Marlins Overcome Rockies

     The Miami Marlins erased a five-run deficit in the ninth and took the Colorado Rockies 7-6 in 10 innings at loanDepot park on Tuesday night in the first contest of a three-game series. The Marlins snapped a seven-game losing streak. Both teams have the two worst records in the National League.  

     Rockies outfielder Jordan Beck made his Major League Baseball debut. The Rockies became the first team in MLB history to trail sometime during their first 29 games of a season. 

     Colorado(7-22) exploded out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first. Ryan McMahon knocked in Ezequiel Tovar with a base hit to left field. Two batters later, Charlie Blackmon singled into right field and McMahon scored. Elehuris Montero later smashed a three-run homer to center field to score Blackmon and Brendan Rogers. 

     Miami(7-24) broke the shutout in the bottom of the ninth. Luis Arraez doubled to deep right which brought in Vidal Brujan. Two batters later, Dane Myers singled up the middle which scored Christian Bethancourt and Arraez to make it 5-3. 

     Jesus Sanchez was later hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Bryan De La Cruz scored. Emmanuel Rivera followed and drove in Myers on a sacrifice fly to right field to tie it up 5-5. 

     The Rockies reclaimed the lead 6-5 in the top of the 10th. McMahon doubled into left field and Sean Bouchard touched home. 

     The Marlins won the game in the bottom of the 10th. De La Cruz doubled off the left-field wall and Tim Anderson sprinted home. Myers came up next with a base hit through the right side and De La Cruz scored for a 7-6 victory. 

Panthers Eliminate Lightning In Game 5

     The Florida Panthers wrapped up the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals with a 6-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday night. The Cats, who won the best-of-seven series 4-1, moved on to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the third straight season. 

     It was the first time that the Panthers won a series against the Lightning in the postseason. The Bolts defeated the Cats in six games during the first round in 2021 and swept them in the second round in 2022. 

     The Panthers were involved in their eighth home handshake line in franchise history. It was just the fourth time that Florida finished a postseason series victorious at home. 

     There was no scoring in the first period. Florida got on the scoreboard 45 seconds into the second period on a 4-on-4 goal to take a 1-0 lead. Carter Verhaeghe angled a pass to Aleksander Barkov in the left circle and he returned it back. Verhaeghe took a forehand shot from the high slot which was saved by Andrei Vasilevskiy. Verhaeghe got to the rebound and snapped a shot from the slot area scored his fourth goal of the series. 

     The Panthers got a shorthanded goal with 7:22 left in the second for a 2-0 advantage. Sam Reinhart won the faceoff in the right circle. Gustav Forsling pushed the puck from the right point and Aaron Ekblad let go of a one-time slap shot from the top of the zone that was saved. Barkov released a wrist shot from the right of the crease for his first goal of the playoffs.

     Tampa Bay made it 2-1 with 6:23 to go in the period. Brandon Hagel sent the puck from the right wing to Nikita Kucherov in the right corner. He connected a diagonal pass and Victor Hedman blasted a slap shot from the high slot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his first goal of the postseason. 

     Florida expanded their lead to 3-1 with 8:54 remaining in the third period. Verhaeghe made a centering pass from the right wing and Matthew Tkachuk tip-in shot from the crease area was stopped. Barkov poked in the rebound from the blue paint for his second tally of the game. 

     The Cats increased it to 4-1 with 5:44 left in the third. Kevin Stenlund carried the puck down the right side into the Lightning zone. He passed it across the slot and Evan Rodrigues ripped a one-time slap shot from the left-circle dot for his first goal in the series. Vladimir Tarasenko had the secondary assist on the play. 

     It became 5-1 for the Panthers with 3:57 to go. Tampa Bay pulled their goalie for an extra attacker. Kucherov had the puck checked from him at the Florida blue line. Verhaeghe shot the puck from the neutral zone down the ice into an empty net for his second goal of the contest and fifth goal in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Niko Mikkola added another empty-net goal from the Panthers blue line with 1:10 left for a 6-1 lead. 

Celtics Step By Heat In Game 4

     The Boston Celtics easily handled the Miami Heat 102-88 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Monday night at Kaseya Center. The Celtics lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. They can eliminate the Heat from the NBA Playoffs in Boston on Wednesday. 

     Boston had a 16-2 run in the middle of the first quarter and led 34-24 at the end of the frame. It was low-scoring second quarter as the Celtics had the lead 53-36 by halftime. 

     The C's extended their margin in the early part of the second half and had an 81-59 lead at the end of the third quarter. Miami cut into the deficit early the final quarter with seven unanswered points, however the gap was too much to overcome. 

     Bam Adebayo led the Heat with a double-double of 25 points and 17 rebounds. Tyler Herro was also to contribute 19 points while Caleb Martin drained in 18 points. 

     Derrick White scored a game-high 38 points for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum added a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown dropped in 17 points in the win. 

Nationals Sweep Marlins

     The Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 7-2 at loanDepot park on Monday night. The Fish were swept in their second straight series and have lost seven consecutive games. 

     The Nationals moved out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. C.J. Abrams powered a two-run homer to right field with Alex Call aboard. It was the seventh home run for Abrams this season. 

     Washington(14-14) increased it to 3-0 in the top of the fifth. Jesse Winker walked with the bases loaded for Jacob Young to score. 

     Miami(6-24) picked up two runs in the bottom of the sixth and were down 3-2. Jazz Chisholm Jr. walloped a two-run home run to center field for his fourth homer of the year. Vidal Brujan scored in front of him on the play. 

     It became 7-2 for the Nats in the seventh inning as they added three runs. Winker grounded into a force out and Young crossed the plate. Abrams later in the frame scored on a wild pitch. 

     Joey Meneses drove in Winker with a ground-rule double to left-center field. Ildemaro Vargas followed with a base hit to left field and Meneses reached home. 

Sergei Bobrovsky Vezina Trophy Finalist

     The National Hockey League announced the finalists for the Vezina Trophy. They are Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers, Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks and Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. 

     Bobrovsky has won the Vezina Trophy on two different occasions in 2013 and 2017. He combined with fellow teammate Anthony Stolarz for allowing the second-least amount of goals during the 2023-24 campaign. Bobrovsky compiled a 36-17-4 record with a 2.37 goals-against-average, .915 save percentage and a league-tying six shutouts during the regular season. 

Marlins Blow Big Lead

     The Miami Marlins blew a seven-run lead and lost to the Washington Nationals 12-9 at loanDepot park on Sunday. The Marlins extended their losing streak to six games. Both teams will face each other tomorrow to finish the four-game wraparound weekend series. 

     Miami(6-23) rocketed out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit his second grand-slam homer of the season and his club-record fifth career grand-slam home run. The Fish added one more run in the second inning and had a seven-run cushion. 

     Washington(13-14) overtook the Fish by the middle of the game. The Nationals had five runs in the top of the fourth and four runs in the top of the fifth for a 9-7 lead. Nick Senzel had a home run in both frames in the comeback. The Nats stayed in front for the rest of the contest. 

Inter Miami CF Routs New England

     Inter Miami CF stormed by the New England Revolution 4-1 at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night. It was the attended event ever in the 22-year history of the venue. The attendance was 65,612 and turned out to be the largest crowd ever for a soccer game at that venue. 

     Both teams were on the opposite sides of the Eastern Conference standings entering the game. Inter Miami CF was in first place while the Revolution were in last place. 

     New England(1-7-1) pulled off a rare occurrence in a soccer game and got a 1-0 lead in the opening minute of the contest. Tomas Chancalay was able to volley the ball over the Herons goalkeeper with a right-footed shot from 18 yards out just 37 seconds in. 

     Inter Miami CF(6-2-3) tied it up 1-1 during the 32nd minute. Lionel Messi put in a nine-yard shot with his left foot on a feed from Robert Taylor. Messi extended his MLS goal-scoring streak to six games. 

     In the second half, it became 2-1 for Inter Miami CF in the 68th minute. Messi fired a left-footed shot from eight yards away for his second goal of the game and league-leading ninth goal of the year. Sergio Busquets ended up with the assist on the tally. 

     Two more goals were added on by Inter Miami CF for a three-goal gap. Benjamin Cremaschi scored in the 83rd minute and then Luis Suarez followed in the 89th minute. Messi had the assists on both of those goals. 

Lightning Survive Panthers In Game 4

     The Tampa Bay Lightning escaped the Florida Panthers 6-3 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Amalie Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers now lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. The Cats came wrap up the series on Monday in Sunrise. 

     Tampa Bay struck first in a contest for the first time in the series with a power-play goal at 8:54 of the opening period. Brandon Hagel centered the puck from the right goal line and Brayden Point backhanded it from the top of the crease. Steven Stamkos fired a one-time slap shot from the low left circle for his fourth goal of the series and 100th career postseason point.  

     It became 2-0 for the Bolts on a shorthanded goal with 7:51 left in the first. Victor Hedman poked the puck away in his own zone and Hagel brought in down the left side of the neutral zone. Hagel snapped a shot by Sergei Bobrovsky from the high slot for his second tally of the postseason. 

     The Lightning increased it to a three-goal margin with 4:53 to go in the period during a 4-on-4 situation. Point carried the puck from around his own cage all the way to the Bolts blue line. He angled a pass to Nikita Kucherov and he returned the puck to him inside the Panthers blue line. Point skated through the right circle and then placed in a wraparound shot for his second goal in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hedman was credited with a secondary assist on the play. It was only the second time this season that the Panthers surrendered at least three goals in the first period.

     In the second period, Florida cut the deficit to 3-1 at the 4:17 mark. Anton Lundell cycled the puck from the left wing. Matthew Tkachuk centered it from behind the Lightning cage and Carter Verhaeghe snapped a shot from the right of the crease for his third goal of the series. 

     The Bolts made it 4-1 on another 4-on-4 circumstance at 9:40. Hagel collected his second goal of the contest on a wrist shot.

