest started. 

     Haslem played in his final regular season game with the club after 20 seasons. He participated in his seventh game in 2022-23 and entered the contest with 9:05 left in the first quarter. 

     It was the most points scored by him in a regular season contest since November 14, 2009. He had 24 points for the Heat at home against the New Jersey Nets. It was the first time in Haslem's career that he drained in three different three-point shots in an NBA game. He also slam-dunked the basketball on a field goal for the first time since 2014. 

     The Heat played a game at the newly named Kaseya Center. The UFC had an event held at the newly named venue last night. 

     The Heat finished seventh in the Eastern Conference. They will host the Atlanta Hawks in the 7-versus-8 play-in series on Tuesday night.  If the Heat win the play-in game, then they will travel to Boston and face the Celtics in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. The Magic finished out of the postseason for the ninth time in 11 years. 

     Orlando(34-48) began the first quarter on a 16-8 spurt. Miami(43-38) responded scoring 13 straight points, which included 11 points from Haslem, to go up 21-16. The Magic held a 24-23 after one quarter while Haslem had a game-high 13 points. The Heat had a slight 52-50 lead at halftime. 

     Both teams stayed close to each other in the second half with the Magie ahead 85-84 at the end of the third quarter. Miami(44-38) went on an 18-4 run in the first six minutes of the final quarter. 

     Duncan Robinson had a season-high 20 points for the Heat. Victor Oladipo compiled 19 points and eight assists. Nobody in Miami's starting lineup scored in double digits. The Heat franchise had over 100 points scored by their bench. Kevon Harris dropped in a team-high 22 points and eight rebounds for Orlando. 

Udonis Haslem To Retire

     Miami Heat forward and captain Udonis Haslem will be retiring soon from the Miami Heat. A ceremony was held for him prior to the Heat regular season home finale against the Orlando Magic at Kaseya Center. 

     It is expected that Haslem's #40 jersey with be retired by the Miami Heat organization sometime in the near future. His former Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade and actress Gabrielle Union were in attendance for the pregame ceremony. 

     Haslem played 20 seasons with the Miami Heat, which is the most seasons played in a Miami Heat uniform. He won three National Baseketball Association titles with the club in 2006, 2012 and 2013. Haslem was also part of six Eastern Conference championships with the franchise in 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2020. 

     He played in 879th game on Sunday and is the Miami Heat all-time rebound leader. Haslem is only behind Wade in that category in Miami Heat franchise history. He compiled 134 double-double while with the Heat. He entered the contest with 9:05 left in the first quarter. Haslem and Wade joined the Miami Heat for their rookie seasons at the start of the 2003-04 NBA season. 

Mets Beat Marlins

     The New York Mets defeated the Miami Marlins 5-2 on Saturday at Citi Field. The Mets have knocked off the Marlins in five of their six meetings against each other in 2023. Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga made his second MLB start and he pitched in his first home game. 

     In the first inning, the Mets were able to load the bases. Jeff McNeil ended up walking and Brandon Nimmo reached home. 

     New York(5-4) made it 3-0 in the fifth inning. Pete Alonso smashed a two-run homer to left-center field on a full count with Francisco Lindor aboard. It was Alonso's fourth home run in his lastt three games. He is now tied for the most home runs in the National League this year. 

     Miami(3-6) got a run in the top of the sixth. Jazz Chisholm Jr. lifted a solo homer to right field on a 1-1 pitch for his second home run this year and the Marlins were down 3-1. 

     The Mets responded in the bottom of the frame and increased their lead to 5-1. Eduardo Escobar sliced a two-run homer to left field on a 2-1 count. McNeil scored in front of him on the play. 

     The Marlins cut it to 5-2 when they had the basses loaded in the top of the seventh. Luis Arraez singled to right field and Bryan De La Cruz crossed the plate. 

FC Dallas Steps By Inter Miami CF

     FC Dallas got a 1-0 shutout win over Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night. Inter Miami CF(2-5-0) has dropped five straight games since they were victorious in their first two contests of the 2023 MLS campaign. 

     There was only one goal by both teams in this matchup. FC Dallas(3-2-2) took a 1-0 lead during the 27th minute on a tally by Jesus Ferreira. 

Panthers Escape Capitals

     The Florida Panthers survived the Washington Capitals 4-2 at Capital One Arena on Saturday night. It was the Panthers last road game during the 2022-23 regular season. 

     The Panthers, who extended their season-high winning streak to six games, stayed in the top wild-card position among the Eastern Conference teams with 91 points. Their nearby competitors in the standings, the New York Islanders(91 points) and the Pittsburgh Penguins(90 points), were also victorious. All three clubs have two games remaining in the regular season.

     The Panthers and the Caps did not find the net in the first period. Both teams combined for four goals during the second period. 

     Washington(34-36-9) took a 1-0 lead at the 8:51 of the second period. Dylan Strome got his 21st goal this year from the right of the crease. 

     Florida(42-31-7) tied it up 1-1 just over two minutes later. Aleksander Barkov won a faceoff in the right circle and drew the puck back. Brandon Montour angled a pass from the top of the zone and Carter Verhaeghe blasted a one-time slap shot from the right wing for his 41st goal of the season. 

     The Panthers made it 2-1 while on the power play with 6:13 left in the second. Matthew Tkachuk centered the puck from the right side and Sam Reinhart released a snap shot from the slot area which was saved. Aaron Ekblad hustled in and scored on a forehand shot from the left side of the crease for his 14th goal of the year. 

     The Capitals answered back with 3:55 to go in the frame. Tom Wilson was able to score as he redirected a centering pass from on top of the crease his 10th goal of the campaign. 

     In the third period, Florida pulled ahead 3-2 with 1:00 remaining. Tkachuk fired a wrist shot from the left wing for an unassisted goal and he collected his 40th goal of the season. It was the second time of Tkachuk's career that he reached the 40-goal plateau. Tkachuk did have 42 goals last season with the Calgary Flames. 

     Reinhart chalked up his 31st goal in 2022-23 on an empty-net goal with 39.9 seconds left. Tkachuk picked up his 68th assist while Barkov added his 55th assist on the play. 

Wizards Wrap Down Heat

     The Miami Heat lost to the Washington Wizards 114-108 at Capital One Arena on Friday night. The Heat will conclude their 2022-23 regular season at home on Sunday against the Orlando Magic. 

     Washington(35-46) had a 26-23 lead after one quarter and led 53-51 at halftime. Miami(43-28) could not keep up and they were down 89-71 at the end of three quarters. The Wizards held off the Heat in the final quarter. 

     Victor Oladipo was the surprising lead scorer for Miami with 30 points. Cody Zeller got 17 points for the team. Daniel Gafford put up a team-high 22 points along with eight rebounds for Washington.