Florida Panthers In The Battle Of Alberta

     The Florida Panthers will have the rare occurrence of hosting both NHL teams from the Province of Alberta in two straight games. The Edmonton Oilers visited Sunrise on Thursday night and the Calgary Flames face the Panthers in South Florida on Saturday. 

     The same circumstance will happen elsewhere in the Southeastern United States this week. The Tampa Bay Lightning hosted the Oilers recently on Tuesday night and the Flames on Thursday night. The Carolina Hurricanes will be at home against Edmonton on Saturday night and Calgary on Sunday night.  

West Palm Beach Ratings January 2025

     The ratings were issued for West Palm Beach sports format radio stations. The time span went from the second week in January until the first week in February. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM moved stayed at a 0.4 in the period. The station relied on Florida Atlantic University men's basketball broadcasts. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM remained at a 0.2 in the month. The Florida Panthers regained first place in the Atlantic Division.

Heat Race By Pacers

     The Miami Heat leaped by the Indiana Pacers 125-120 on Friday night at Kaseya Center. The Heat continued their homestand.

     Indiana broke out to a 35-29 lead by the conclusion of the first quarter. The Pacers held a slight 69-68 lead at halftime. 

     Miami(28-30) pulled ahead 97-92 by the end of the third quarter. The Heat was able to hold off their opponent late in the final quarter. 

     Tyler Herro led Miami with 29 points and seven assists. Bam Adebayo had 18 points and seven rebounds. Duncan Robinson came off the bench with 20 points. Pascal Siakam ended up with a game-high 36 points for Indiana. 

Marlins Adding Brett de Geus

     The Miami Marlins have claimed pitcher Brett de Geus off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He will join the Marlins spring training camp in Jupiter immediately. 

     de Geus spent time with the Seattle Mariners, Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays last season. He had a 6.35 earned run average in seven contests with the Fish in 2024. 

Mets Sign Jose Urena

     The New York Mets have inked pitcher Jose Urena to a minor league contract and he has joined their spring training camp in Port St. Lucie. The contract is worth $2 million. 

     Urena was with the Miami Marlins for six seasons from 2015 until 2020. He helped the Marlins reach the postseason in 2020 for the first time in 17 years. Urena had a 32-46 record with a 4.60 earned run average with Miami. 

Miami Marlins 2025 Radio Announcers

     The Miami Marlins have announced their radio broadcasters for the 2025 Major League Baseball season. There will be some on-air personnel changes for this season. 

     Jack McMullen becomes the Miami Marlins primary radio play-by-play announcer. He replaces Kyle Sielaff, who held that position for the past two seasons and has been shifted to the television play-by-play announcer post. Stephen Strom returns as the radio studio host. Craig Minervini, who works as the television studio host, will be the fill-in radio play-by-play voice. 

     There will a slew of radio game analysts in the broadcast booth. They include A.J. Ramos, Rod Allen, Jeff Nelson, Gaby Sanchez and Kelly Saco.  

ESPN West Palm Losing Baseball

     ESPN and Major League Baseball broadcasting rights agreement ended earlier this week. The contract between the two companies was to run through the 2028 season. It means that 2025 will be the final year of ESPN Radio broadcasting the World Series, postseason games and regular season contests and the MLB All-Star Game. 

     From a South Florida prospective, ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM in West Palm Beach will have one final season of MLB games being broadcast. Them and previously their Good Karma Brands sister-station ESPN Radio 760 WEFL-AM had the ESPN Radio broadcasts since the 2003 Major League Baseball season. 

     No Miami radio station has carried the ESPN Radio baseball broadcasts for the last couple of years. 560 WQAM-AM has piped in Infinity Sports Network while 940 WINZ-AM has brought in Fox Sports Radio. 

Panthers Outlast Oilers

     The Florida Panthers got by the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday night. Both teams are entwined together in NHL history. 

     It was a rematch of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers won the first three games of the series. The Oilers were victorious in the next three contests. Florida won the decisive Game 7 in Sunrise and captured their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history. 

     The Oilers have not won a Stanley Cup in 35 years, after winning five Stanley Cups in a seven-season period. No Canadian-based team has captured a Stanley Cup title since 1993. 

     The Cats had their four-game home winning streak snapped on Saturday. The Oilers now have a five-game losing streak. 

     Florida(36-21-3) got out to a 1-0 advantage with 7:32 left in the first period. Anton Lundell won the faceoff in the left circle and Uvis Balinskis placed in a wrist shot from the left wing past Stuart Skinner for his fourth goal of the year. 