     The Panthers closed it to 4-2 with 8:50 remaining in the second on a power-play goal. Tkachuk sent a pass from right circle and Sam Reinhart powered a one-time shot from the slot area which was saved by Andrei Vasilevskiy. Brandon Montour followed with a forehand shot from the left of the crease and it was stopped. Reinhart backhanded a shot from the crease area for his third goal of the postseason. 

     It became 4-3 with 5:27 to go in the period. Eetu Luostarinen pushed a lead pass from his own zone. Evan Rodgiues got to the right point and connected a cross-ice pass. Oliver Ekman-Larsson then released a snap shot from the high slot for the tally. It was the first postseason goal for Ekman-Larsson in four years.

     The Lightning expanded their lead to 5-3 at the 9:34 mark. Kucherov raced for the puck on the right wing and fed a pass from the right point. Stamkos took a wrist shot from above the left circle for his second goal of the game and fifth goal in the playoffs.

     The Bolts added a 5-on-3 power-play goal with 3:38 left in the third for a 6-3 advantage. Hedman angled a pass from the top of the zone and Kucherov passed from the right wing. Nick Paul had his first shot saved, but he flipped in a backhand shot from the blue paint. 

Celtics Steamroll Heat In Game 3

     The Boston Celtics rolled over the Miami Heat 104-84 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Kaseya Center on Saturday night. Boston has a 10-3 record in regular season and postseason games held in Miami since the beginning of the 2021-22 campaign. 

     The Celtics now are ahead in the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 will be held on Monday night in Miami. 

     Boston had a 12-3 surge to start the contest and led 21-12 at the end of low-scoring first quarter. The C's scored the first six points of the second quarter and had a 63-39 lead at halftime. 

     Miami kept pace early in the second half, however they were down 87-61 at the conclusion of the third quarter. The Celtics had over a 20-point margin for almost the entire fourth quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo had a team-high 20 points and nine rebounds for Miami. Tyler Herro and Nikola Jovic were able to contribute15 points each. Jaime Jacquez Jr. scored 12 points in the defeat. 

     Jayson Tatum led Boston with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 22 points and eight rebounds in the victory. Kristaps Porzingis placed in 18 points and Derrick White drained in 16 points. 

Nationals Smash Marlins

     The Washington Nationals slammed the Miami Marlins 11-4 on Saturday at loanDepot park. The Marlins, who now have a five-game losing streak, look to avoid a three-game series sweep by the Nationals on Sunday. 

     Miami(6-22) scooted out to a 1-0 in the bottom of the first in an unusual way. Nats starting pitcher Mitchell Parker threw a wild pitch for Luis Arraez to cross the plate. 

     Washington(12-14) tied it up 1-1 in a similar way during the top of the third. Marlins catcher Christian Bethancourt was charged with a passed ball and Jacob Young scored. 

     The Nationals piled on five runs in the fifth inning for a 6-1 advantage. Young reached first on a fielder's choice for Eddie Rosario to beat the tag at home. Jesse Winker later smacked a grand-slam homer to right field which scored Nick Senzel, Young and C.J. Abrams. It was Winker's third home run of the 2024 season. 

Locals Go Late In NFL Draft

     It was the final day of the 2024 National Football League Draft on Saturday in Detroit. Several former South Florida high school football players were taken from the fourth round until the seventh round. 

     Only one local athlete went in the fourth round. Deerfield Beach Bucks and University of Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus was chosen by the Atlanta Falcons at 109th overall. 

     In the fifth round, Carol City Chiefs and University of Louisville Cardinals defensive back Jarvis Brownlee Jr. was taken 146th overall by the Tennessee Titans. 

     Quarterback Jordan Travis was selected by the New York Jets with the 171st overall pick. He led the Benjamin Buccaneers while in high school. Travis played college football with the University of Louisville Cardinals and the Florida State University Seminoles. 

     Pahokee-born quarterback Joe Milton III was taken by the New England Patriots in the sixth round with the 193rd overall selection. He had stints in college football with the University of Michigan Wolverines and the University of Tennessee Volunteers.

     In the seventh round, Miramar Patriots defensive back Myles Harden was chosen by the Cleveland Browns with the 227th overall selection. He played college football with South Dakota. More local talent was announced when the Cincinnati Bengals took University of Miami Hurricanes center Matt Lee at 237th overall. 

     University of Miami Hurricanes safety James Williams was picked by the Tennessee Titans with the 242nd overall pick. He participated in high school football with American Heritage Patriots and won two FHSAA Class 5A state championships in 2017 and 2020. 

     The Green Bay Packers were able to get Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt at 245th. He played his first three years of high school football with the Boca Raton Bobcats and his senior year with the Deerfield Beach Bucks. 

     The San Francisco 49ers ended up with Miami Central Rockets linebacker Tatum Bethune at 251st. He won a FHSAA Class 6A state title with them in 2015. Bethune spent time in college football with the University of Central Florida Knights and the Florida State University Seminoles. 

Dolphins Complete 2024 NFL Draft

     The Miami Dolphins finished up the 2024 NFL Draft held in Detroit on Saturday. Selections were made from the fourth round to the seventh round. 

     The Dolphins took University of Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright during the fourth round with the 120th overall pick. The Fins choose edge rusher Mohamed Kamara of Colorado State University in the fifth round. Miami decided on University of Virginia wide receiver Malik Washington and University of California safety Patrick McMorris during the sixth round. They selected USC wide receiver Tahj Washington in the seventh round. 

Kamren Kinchens Taken In NFL Draft

     The second and third rounds were held on Friday night in the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit. One former local player was chosen in the two rounds tonight. 

     University of Miami Hurricanes safety Kamren Kinchens was selected by the Los Angeles late in the third round with the 99th overall pick. Kinchens contributed to the Miami Northwestern Bulls capturing three consecutive FHSAA state titles in 2017, 2018 and 2019. He played in 33 games and had 11 interceptions during his three seasons with the Canes. 

Fins Pick In Second Round

     The 2024 National Football League Draft continued on Friday night in Detroit. It consisted of the second round and third round. The Dolphins forfeited their third-round selection because of the anti-tampering policy by trying and communicate with Tom Brady

     The Miami Dolphins selected University of Houston offensive lineman Patrick Paul in the second round with the 55th overall pick. He participated in 25 games during his five seasons at that school. 

Marlins Fall To Nationals

     The Miami Marlins lost to the Washington Nationals 3-1 at loanDepot park on Friday night. The Marlins come off a seven-game road trip in which they had a 2-5 record. The Fish are on a four-game losing streak. Marlins starting pitcher Anthony Maldonado made in Major League Baseball debut. 

     Miami(6-21) had a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Nick Fortes knocked in Vidal Brujan with a base hit into right field. 

     Washington(11-14) evened it up 1-1 in the top of the sixth. Joey Meneses grounded into a double play for Jacob Young to score. 

     The Nationals pulled ahead 3-1 in the eighth inning. Meneses singled to center field which brought in Trey Lipscomb and C.J. Abrams. 

Dallas Turner Selected By Vikings

     The first round of the 2024 National Football League happened in Detroit on Thursday night. One player chosen had a South Florida connection. 

     The Minnesota Vikings took University of Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner with the 17th overall selection. Turner played high school football with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders and captured two FHSAA Class 7A state championships in 2019 and 2020. He participated with the Crimson Tide for three seasons. 

Miami Dolphins In First Round

     The National Football League Draft was held in Detroit. The first round of the draft took place on Thursday night. 

     The Miami Dolphins had the 21st overall pick in the first round. The Fins selected outside linebacker Chop Robinson. He played his freshman year with the University of Maryland followed by his sophomore and junior years at Penn State University. 

Panthers Top Lightning In Game 3

     The Florida Panthers took a 3-0 commanding lead in the best-of-seven series with a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night at Amalie Arena in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The Panthers can clinch the first-round series on Saturday at the same venue. 

     In the first period, Florida raced out to a 1-0 advantage. Matthew Tkachuk was able to snap a shot with 9:21 left in the opening frame for his second tally of the postseason. 

     Tampa Bay controlled the early part of the second period and took a 2-1 lead. Steven Stamkos collected his third goal of the series with a deflected shot just 44 seconds in. Tyler Motte followed with a goal on a wrist shot at the 2:56 mark. 

     The Panthers leaped by them to reclaim the lead 3-2. Sam Reinhart got his second goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at 9:58 on a wrist shot. Brandon Montour rifled a slap shot with 3:30 remaining in the second. 

     The Cats picked up a goal from Steven Loretz on a forehand shot at 9:41 of the third period and led 4-2. The Bolts cut it to 4-3 with a tally from Nick Paul on a wrist shot with 5:10 to go. 

     The Lightning pulled their goalie like they did in Game 2 and it was not successful to tie the contest. Tkachuk placed the puck into an empty net with 31.5 seconds left for his second goal of the game and his third goal of the postseason. 

ESPN West Palm Lineup Changes

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM has made several changes to their broadcast lineup this month. It began with the end of the LaVicka, Theo and Stone midday show on April 2. 

     Theoretically Speaking with WPTV-TV Channel 5 and WFLX-TV Channel 29 sportscaster Theo Dorsey along with Christian Katt debuted on April 8. The one-hour program airs weekdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dorsey arrived in the West Palm Beach market back in November 2020. 

     Josh Cohen and The Hometeam afternoon show was bumped from the weekday schedule after an 11-year run. He joined ESPN West Palm in February 2013 as a weekend host and was elevated to the weekday lineup in September 2013. Cohen now has his own Saturday morning show from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. named Saturday Tailgate. 

Heat Shock Celtics In Game 2

     The Miami Heat stunned the Boston Celtics 111-101 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Wednesday night at TD Garden. The best-of-seven series is now tied at 1-1. The series will shift to Miami for Game 3 on Saturday.

     Miami had a slight 28-27 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Boston pulled ahead and were up 61-58 by halftime. 

     The Heat went on a 24-9 run at the start of the second half and had an 85-79 lead after three quarters. The closest the Celtics came to regaining the lead was being down five points 94-89 with 6:22 left in the final quarter. 

     All five Heat starters ended up in double-digit scoring. Tyler Herro finished with a double-double of 24 points and 14 assists. Bam Adebayo also composed a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Caleb Martin contributed 21 points while Jaime Jacquez Jr. placed in 14 points. 

     Jaylen Brown dropped in a game-high 33 points along with eight rebounds for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum had 28 points and eight rebounds. Derrick White was able to drain in 13 points. 

Braves Sweep Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves handled the Miami Marlins 4-3 in 10 innings at Truist Park on Wednesday night. The Braves pulled off a three-game series sweep. 

     Atlanta(17-6) ripped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Ronald Acuna Jr. reached home on a balk by Marlins starting pitcher Sixton Sanchez. Marcell Ozuna later knocked in Michael Harris II on a base hit to left field. 

     Miami(6-20) answered back immediately in the top of the second and trailed 2-1. Jesus Sanchez smacked a solo home run to right field for his second homer of the season. 

     The Braves took the lead 3-1 in the third inning. Ozuna singled through the right side and Matt Olson crossed the plate. 

     The Marlins came back in the top of the ninth. Josh Bell reached first on a fielding error by Olson as the ball went into the Braves dugout. Luis Arraez and Bryan De La Cruz both scored on the play. 

     The contest would into extra innings. Atlanta walked it off in the bottom of the 10th when Harris drove in Ozuna on a single into left-center field. 

Tyree Smith Working In Portland

     Former West Palm Beach television sportscaster Tyree Smith is currently at KATU-TV in Portland. He has been their lead sports anchor since November 2023. 

     Smith, an Oxbridge Academy graduate and former high school football player, was a sports reporter and sports anchor at WPTV-TV Channel 5 and WFLX-TV Channel 29 in West Palm Beach from January 2021 until October 2023. He began his professional broadcasting career as a sports director and sports anchor at WBUP-TV in Ishpeming, Michigan. 

Panthers Get By Lightning In Game 2

     The Florida Panthers outhustled the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in overtime in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers lead the best-of-seven series 2-0. Game 3 will be played on Thursday in Tampa. 

     The Cats won their 11th consecutive overtime playoff game. The Bolts lost their sixth straight playoff overtime contest. 

     Florida leaped out to a 1-0 lead at the 6:16 mark of the first period. Sam Bennett centered the puck from the end wall and Matthew Tkachuk took a soft shot from the crease area which was saved by Andrei Vasilevskiy. Bennett scored on a backhand shot from the slot area. 

     The Panthers expanded to 2-0 with 4:48 remaining in the first on a power-play tally. Oliver Ekman-Larsson fired a slap shot from above the left circle and was saved. Bennett made a square pass from the top of the crease and Vladimir Tarasenko scored on a snap shot from the right of the crease. 

     Tampa Bay got back in the contest 48 seconds into the second period and cut it to 2-1. Victor Hedman sent a pass from the left point. Former Panther Anthony Duclair ripped a shot from the right point and it was deflected in by Brayden Point past Sergei Bobrovsky.

     The Lightning tied it up 2-2 with the man advantage at the 5:46 mark. Nikita Kucherov angled a pass from the right wing to the top of the zone. Hedman pushed the puck to his left and Steven Stamkos blasted a one-time slap shot from the left-circle dot for his second goal of the postseason. 

     In overtime, Florida got the goal-winning goal at 2:59. Tkachuk poked the puck at the top right circle. Anton Lundell fed a lead pass from the high slot. Carter Verhaeghe pivoted out from the top of the crease and roofed a backhand shot from the right of the crease. It was the fifth career overtime playoff goal for Verhaeghe. 

Braves Belt Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves hammered the Miami Marlins 5-0 on Tuesday night at Truist Park. The Marlins were held scoreless for the second straight game. Miami(6-19) will finish off their seven-game road trip tomorrow. 

     In the second inning, the Braves made it 2-0. Michael Harris II doubled off the right-field fence for Marcell Ozuna to score. David Fletcher came up next and drove in Adam Duvall with a sacrifice fly to center field. 

     It became 5-0 for Atlanta(16-6) in the bottom of the sixth. Travis d'Arnaud hit a sacrifice fly to right and Austin Riley crossed the plate. Duvall followed with a two-run homer to left field on the first pitch with Ozuna aboard for his second home run of the year.

Johnny Cueto Inks With Rangers

     Former Miami Marlins starting pitcher Johnny Cueto has signed a deal with the Texas Rangers. It is a minor league contract with the club. 

     Cueto spent last season with the Marlins. He ended up with a 1-4record with a 6.02 earned run average in 2013. Cueto helped Miami reach the postseason for the second time in four seasons last year. 

Daniel Oyefusi Heads To Cleveland

     Miami Herald Miami Dolphins beat writer Daniel Oyefusi left the newspaper earlier this month. He had covered the Dolphins over the past two years. 

     Oyefusi, a University of Maryland grad, has joined ESPN NFL Nation as their Cleveland Browns beat reporter. He began that position this week. 

Braves Blank Marlins

     The six-time defending National League East Division champions the Atlanta Braves shut out the Miami Marlins 3-0 at Truist Park on Monday night. Miami(6-18) have still not won two straight games during the 2024 regular season. 

     Atlanta(15-6) broke out to a 3-0 lead during the bottom of the fourth. Travis d'Arnaud smacked a two-run homer to left field with Marcell Ozuna aboard. It was the fifth home run for him in the campaign. David Fletcher later knocked in former Marlin Adam Duvall on a base hit down the right-field line.

Lindy Ruff Returns To Sabres

     The Buffalo Sabres have re-hired Lindy Ruff as their head coach. He previously coached that club for 15 seasons. He guided them to the Eastern Conference title in 1999. 

     Ruff was a Florida Panthers assistant coach during their first four seasons as an NHL franchise from 1993-94 to 1996-97. He later had head coaching stints with the Dallas Stars and the New Jersey Devils. Ruff is fifth all-time in NHL history with 864 head coaching wins. 

Bill Lindsay Not On Panthers Radio

     Florida Panthers radio analyst Bill Lindsay did not announce Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals alongside radio play-by-play announcer Doug Plagens on the Florida Panthers Radio Network at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Sunday afternoon. Lindsay worked as an NHL Tonight studio analyst on NHL Network instead on Sunday night. 

     It was a rare occasion that Lindsay missed calling a Panthers home game since he was named to the position in October 2015. Lindsay has sometimes worked Panthers home games after taking morning flights from New Jersey to South Florida following NHL Network studio work the day before. 

     Lindsay broke into broadcasting as the Florida Panthers radio analyst from 2007-08 to 2008-09. He moved to the television game analyst position and stayed there from 2009-10 until 2013-14. Lindsay spent the 2014-15 campaign as a television studio analyst and rinkside reporter. 

Marlins Outlast Cubs

     The Miami Marlins split a four-game series as they dropped the Chicago Cubs 6-3 at Wrigley Field on Sunday. The Fish will travel to Atlanta and face the Braves to complete the seven-game road trip. 

     Miami(6-17) moved up to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Jesus Sanchez pounded a solo home run to center field for his first homer of the year. 

     Chicago(13-9) tied it 1-1 in the bottom of the second. Nico Hoerner singled through the left side to score Mike Tauchman. 

     The Marlins added three more runs in the top of the fourth for a 4-1 lead. Sanchez knocked in Jazz Chisholm Jr. on a single to right field. Tim Anderson got a base hit into right which brought in Josh Bell. Two batters later, Emmanuel Rivera grounded into a force out and for Sanchez to score. 

     The Cubs responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and trailed 4-3. Hoerner doubled to deep right field and Tauchman scored. Cody Bellinger followed with a single to left field and Alexander Canario crossed the plate. 

     In the fifth inning, the Fish expanded their lead to 5-3. Chisholm drove in Luis Arraez with a base hit into shallow left field. 

     It became a three-run margin for Miami again in the top of the seventh. Bell grounded out to second and Nick Fortes reached home. 

Panthers Edge Lightning In Game 1

     The defending Eastern Conference champions the Florida Panthers started their run in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday. The Panthers captured the Atlantic Division title back on Tuesday while the Bolts are the fourth seed in the division. 

     Both teams previously met in the postseason in 2021 and 2022 with the Lightning victorious both teams. Either the Panthers or the Lightning have both reached the Stanley Cup Final in the last four seasons. 

     Florida, who held the Bolts to no shots on goal in the first 16 minutes of the contest, rolled out to a 1-0 lead at the 6:17 mark of the first period. Aleksander Barkov passed the puck from the high slot. Gustav Forsling flicked a shot from the left point and Sam Reinhart redirected it from the top of the crease by Andrei Vasilevskiy. 

     Tampa Bay evened it up 1-1 with 3:56 left in the first. After a Steven Stamkos slap shot off a faceoff, Sergei Bobrovsky made the initial save. Anthony Cirelli quickly snapped a shot from the low right circle which was saved again. Brandon Hagel put in the rebound on a forehand shot from the low slot. 

     After a scoreless second period, the Panthers regained the lead 2-1 with the man advantage 58 seconds into the third. Carter Verhaeghe pushed it from the right point. Barkov centered it from the low right circle on a backdoor play and Verhaeghe steered the puck in from the blue paint. Matthew Tkachuk was given the secondary assist on the play. 

     The Lightning pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 3:08 to go in the third period. It did not work as Florida scored with 2:05 left for a 3-1 lead. Tkachuk fired a forehand shot from the Tampa Bay blue line into an empty net. Aaron Ekland had the only assist on the tally. 

     The Bolts were awarded a power play and pulled their goalie again with 1:11 remaining. Nikita Kucherov sent a cross-ice pass from the right circle. Steven Stamkos put in a snap shot from the low left circle with 9.3 seconds left in the period. 

Celtics Blitz Heat In Game 1

     The Boston Celtics slaughtered the Miami Heat 114-94 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at TD Garden on Sunday. It was a battle between the last two teams to capture the Eastern Conference title. The Heat never led once in the entire contest. 

     The Celtics are the top-seeded in the Eastern Conference and the National Basketball Association this season. They will hold the home-court advantage for the entire 2024 NBA Playoffs. The Heat survived the NBA Play-In Tournament last week and advanced as the eighth seed. 

     Boston shocked everyone as they scored the first 14 points of the contest on their way to a 17-2 opening spurt. Miami answered back with a 21-9 run and were down 26-21 after one quarter. The Celtics had a 22-7 spurt to begin the second quarter and led 60-45 at halftime. 

     The C's continued their double-digit lead throughout the third quarter and had a 91-59 at the end of the frame. The Heat outscored their opponent 35-23 during the final quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo had a game-high 24 points and six rebounds for Miami. Jaime Jacquez Jr. added 16 points while Delon Wright drained in 17 points. Tyler Herro was held to 11 points and Nikola Jovic placed in 10 points. 

     Jayson Tatum compiled a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for Boston. Jaylen Brown chalked up in 17 points and eight rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points and Derrick White had 20 points. 

Rich Waltz On MLB Network

     Former Florida Marlins and Miami Marlins television play-by-play announcer Rich Waltz is now a play-by-play announcer on MLB Network. He worked Saturday's game between the Texas Rangers and the Atlanta Braves with game analyst Dan Plesac and sideline reporter J.P. Morosi. 

     Waltz was the television voice of the Marlins franchise from 2005 until 2017. He was employed at Fox Sports calling college football and college basketball games. Waltz was the backup television play-by-play announcer of the Los Angeles Angels in 2021. He became the lead college football play-by-play announcer at CBS Sports Network in 2022. 

Cubs Split Doubleheader With Marlins

     The Chicago Cubs topped the Miami Marlins with a 5-3 victory on Saturday night at Wrigley Field. It was the second contest of a doubleheader between both teams. Marlins starting pitcher Roddery Munoz made his Major League Baseball debut. 

     In the first inning, Chicago(13-8) took a 1-0 lead. Cody Bellinger blasted a solo home run to right-center field for his fourth homer of the season. 

     Miami(5-17) leaped over the Cubbies during the fourth inning to go in front 2-1. Tim Anderson doubled into left field and Josh Bell crossed the plate. Jazz Chisholm Jr. came up next and drove Anderson with a base hit through the right side.

     The Marlins made it a two-run gap in the top of the sixth. Bell ripped a solo home run to left-center field on a 2-1 count for his third homer of the season. 

     The Cubs piled on four runs in the bottom of the sixth and took a 5-3 lead. Alexander Canario powered a solo homer to left field on the first pitch. It was his first home run this year and his second career homer. Four batters later, Michael Busch drove in Nico Hoerner and Christopher Morel on a base hit to left field. Garrett Cooper followed with a single up the middle and Busch reached home. 

Inter Miami CF Mow Down Nashville SC

     Inter Miami CF returned home and knocked off Nashville SC 3-1 at Chase Stadium on Saturday night. Both teams have created a rivalry over the past two years. Inter Miami CF won the Leagues Cup last year over Nashville SC and defeated them in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 last month. 

     In the first half, Nashville SC(1-3-4) rapidly got ahead 1-0 in the second minute of play on an own goal. Franco Negri accidentally put the ball into his own net. 

     It was quickly answered by Inter Miami CF(5-2-3) in the 11th minute to tie it 1-1. Lionel Messi was able to score with a left-footed shot from four yards away on an assist by Luis Suarez. 

     The Herons took a 2-1 advantage during the 39th minute. Sergio Busquets got the tally with a header from five yards out on a corner-kick feed by Messi. 

     Inter Miami CF kept the momentum during the second half and extended their lead to 3-1. Messi placed in his second goal of the contest on a penalty kick into the low right corner of the cage in the 81st minute for league-leading seventh Major League Soccer goal this season. 

Marlins Ride By Cubs

     The Miami Marlins continued their road trip and slipped by the Chicago Cubs 3-2 at Wrigley Field on Saturday. It is the first game of a doubleheader between both teams.  

     Chicago(12-8) put up two runs in the bottom of the third for a 2-0 advantage. Patrick Wisdom tripled off the right-center field wall to score Alexander Canario and Nico Hoerner. 

     Miami(5-16) got one run in the top of the fifth and they were down 2-1. Bryan De La Cruz hit a sacrifice fly to left field and Emmanuel Rivera scored. 

     The Marlins overtook the Cubs in the ninth inning with two runs and led 3-2. De La Cruz smashed a two-run homer to left-center field on a 2-0 pitch with Luis Arraez aboard. It was his third consecutive contest with a homer and the fifth home run for De La Cruz in the 2024 campaign. De La Cruz now has an eight-game hitting streak and has an extra-base hit for the seventh straight game. 

Heat Advance Past Bulls

     The defending Eastern Conference champions the Miami Heat avoided elimination and defeated the Chicago Bulls 112-91 in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Friday night at Kaseya Center. Both teams battled it out for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. 

     The Heat had deja vu from last season as they lost the first contest of the tournament and won the second game for the eighth seed. They will challenge the top-seeded Boston Celtics and play Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in Boston on Sunday. 

     Miami went on a 28-6 run at the end of the opening frame and doubled up their opponent 34-17 after one quarter. Chicago ended up trailing 47-37 at halftime. 

     The Heat got a 19-6 spurt at the conclusion of the third and had a 80-62 advantage at the end of the third quarter. The Bulls never came within 20 points in the final quarter. 

     Tyler Herro placed a double-double for the Heat with 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Jaime Jacquez Jr. dropped in 21 points while Kevin Love added 16 points. Bam Adebayo finished with 13 points in the win. Jimmy Butler did not play in the contest. 

     DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with a team-high 22 points. Nikola Vucevic composed a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds. Coby White drained in 13 points and Javonte Green scored 12 points. 

Cubs Maul Marlins

     The Miami Marlins challenged the Chicago Cubs and were blasted 8-3 on Friday at Wrigley Field.  The Marlins had to wait and extra day due to a postponed game on Thursday to start their seven-game road swing. The Cubs now have a 6-1 record at home. 

     Chicago(12-7) busted out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Cody Bellinger singled through the right side for Nico Hoerner to score. Two batters later, Dansby Swanson doubled to the center-field warning track and Patrick Wisdom scored.

     The Cubbies increased their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second. Hoerner drove in Nick Madrigal with a double to left field. 

     In the third inning, the Cubs extended it with four more runs for a seven-run margin. Former Marlin Garrett Cooper singled into shallow center field and Bellinger crossed the plate. Madrigal followed with a force out at second and Christopher Morel sprinted home. Miguel Amaya came up next and doubled off the center-field wall which brought in Swanson and Madrigal.  

     Miami(4-16) had a response in the top of the fourth and were behind 7-1. Bryan De La Cruz homered to left-center field on a 2-1 pitch for his fourth home run of the year. De La Cruz had a home run for the second straight contest. It was the sixth straight game for De La Cruz with an extra-base hit and he extended his hitting streak to seven games. 

     The Cubs made it 8-1 in the fifth inning. Mike Tauchman knocked in Swanson on a base hit into right field. 

     The Marlins chalked up two runs in the top of the ninth. Nick Gordon singled into left field for Josh Bell and Otto Lopez to score. 

West Palm Beach Ratings March 2024

     West Palm Beach sports talk radio stations received their monthly ratings. The time period was from the last week of February until the last week of March. There was a tie between the two registered sports radio stations in the area for the fourth time in the last nine months. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM dropped from a 0.5 to a 0.4 in the month. Florida Atlantic University finished off strong with a second-place regular season finish in their new conference the American Athletic East. They reached the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament for the second straight year.  

     Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM stayed at a 0.4 for the fourth consecutive month. The Florida Panthers held first place in the Atlantic Division for most of the month. The Miami Marlins wrapped up spring training in Jupiter prior to the 2024 regular season. 

Cam Brown Joins Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins have signed linebacker Cam Brown to a contract. He was mainly used on the New York Giants roster as a special teams player. 

     Brown spent his first four seasons in the National Football League with the Giants. He participated in 60 games and had 35 combined tackles. 

Aleksander Barkov King Clancy Trophy Nominee

     The National Hockey League has announced the 32 nominees for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. There is one player named for each team.  

     Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov has been nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The winner will be announced in June. 

Marlins At Cubs Postponed

     The Miami Marlins will not begin a seven-game road trip tonight against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The contest was postponed due to inclement weather. 

     The game will be made up on Saturday night as part of a split doubleheader. The Marlins are tied with the worst record in the National League with the Colorado Rockies. 

Panthers First Round Television Set

     The National Hockey League announced television information for all 2024 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Wednesday night. The NHL listed when Game 1 of the best-of-seven series will be aired this weekend and on what national television network it will be on. 

     The Florida Panthers will host the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. It will be broadcast nationally on ESPN along with Game 2 of the series. Former 560 WQAM-AM on-air talent Bob Wischusen will be the play-by-play announcer with Ryan Callahan as game analyst and Leah Hextall as rinkside reporter for Game 1. 

     Regional sports network Bally Sports Florida will just have the television broadcast rights of the first-round postseason series like they have over the past four years. Steve Goldstein will be the play-by-play announcer along with game analyst Randy Moller and rinkside reporter Katie Engelson. Jessica Blaylock will work as the studio host alongside studio analyst Ed Jovanovski. 

Panthers Clinch Division Title At Home

     The Florida Panthers clinched the Atlantic Division on Tuesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Amerant Bank Arena. It was just the second time that the Panthers won a division title on their home ice. They won it one other time on April 7, 2012 when they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes and captured the Southeast Division. 

     Two visiting teams have wrapped up a division title in South Florida. The Montreal Canadiens accomplished in on April 3, 2017. The Carolina Hurricanes did it last season in Sunrise on April 13, 2013.

76ers Advance By Heat

     The Miami Heat lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 105-104 in the NBA Play-In Tournament at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday night. The Heat finished eighth in the Eastern Conference while the Sixers ended up in seventh place. Miami will continue in the NBA Play-In Tournament when they host the Chicago Bulls on Friday night. 

     Philadelphia roared out to a 12-4 lead in the first six minutes of the contest. Miami responded with a 9-2 spurt at the end of the first quarter to lead 23-22. The Heat had a 14-4 run to start the second quarter and were up 51-39 at halftime. 

     The 76ers cut into the deficit and trailed 74-69 at the end of the third quarter. The Sixer broke out with a 10-2 spurt to begin the fourth quarter to get in front. Neither team led by more than five points for the rest of the contest.

     Tyler Herro led the Heat with a game-highs of 25 points and nine assists. Jimmy Butler added 19 points against his former team. Bam Adebayo had a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Miami got bench scoring from Jaime Jacquez Jr. with 15 points and Kevin Love with 10 points. 

     Joel Embiid ended up with a club-high 23 points and 15 points for a double-double. Tyrese Maxey dropped in 19 points while Nicolas Batum had 20 points for Philadelphia in the victory. Kelly Oubre Jr. was able to score 11 points. 

Giants Sink Marlins

     The Miami Marlins completed a six-game homestand and fell to the San Francisco Giants 3-1 at loanDepot park on Wednesday. The Fish lost their sixth consecutive series to begin the 2024 season. 

     The Marlins head on the road and visit the Chicago Cubs beginning on Thursday. The Giants return home and face the Arizona Diamondbacks tomorrow. 

     In the second inning, San Francisco(8-11) moved out to a 1-0 lead. Thairo Estrada doubled down the left-field line to score former Marlin Jorge Soler. 

     Miami(4-15) tied it 1-1 during the bottom of the sixth. Bryan De La Cruz smacked a solo homer over the right-field wall for his third home run of the year. 

     The Giants reclaimed the lead 2-1 in the top of the seventh. Nick Ahmed grounded into a double play and Estrada crossed the plate. 

     It became 3-1 for San Francisco in the top of the eighth. Matt Chapman doubled to deep right field and Jung Hoo Lee scored. 

Jaelan Phillips Gets Option Year

     The Miami Dolphins will pick up the fifth-year option on linebacker Jaelan Phillips. National Football League clubs have the option to add a fifth season on rookie contracts. 

     Phillips was selected with the 18th overall pick by the Dolphins in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has a surprising 22 sacks during his three seasons with the Fins. 

Chris Wideman Retires

     Former Florida Panthers defenseman Chris Wideman has retired from professional hockey. He played most of his National Hockey League career with the Ottawa Senators. 

     Wideman had a short stint with the Panthers during the 2018-19 campaign. He participated in just one contest in 57 days with Florida and had no points. Wideman was then traded for the third time during the season, this time to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Panthers Capture Atlantic Division

     The Florida Panthers captured the Atlantic Division title in their regular season finale at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night with a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. They leaped over the Boston Bruins, who lost their contest to the Ottawa Senators tonight, to take the division in the 82nd and final game of the regular season. 

     The Panthers clinched the Atlantic Division for the second time in the last three seasons. It was the fourth division title for Florida in franchise history. 

     The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs will start this weekend with Florida hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Both clubs have met in the postseason in 2021 and 2022 with the Bolts victorious during each occasion. 

     Toronto(46-25-10) scored first on the power play at the 3:25 mark of the first period. William Nylander pushed the puck from the left point to Mitch Marner at the top of the zone. He angled a pass to Morgan Rielly on the right wing. He returned it and Marner blasted a one-time slap shot from the right point by Anthony Stolarz for his 27th goal this season. 

      The Maple Leafs extended it to 2-0 with 8:42 left in the first. Noah Gregor picked up a loose puck on the right wing and released a wrist shot from above the right circle for his sixth goal of the year. 

     In the second period, Florida(52-24-6) quickly scored 28 seconds into the frame and trailed 2-1. Matthew Tkachuk whipped a cross-ice pass from the top left circle. Carter Verhaeghe took a shot from the top right circle which was a blocker save by Joseph Woll. Sam Bennett batted the puck down in the low slot and Verhaeghe followed with a snap shot for his 34th goal in 2023-24. 

     The Panthers scored twice in a 10-second span to take a 3-2 lead. Tkachuk sent a rink-wide pass from the right point. Gustav Forsling powered a slap shot from the left point. Sam Bennett deflected it in from the inner left circle and collected his 20th goal at 10:32. 

     Sam Reinhart followed with his 56th goal of the season at 10:42 with a forehand shot from the left circle. Aleksander Barkov was credited with an assist on the play. 

     It became a two-goal margin for the Cats with 6:18 remaining in the second. Vladimir Tarasenko and then Barkov cycled the puck around the right corner. Brandon Montour got his eighth goal this season when he fired a slap shot from the right point.  

     The Maple Leafs pulled their goalie for an extra attacker late in the third period. Eetu Luostarinen angled an outlet pass to his right. Reinhart put the puck into an empty net from the red line for his second tally of the game and 57th goal of the season with 2:20 to go for a 5-2 Florida lead. 

Marlins Climb Over Giants

     The Miami Marlins scooted by the San Francisco Giants 6-3 on Tuesday night at loanDepot park. The Marlins will finish their six-game homestand tomorrow. 

     San Francisco(7-11) led 1-0 in the second inning. Matt Chapman walloped a solo home run to left-center field on a 0-1 pitch. It was his second homer with his new team. 

     The Giants made it 2-0 in the top of the third. Wilmer Flores doubled to deep center and Austin Slater crossed the plate. 

     Miami(4-14) tied it up 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Bryan De La Cruz drove in Luis Arraez on a double into left field. Two batters later, Jesus Sanchez grounded into a fielder's choice for De La Cruz to score. 

     The Marlins added three more runs during the sixth inning and led 5-2. Tim Anderson grounded into a force out and Josh Bell reached home. Four batters later, Luis Arraez singled into left field which brought in Anderson and Emmanuel Rivera. 

     San Francisco cut it to 5-3 in the top of the seventh. Lamont Wade Jr. knocked in Michael Conforto with a base hit through the left side. 

     The Fish regained a three-run margin in the bottom of the seventh. Nick Gordon got a single through the right side and Sanchez scored. 

Miami Ratings March 2024

     The ratings were issued for Miami/Fort Lauderdale sports talk radio stations. The time span went from fourth week of February to the fourth week in March. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM fell to a 0.9 following three straight months with a 1.2. The Miami Heat were contending for an Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Florida Panthers leaped over the Boston Bruins into first place in the Atlantic Division and held it for three straight weeks. Inter Miami CF started the 2024 Major League Soccer season with a 3-1-1 record. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM dropped from a 0.6 to a 0.4 in the period. The Miami Marlins finished up their spring training camp in Jupiter. The University of Florida Gators men's basketball had a surprising deep run in the SEC Tournament and lost in the championship game to Auburn. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM rose from a 0.1 to a 0.3 in the month. The Florida Atlantic University Owls men's basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. 

     The WQAM stream showed up for the fifth consecutive month and increased from a 0.1 to a 0.2. Audiences were able to hear Florida Panthers and Inter Miami CF contests when it conflicted with Miami Heat game broadcasts during the month. 

Donovan Solano Goes To Padres

     Former Miami Marlins infielder Donovan Solano has signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. He was with the Minnesota Twins in 2023. 

     Solano joined the Marlins franchise as a free agent in November 2011. He played in the first season when the team changed their name from the Florida Marlins to the Miami Marlins and at the new stadium in 2012. Solano was with Miami for four seasons and played in 361 games. 

Panthers Extend Bill Zito

     The Florida Panthers have signed general manager Bill Zito to a multi-year extension. He has also been given the new job title of president of hockey operations and general manager. 

     Zito joined the Panthers organization as their new general manager in September 2020. He was the assistant general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets prior to his arrival in Sunrise. 

     The Panthers have made numerous achievements on Zito's watch. They will make their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance this weekend. Florida captured the Presidents' Trophy and the Atlantic Division in 2021-22. The Cats won the Eastern Conference title last season. 

Giants Rally By Marlins

     It was the return of Jorge Soler to South Florida as the San Francisco Giants got past the Miami Marlins 4-3 at loanDepot park on Monday night. Soler played for Miami during 2022 and 2023. 

     The Marlins continued their six-game homestand. Otto Lopez made his Marlins debut against his former club. 

     Miami(3-12) charged out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Avisail Garcia smacked a solo home run to left-center field on the first pitch for his second homer of the campaign. Five batters later, Bryan De La Cruz singled into left field for Otto Lopez and Luis Arraez to score. 

     San Francisco(7-10) got a run in the top of the fourth and were down 3-1. Michael Conforto singled through the right side and Jung Hoo Lee crossed the plate. 

     The Giants overtook the Fish with three runs during the top of the seventh and had a 4-3 advantage. Patrick Bailey knocked in Thairo Estrada with a sacrifice fly to left field. Two batters later, Lee drove in Mike Yastrzemski on a base hit through the left side. They capped the rally when Wlmer Flores followed with a single to center field which brought in Nick Ahmed. 

Braves Silence Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves were down to their last strike in the ninth inning and then took the lead. They stunned the Miami Marlins 9-7 on Sunday at loanDepot park.

     The Marlins tried to win two straight games along with a series for the first time this season, The Fish will begin a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants on Monday night. 

     Atlanta(9-5) leaped ahead 1-0 in the top of the second. Former Marlin Adam Duvall hit a sacrifice fly to left field for Olson to score. 

     Miami(3-13) responded in the bottom of the frame and evened it 1-1. Bryan De La Cruz powered a solo home run to left-center field on a 2-0 pitch for his second homer of the 2024 campaign. 

     In the third inning, the Braves scored twice to make it 3-1. Albies reached first on a throwing error by Jake Burger and Ronald Acuna Jr. scored. Two batters later, Matt Olson singled into left field to score Albies. 

     The Bravos extended it to 5-1 during the top of the fourth. Duvall smacked a solo homer on a 1-0 count over the center-field wall for his first round-tripper in his third stint with the club. Four batters later, Acuna knocked in Michael Harris II on a base hit into center. 

     The Marlins answered in the bottom of the fourth with two runs and trailed 5-3. Jazz Chisholm Jr. doubled to deep right field for Josh Bell to score. De La Cruz followed with a single into center field and Chisholm crossed the plate. 

     In the bottom of the fifth, the Fish closed it to 5-4. Vidal Brujan touched home when Luis Arraez grounded into a double play. 

     Miami took their only lead in the contest in the sixth inning with three runs to make it 7-5. Jesus Sanchez drove in Emmanuel Rivera with a single to center field. Nick Gordon came up next with a two-run homer barely over the right-field fence on a 0-1 count for his third homer this year. 

     In the ninth inning, the Braves were one pitch away from losing the game. Marcell Ozuna connected with a three-run homer to center field on a 0-2 pitch for his seventh home run of the season. Acuna and Olson were able to score in front of him on the play. 

Heat Win Regular Season Finale

     The Miami Heat played their final regular season game in 2023-24 and toppled the Toronto Raptors 118-103 at Kaseya Center on Sunday. It was the second straight home game in a two-game set between both teams.

     The Heat finished eighth in the Eastern Conference standings. Miami will visit the Philadelphia 76ers in an NBA Play-In Tournament game on Wednesday night. They will participate in the NBA Play-In Tournament for the second straight season. 

     Toronto(25-57) scooted out to a 13-8 advantage early in the contest. Miami(46-36) answered back with 10 consecutive points and they were tied 24-24 after one quarter. The Heat went on a 33-11 run at the end of the first half to lead 67-44 at halftime. 

     Miami kept rolling around and were ahead 94-71at the end of the third quarter. The Raptors gained some ground in the final three minutes of the contest.   

     Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo both had 17 points each for the Heat. Jimmy Butler contributed 15 points. Jaime Jacquez Jr. and Thomas Bryant both added 18 points coming off the bench. Gary Trent Jr. gave Toronto 18 points to lead their squad. 

Inter Miami CF Tops Sporting Kansas City

     Inter Miami CF outscored Sporting Kansas City 3-2 from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night. The game was moved to a bigger venue in Kansas City due to high attendance issues. The Herons were coming off their elimination from the CONCACAF Champions Cup by CF Monterrey. 

     Sporting Kansas City(2-2-4) quickly struck during the sixth minute of play on a tally by Erik Thommy. Inter Miami CF(4-2-3) evened it up 1-1 in the 18th minute when Diego Gomez scored.

     In the second half, Lionel Messi gave Inter Miami CF the lead 2-1 with a goal in the 51st minute. It was then tied 2-2 during the 58th minute on the second goal of the contest by Thommy. It became a 3-2 advantage for Inter Miami CF when Luis Suarez found the net in the 71st minute of play. 

Braves Add Yuli Gurriel

     The Atlanta Braves increased the size of their overall organization roster. They have signed first baseman Yuli Gurriel to a minor league contract. 

     Gurriel spent 2023 with the Miami Marlins and helped the club reach the postseason. He had four home runs, 27 runs batted in and a .245 batting average in 108 games last season. Gurriel won two World Series with the Houston Astros in 2017 and 2022. 

Panthers Slip By Sabres

     The Florida Panthers edged the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in overtime at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers, who clinched home-ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, will finish the regular season with their home finale on Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

     Buffalo(38-37-6) jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 2:59 mark of the first period. Tyson Jost fired a slap shot for his third goal of the year. 

     Florida(51-24-6) responded and tied it up 1-1 at 5:02. Anton Lundell placed in his 13th goal of the campaign on a backhand shot. Matthew Tkachuk chalked up his 60th assist of the season on the play. 

     The Cats took their first lead of the contest 2-1 at 8:11. Kevin Stenlund put in a wrist shot for an unassisted, shorthanded goal. It was his 11th goal during 2023-24. 

     It would become a tie game 2-2 just over one minute later on a tally by the Sabres. Jack Quinn released a wrist shot on the power play for his ninth goal this season. 

     In overtime, the Panthers gained the victory at the 3:58 mark. Sam Reinhart collected his 55th goal of the season on a wrist shot. Aleksander Barkov got his 55th assist to set up the game-winning goal. 

Marlins Down Braves

     The Miami Marlins dropped the Atlanta Braves 5-1 on Saturday at loanDepot park. The Braves are in first place in the National League East Division standings while the Marlins are in last place.

     Miami(3-12) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Josh Bell compiled his second home run of the season as he hit it over the left-field fence on a 0-1 pitch. 

     The Fish made it 2-0 in the bottom of the second. Avisail Garcia scored on a Vidal Brujan sacrifice fly to left field. 

     The Marlins had a five-run gap during the fifth inning. Bryan De La Cruz doubled into the left-field corner for Luis Arraez, Bell and Jake Burger to score. 

     Atlanta(8-5) cut the deficit to 5-1 in the top of the sixth. Marcell Ozuna grounded out to the pitcher which scored Austin Riley. 

Braves Destroy Marlins

     The defending National League East Division champion Atlanta Braves visited the Miami Marlins on Friday night at loanDepot park and dominated them 8-1. It was the start of a Marlins six-game homestand.

     Atlanta(8-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead during the top of the first. Austin Riley doubled down the left-field line for Ozzie Albies to score. 

     It became 2-0 for the Bravos in the fifth inning. Albies knocked in Orlando Arcia with a base hit into right-center field.

     The Braves composed five more runs during the top of the seventh for a 7-0 lead. Matt Olson walked with the bases loaded and Arcia scored. Former Marlin Marcell Ozuna came up next and drove in Ronald Acuna Jr. along with Albies on a single into left field. Michael Harris II then picked up an infield hit to first and Olson crossed the plate. Arcia followed with an infield hit to short which brought in Ozuna. 

     Miami(2-12) got their only run in the bottom of the seventh. Emmanuel Rivera singled up the middle and Jazz Chisholm Jr. reached home. 

     In the ninth inning, Atlanta expanded it to a seven-run margin with another run. Ozuna crushed a solo home run to center field on a 2-1 pitch for his sixth homer of the year. 

Bill Zito With Team USA

     Team USA has announced their management for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics. The first event will take place during the middle of the 2024-25 NHL season while the Olympics will be in the following year. 

     Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito has been named as assistant general manager for the squad. Bill Guerin will be Team USA general manager. Former Florida Panthers center Tom Fitzgerald along with Chris Drury will work as assistant general managers of the team.

     Zito has been the Panthers general manager since 2020. He was Team USA general manager when they played in the 2018 World Championship tournament. At that time, Zito was the assistant general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

Panthers Ink Okuliar and Skoog

     The Florida Panthers continued to add prospects to their overall team roster. They have inked European pro center Oliver Okuliar and Boston University forward Wilmer Skoog. 

     Okuliar has signed a one-way, one-year, entry-level contract with the club. Skoog joins the team with a one-year, two-way deal. 

Heat Run By Raptors

     The Miami Heat drove by the Toronto Raptors 125-103 at Kaseya Center on Friday night. It is the first of two straight contests between both teams this weekend to be held in Miami. 

     Miami(45-36) had a 33-22 advantage at the end of the opening quarter. The Heat pulled away during the second quarter and led 66-50 at halftime. 

     Toronto(25-56) crawled closer with a 15-4 spurt in the middle of the third quarter, but they trailed 94-77 at the end of the frame. The Raptors came as close as 15 points early in the final quarter.

     Nikola Jovic had a team-high 22 points for the Heat. Jaime Jacquez Jr. came off the bench with 20 points. Bam Adebayo added 19 points and six rebounds. Tyler Herro was able to contribute 17 points. R.J. Barrett led Toronto with game-highs of 35 points and 11 rebounds. 

Panthers Romp Blue Jackets

     The Florida Panthers easily handled the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 on Thursday night at Amerant Bank Arena. The Cats, who have back-to-back shutouts, continued their last homestand of the 2023-24 regular season. 

     The Panthers won their 50th game of the season for just the second time in franchise history. They accomplished that feat back in 2021-22. Columbus(26-42-12) has the worst record in the Eastern Conference. 

     Florida(50-24-6) put in their first shot on goal in the contest just 47 seconds into the opening period for a 1-0 lead. Nick Cousins sent a rink-wide pass inside his own blue line to Oliver Ekman-Larsson. He connected a diagonal pass in the neutral zone. Matthew Tkachuk then snapped a shot from the top right circle for his 26th goal of the season. 

     In the second period, the Cats scored twice for a three-goal margin. Evan Rodrigues carried the puck into the left corner and sent a cross-ice pass to Aleksander Barkov in the low right circle. He returned the puck and Rodrigues placed in a forehand shot from the blue paint for his 12th goal in 2023-24 with 2:35 remaining. Eetu Luostarinen was credited with the secondary assist on the play. 

     It became 3-0 with 53.2 seconds to go. Barkov passed the loose puck from the end wall. Sam Reinhart collected his 54th goal of the season when he released a wrist shot from the right-circle dot. Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe have a combined 87 goals in one season by two Florida teammates. They tied the franchise record held by Pavel Bure and Ray Whitney in 1999-2000. 

     The Panthers made it 4-0 with 2:17 left in the third period. Gustav Forsling took a shot from the right point which was saved. Vladimir Tarasenko scored his 23rd goal this season on a backhand shot from the right of the crease. 

Jordan Phillips Joining Giants

     Former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Jordan Phillips is signing a deal with the New York Giants. It is expected to be a one-year contract between him and the club. 

     Phillips broke into the National Football League with the Dolphins in 2015. He was in Miami for four seasons and competed in 48 games. 

CF Monterrey Eliminates Inter Miami CF

     CF Monterrey embarrassed Inter Miami CF 3-1 in Mexico on Wednesday night. It was the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Quarterfinals. CF Monterrey won by a 5-2 aggregate in goals. 

      Lionel Messi played in his first competitive match of his career in Mexico. Inter Miami CF lost 2-1 last week during the first leg in Fort Lauderdale. 

     In the first half, CF Monterrey was able to take a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute. Herons goalkeeper Drake Callender kicked the ball from in front of his goalmouth and turned it over. Brandon Vazquez intercepted a pass and placed in a right-footed shot from seven yards away.      

     It became 2-0 for CF Monterrey in the 58th minute of play. German Berterame fired a 22-yard shot with his right foot into the top right corner of the cage. 

     CF Monterrey increased it to a three-goal lead during the 64th minute. Inter Miami CF gave the ball away outside of the 18-yard box. Berterame crossed the ball from the right side and Jesus Gallardo headed the ball from 10 yards away into the right side of the net. 

     Inter Miami CF finally got on the scoreboard in the 86th minute and trailed 3-1. Messi took a direct kick and Diego Gomez redirected it with a header from nine yards to the right side of the cage. 

Marlins Prevent Sweep By Yankees

     The Miami Marlins avoided another sweep with a 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night. The Marlins finished the road trip with a 2-4 record. They will haver tomorrow off and host the Atlanta Braves to start a homestand on Friday. 

     Miami(2-11) raced out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the third. Luis Arraez knocked in Nick Gordon on a single through the left side. Two batters later, Jake Burger blasted a three-run homer to left-center field on a 0-1 pitch with Nick Fortes and Luis Arraez aboard. It was Burger's third home run of the season. 

     New York(10-3) made it 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Former Marlin Giancarlo Stanton smashed a solo home run to right-center field on a 1-0 count for his fourth homer of the year. 

     In the eighth inning, the Yankees climbed closer and were down 4-2. Juan Soto doubled into right field for Anthony Volpe to score. 

     The Fish expanded it to 5-2 in the top of the ninth. Tim Anderson scored on a throwing error by Volpe on a Gordon ground ball. 

Mavericks Move By Heat

     The Miami Heat began their final homestand of the 2023-24 campaign as they fell to the Dallas Mavericks 111-92 on Wednesday night at Kaseya Center. The Heat were coming off a three-game road swing. 

     Dallas(50-30) went on a 13-3 spurt at the end of the quarter and had a 33-24 lead at the end of the frame. The Mavericks had a 21-9 run during the second quarter and were up 69-47 at halftime. 

     Miami(44-36) tried to cut the lead and trailed 88-74 at the conclusion of the third quarter. The Heat moved it down to a single-digit margin, however the Mavs closed the contest out late in the fourth quarter. 

     Tyler Herro gave Miami a team-high 21 points, six assists and seven rebounds. Kevin Love came off the bench with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Caleb Martin added 14 points while Jimmy Butler scored 12 points. 

     Luka Doncic fell short of a triple-double for the Mavericks with 29 points, nine assists and nine rebounds. Kyrie Irving was able to contribute 25 points in the win. 

Panthers Sign Mikulas Hovorka

     The Florida Panthers have signed defenseman Mikulas Hovorka to a two-year, entry-level deal. The contract will go into effect beginning in the 2024-25 season.

     Hovorka has played for Motor Ceske Bodejovice in the Czech Extraliga for the past two seasons. He has eight goals and 14 assists in 90 games during his stint with that club. 

Yankees Edge Marlins

     The New York Yankees hanged on to defeat the Miami Marlins 3-2 at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night. The Marlins will complete their six-game road trip tomorrow. 

     New York(10-2) moved out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Alex Verdugo powered a solo home run to right field on a 0-1 pitch for his second homer with his new club. 

     The Yankees made it 2-0 during the bottom of the fifth. Giancarlo Stanton doubled into the right-field corner which brought in Juan Soto. 

     In the sixth inning, the Bronx Bombers increased it to 3-0. Soto drove in former Marlin Jon Berti with a base hit to center field. 

     Miami(1-11) closed it up to 3-2 in the top of the seventh. Jesus Sanchez grounded out to first with the bases loaded for Josh Bell to score. Pinch-hitter Nick Gordon followed with a sacrifice fly to left field and Jazz Chisholm Jr. raced home. 

Panthers Sack Senators

     The Florida Panthers shut out the Ottawa Senators 2-0 on Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena. It began the final homestand of the 2023-24 regular season for the Panthers. Ottawa(34-40-4) had already been eliminated from postseason contention. 

     In the first period, Florida(49-24-6) made it 1-0 with a power-play tally with 7:58 remaining. Anton Lundell got his 12th goal of the campaign. Anthony Stolarz was credited with a rare assist on the play. 

     The Cats expanded it to 2-0 with 5:12 to go in the first. Sam Bennett backhanded a centering pass from the right wing and it was stopped by Niko Mikkola in the slot area. He dropped it off and Nick Cousins put in a wrist shot from the high slot for his seventh goal of the season. 

Heat Outduel Hawks

     The Miami Heat outlasted the Atlanta Hawks 117-111 in double overtime at State Farm Arena on Tuesday night.  It was the final road game for the Heat during the 2023-24 regular season. 

     Miami(44-35) scrambled out with a 11-5 spurt to begin the contest and led 30-27 after one quarter. The Heat maintained a 59-47 advantage at halftime. 

     Atlanta(36-43) had a 24-11 run at the conclusion of the third quarter to tie it up 80-80. Neither team led by more than five points during the first nine minutes of the final quarter and it was tied 101-101 at the end of regulation. 

     Both clubs scored six points each in overtime and it was still even 107-107. The Heat outscored the Hawks 10-4 in double overtime.

     Tyler Herro scored a game-high 33 points for Miami. Jimmy Butler piled on 25 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the victory. Nikola Jovic delivered 23 points along with eight rebounds. Atlanta was led by Dejounte Murray with a triple-double of 29 points, 13 assists and 13 rebounds. 

Yankees Bomb Marlins

     The New York Yankees pounded the Miami Marlins 7-0 at Yankee Stadium on Monday night. The Marlins, who were shut out, will now visit New York and face the Yankees in a series every two years based on the new Major League Baseball scheduling. 

     New York(9-2) chalked up six runs in the bottom of the fourth for a 6-0 lead. Anthony Volpe smacked a three-run homer to left-center field on a 1-2 count for his second home run of the year. Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo scored in front of him on the play. 

     It became a six-run margin for Yanks just five batters later. Juan Soto hammered a three-run home run to right field on the first pitch with Alex Verdugo and Jose Trevino aboard for his second homer with his new team.  

     Miami(1-10) gave up one more run in the bottom of the fifth and were down 7-0. Verdugo singled to center field and Stanton crossed the plate.  

Young Ron Brewer Passes Away

     Young Ron Brewer passed away at the age of 68 on Wednesday. He was a morning radio co-host on several Miami radio stations for over three decades.

     Brewer began locally as a morning news anchor at 103.5 WSHE-FM in 1990. He was soon elevated to morning co-host alongside Paul Castronovo. They both became the morning co-hosts at 94,9 WZTA-FM in 1995. Brewer and Castronovo then co-hosted mornings at Big 106 105.9 WBGG-FM from 2004 until Brewer retired in December 2016. 

     Brewer also contributed as a morning news anchor and morning sports anchor on the shows he was involved in. Dave LaMont was their morning sports anchor for several stints on the program when he did not work at Sports Radio 560 WQAM and News Radio 610 WIOD-AM. 

Infinity Sports Network Locally

     CBS Sports Radio Network will change their brand name next week. It will become Infinity Sports Network on April 15. 

     The network feed has been AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM since January 2013. WQAM currently has it on their airwaves during late nights, overnights and weekends. 

     1230 WBZT-AM did have CBS Sports Radio Network from July 2017 until May 2022. They have used VSIN 22 hours on weekdays and all weekend hours since then.

Marlins Finally Win, Take Cardinals

     The Miami Marlins finally picked up their first victory of the 2024 season as they blitzed the St. Louis Cardinals 10-3 at Busch Stadium on Sunday. Marlins starting pitcher Max Meyer retired the first 13 Cardinals batters for his first career victory. 

     The Marlins, who snapped a nine-losing streak to begin the 2024 campaign, will face the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium beginning tomorrow. The Fish did set a Major League Baseball record for most consecutive losses to start a season following a postseason appearance.

     Miami(1-9) piled on six runs during the top of the first. Jazz Chisholm Jr. powered a three-run homer to right-center field on the first pitch with Luis Arraez and Josh Bell aboard. It was the second home run for Chisholm this season. 

     The Marlins made it 6-0 later on in the frame. Four batters later, Nick Gordon lifted a three-run home run to right field on a 1-2 count for his second homer of the year. Tim Anderson and Bryan De La Cruz scored in front of him on the play. 

     In the second inning, the Fish increased it to 7-0. Bell grounded out to first for Arraez to cross the plate. 

     St. Louis(5-5) were able to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth. Nolan Gorman collected his first home run in 2024 with a round-tripper to center field. 

     The Marlins extended it to 8-1 in the seventh inning. Jake Burger doubled into left field for Arraez to reach home. 

     Miami had a nine-run cushion during the top of the eighth. Bell grounded into a fielder's choice at third and Gordon scored. Burger followed with a sacrifice fly to left field for Chrisitan Bethancourt to score. 

     The Cardinals added two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Gorman ripped a two-run homer to center field with Michael Siani aboard for his second home run of the contest and the season.      

Heat Stopped By Pacers

     The Indiana Pacers got by the Miami Heat 117-105 on Sunday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Heat continued their three-game road swing. 

     Indiana(45-34) ran out to a 38-24 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Pacers increased their lead and were up 63-46 at halftime. 

     Miami(43-35) closed it to 91-78 at the end of three quarters. The Heat had a 16-4 spurt during the final quarter, but they fell short by the end of the contest. 

     Jimmy Butler compiled a team-high 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for Miami. Bam Adebayo got a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds. Tyler Herro dropped in 21 points while Caleb Martin added 20 points. Myles Turner led Indiana with 22 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double. 

Inter Miami CF And Colorado Draw

     Inter Miami CF tied the Colorado Rapids 1-1 on Saturday night at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. It will conclude a three-game homestand for Inter Miami CF involving Major League Soccer and CONCACAF Champions Cup contests. Lionel Messi entered the game at the start of the second half after missing over three weeks of action. 

     Colorado(2-2-3) got out to a 1-0 lead in the 45th minute of the contest. Rafael Navarro placed in a penalty kick into the right side of the cage. 

     In the second half, Inter Miami CF(3-2-3) evened it up 1-1 in the 58h minute. Messi scored on a 17-yard shot with his left foot. 

     The Herons took 2-1 lead just two minutes later. Leonardo Frugis Afonso connected with a right-footed shot from 10 yards out. 

     It became 2-2 during the 87th minute when the Rapids tied it 2-2. Cole Bassett was able to score on a left-footed shot from 15 yards away. 

Bruins Nip Panthers

     The Boston Bruins edged the Florida Panthers 3-2 in overtime at TD Garden on Saturday. The Bruins are now five points ahead of the Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division with four games to go. It was the Panthers final regular season away game in 2023-24. 

     Florida(48-24-6) roared out to a 1-0 advantage just 37 seconds into the opening frame. Matthew Tkachuk collected his 25th goal of the season on a wrist show. It was his third straight season with at least 25 goals. 

     Boston(46-17-15) made it 1-1 at the 5:42 mark of the first. Charlie McAvoy chalked up his 11th goal this season with a wrist shot.

     In the second period, the B's claimed the lead 2-1 with 4:15 remaining. Charlie Coyle was able to deflect in a shot during the power play for his 25th goal of the campaign. 

     The Panthers tied it up 2-2 at the 5:24 mark of the third period. Aleksander Barkov snapped a shot from close range for his 23rd goal in 2023-24. Sam Reinhart and Gustav Forsling both had assists on the play. 

     The Bruins wrapped it up in overtime for the 3-2 victory at 2:05. Jesper Boqvist got an unassisted tally for his sixth goal this year. 

Cardinals Drop Marlins

     The Miami Marlins remained winless and fell to the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 at Busch Stadium on Saturday. The Marlins could not get their first victory in 2024 and now have a nine-game losing streak.

     St, Louis(5-4) compiled two runs during the bottom of the fourth. Jordan Walker doubled down the left-field line for Ivan Herrera to score. Walker later scored on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by Marlins starting pitcher Trevor Rogers. 

     It became 3-0 for the Cardinals in the fifth inning. Herrera drove in Brendan Donovan on a ground ball to second. 

     Miami(0-9) broke the shutout with one out in the top of the eighth. Josh Bell singled into center field and Luis Arraez crossed the plate. 

Heat Dispose Rockets

     The Miami Heat flew by the Houston Rockets 119-104 on Friday night at Toyota Center. The Heat, who began a three-game road trip, have won five of their last six road games. 

     Both clubs were tied 29-29 after one quarter. Miami(43-34) outscored their opponent 37-32 during the second quarter and had a 66-61 halftime lead. 

     Houston(38-39) could not cut into the lead in the early portion of the second half and were down 93-83 at the end of three quarters. Heat increased their scoring pace in the final quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler led the way for Miami with 22 points. Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds. Tyler Herro returned after a lengthy absence of 20 games and dropped in 17 points. Jalen Green had a team-high 21 points for the Rockets. 

Marlins Get Otto Lopez

     The Miami Marlins claimed utility player Otto Lopez off waivers from the San Francisco Giants. He was not in the majors last year and spent time with the Toronto Blue Jays Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo. Lopez was acquired by the Giants from the Blue Jays back on February 13. 

     Lopez did play Major League Baseball with Toronto in 2021 and 2022. He participated in nine games over a two-season stint and had a .600 batting average along with a 1.236 OPS. 

Sixers Shake Heat

     The Philadelphia 76ers outdueled the Miami Heat 109-105 at Kaseya Center on Thursday night. The Heat have a quick turnaround and will visit the Houston Rockets tomorrow. 

     Philadelpha(42-35), who scored the first points 12 points of the game, rocketed out to a 17-2 advantage to start the contest and led 39-29 at the end of the first quarter. Miami(42-34) began the second quarter with a 10-2 spurt, which was part of a 20-7 run between both quarters. The Sixers were still ahead 63-55 at halftime. 

     The Heat scored 10 consecutive points at the conclusion of the third quarter and had an 88-87 lead. Miami kept their momentum with seven straight points to begin the final quarter. The 76ers scored 13 unanswered points to go up 107-102 with 1:33 remaining. 

     Terry Rozier had a team-high 22 points for Miami while Jimmy Butler dropped in 20 points. Bam Adebayo nailed a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. 

     The Sixers were led by Tyrese Maxey as he fell short of a double-double with a game-high 37 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. Joel Embiid drained in 29 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. contributed 18 points. 

Panthers Dominate Senators

     The Florida Panthers blanked the Ottawa Senators 6-0 at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday night. Florida head coach Paul Maurice passed Lindy Ruff for fourth all-time in NHL coaching victories with his 865th win. 

     The Panthers play their final regular season road game on Saturday at the Boston Bruins. They will try and close the lead for the first place in the Atlantic Division. 

     The Cats got their first regulation win in the last six games. They tied for the third largest road shutout victory in franchise history. 

     Florida(48-24-5)) collected two goals within the first two minutes of the game. Nick Cousins scored his sixth goal at the 1:02 mark and Dmitry Kulikov followed with his first tally of the year 35 seconds later. 

     The Panthers extended their lead to 5-0 during the second period. They got goals from Anton Lundell, Sam Bennett and the 53rd goal of the season by Sam Reinhart.

     Ottawa(33-38-4) surrendered one more goal on the power play in the third period and trailed 6-0. Matthew Tkachuk placed in his 24th goal of the campaign at 3:54

Cardinals Defeat Marlins

     The St. Louis Cardinals held their home opener at Busch Stadium on Thursday and topped the Miami Marlins 8-5. The Marlins, who currently claim the worst record in Major League Baseball, have not won a game so far in the 2024 campaign. 

     It was the first time that the Cardinals had a home opener against the Marlins. The Cards had a home opener versus the other 14 National League teams in the past. Both teams have the day off tomorrow before they face each other again on Saturday. 

     St. Louis(4-4) got out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Ivan Herrera golfed a solo home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch for his first career homer. 

     Miami(0-8) was able to tie it up 1-1 in the fourth inning. St. Louis native Jake Burger smacked a solo homer to left field on a 2-1 count for his first home run of the year.  

     The Marlins went in front 4-1 in the top of the fifth. Josh Bell powered a two-run homer to center field on a full count with Luis Arraez aboard for his first home run this season. Burger followed with a solo home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch for his second homer of the contest. 

     The Redbirds rallied with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and were down 4-3. Paul Goldschmidt grounded out to third for Michael Siani to score. Nolan Arenado came up next, doubled into the left-field corner and Victor Scott II crossed the plate.  

     The Fish increased their lead to 5-3 in the top of the sixth. Tim Anderson collected his first stolen base with his new club and later scored on a wild pitch. 

     The Cardinals overtook the Marlins in the seventh inning with five runs for an 8-5 advantage. Herrera singled up the middle and Goldschmidt scored. Nolan Gorman then drove in Arenado and Herrera on a double by the right-field line. Two batters later, Alec Burleson got a base hit through the left side and Gorman scored. Masyn Wynn followed with a triple into the right-field corner and Burleson touched the plate. 

Ashley Nicole Moss Gets Podcast

     Former Miami radio talent Ashley Nicole Moss will co-host the We Need To Talk Now podcast with Alicia Jay beginning on Saturday. Moss joined CBS Sports back in January.

     She was a disc jockey for iHeartMedia Miami in Miramar. Moss, a Florida Atlantic University grad, then was an on-air sidekick on The Greek Zone mid-afternoon show at Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM. 

Inter Miami CF Lose To CF Monterrey

     The CONCACAF Champions Cup continued on Wednesday night at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Inter Miami CF were upended by CF Monterrey 2-1 in the first leg of the quarterfinal round. The second leg will be held in Mexico on April 10. Lionel Messi has not played for Inter Miami CF in the last three weeks. 

     In the first half, Inter Miami CF made it 1-0 during the 19th minute. They took corner kick from the right side and Tomas Aviles volleyed the ball in with his right foot from six yards away.

     CF Monterrey evened it up 1-1 in the 70th minute of play. They sent a right-side corner kick and the header shot from outside the six-yard box was saved. Maxie Meza placed in the rebound with a right-footed shot from four yards out. 

     It became 2-1 for CF Monterrey as they got the late lead during the 89th minute. Inter Miami CF turned the ball over in the middle of the field and Jorge Rodriguez booted a right-footed shot from 21 yards for the go-ahead goal. 

Marlins Winless Homestand, Angels Sweep

     The Los Angeles Angels hammered the Miami Marlins 10-2 at loanDepot park on Wednesday. It was the second straight series that the Marlins were swept. 

     The Marlins became the first team in Major League Baseball history to make the postseason and lose their first seven games to start the following season. They were winless during the seven-game opening homestand. 

     The Fish will go on the road for the first time in the 2024 season and face the St. Louis Cardinals followed by the New York Yankees. The Angels will have their home opener on Friday against the Boston Red Sox. 

     Marlins starting pitcher A.J. Puk made his second career start in the majors. Miami wore their powder blue jerseys for the second time in franchise history. 

     Los Angeles(4-2) raced out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Taylor Ward singled into right field and Luis Rengifo scored. Brandon Drury came up next and grounded out to second for Mike Trout to score. 

     The Angels made it 4-0 int he top of the third. Drury reached first on a fielding error for Aaron Hicks and Ward to touch home plate. 

     Miami(0-7) cut the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the third. Josh Bell drove in Avisail Garcia with a base hit into center. Jake Burger followed with a single through the right side and Luis Arraez sprinted home.  

     It became a four-run cushion for Los Angeles in the sixth inning. Logan O'Hoppe knocked in Drury on a single into through the left side. Jo Adell then hit a sacrifice fly to right field which brought in Miguel Sano. 

     The Angels expanded it to 9-2 in the top of the seventh. Doral Academy High School grad Zach Neto doubled off the base of the left-center field wall to bring in Sano and O'Hoppe. Adell then scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Park Vista High School and Florida Atlantic University grad Nolan Schanuel.

     The Marlins trailed 10-2 during the eighth inning. Ward socked a solo home run to center field on a 0-1 pitch for his third homer of the year.