     Edmonton(34-21-4) tied it up 1-1 with 5:19 to go in the first. John Klingberg pushed the puck ahead from the blue line and Vasily Podkolzin poked a backhand pass from the left wing. Brett Kulak snapped a shot from the left-circle dot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his seventh goal in 2024-25. 

     In the second period, the Panthers increased it to 2-1 with 4:30 remaining. Aaron Ekblad snapped a shot from the top right circle and Anton Lundell redirected it from low slot for his 14th goal this season. 

     The Oilers responded with 2:30 left in the second to even it up 2-2. Klingberg sent a lead pass in the neutral zone. Leon Draisaitl carried it through the right circle and lifted a shot from the right of the crease for his 44th goal of the season. 

     The Cats made it 3-2 with 8:52 to go in the third period. Lundell zipped a cross-ice pass from the right wing. A.J. Greer tapped a back pass from high slot and Nate Schmidt scored his fifth goal of the campaign on a snap shot from top left circle. 

     It became 4-2 for Florida with 6:09 left in the third. Ekblad cleared the puck from his own goal line and Sam Reinhart steered it ahead in the center-ice circle. Carter Verhaeghe found the net on a second-chance forehand shot from the low slot for his 16th goal of the season. 

     Edmonton pulled their goalie for an extra attacker and closed it to 4-3 with 3:25 remaining in the period. Connor McDavid passed from the left circle and Zach Hyman scored his 20th goal this season on a wrist shot from the blue paint. It turned out to be McDavid's 699th NHL assist. 

Inter Miami CF Advance By Sporting Kansas City

     Inter Miami CF topped Sporting Kansas City 3-1 in the CONCAF Champions Cup second leg of the First Round. The Herons finished with a 4-1 aggregate in the two-game series. Sporting Kansas City has never beaten Inter Miami CF in any competition game. 

     The Herons took a 1-0 lead during the 19th minute of play. Luis Suarez crossed the ball back on a diagonal pass from the left side. Lionel Messi made a chest trap and then powered in a half-volley shot from 17 yards with his left foot. 

     Inter Miami CF extended it to 3-0 during stoppage time in the first half. Jordi Alba fed a pass from near the left goal line. Tadeo Allende tapped the ball in from five yards away on a right-footed shot. 

     It became 3-0 for the Herons at the end of the first half. Suarez got to a loose ball in the penalty box and placed in a right-footed shot from seven yards out. 

     Sporting Kansas City broke the shutout in the 63rd minute and they trailed 3-1. Memo Rodriguez blasted in a 26-yard shot with his right foot. 

     

Bay Area Shakes Jupiter Links

     Bay Area Golf Club defeated Jupiter Links GC 6-3 on Tuesday night at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens. Bay Area(4-0-0) clinched a playoff spot and remained first in the TGL standings with an undefeated record this campaign. 

     Jupiter Links(1-3-0) is currently in fifth place with one game left in the regular season. They need to win their final game and hope for a New York Golf Club loss next week to qualify for the postseason. 

Miami Ratings January 2025

     The ratings were released for sports talk radio stations in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale region. The time span went from the second week in January to the first week in February. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM dropped from a 1.2 to a 1.1 in the month. The Florida Panthers were in first place among teams in the Atlantic Division. The Miami Heat had been mediocre with a 24-25 record and they eventually traded away Jimmy Butler. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM fell from a 0.5 to a 0.4 in the period. The University of Florida Gators men's basketball team continued their SEC schedule. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM ended with a 0.0 after three consecutive months with a 0.2. Florida Atlantic University Owls men's basketball team was in the middle of their season. 

     The streaming of WQAM remained at a 0.1 in the period. WZTU-FM-HD2 jumped from a 0.1 to a 0.2 in the month with the WINZ stream. 

Heat Stuff Hawks

     The Miami Heat pounded the Atlanta Hawks 131-109 at Kaseya Center on Wednesday night. The Heat began a four-game homestand. It was their first home contest since the NBA All-Star Game break. 

     Miami(27-30) pulled out to a 29-28 lead at the end of one quarter. Both clubs were tied 65-65 at halftime. 

     Atlanta(27-32) got hammered 42-28 during the third quarter and trailed 107-93. The Heat held a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.

     Tyler Herro compiled a double-double of 24 points and 10 assists for the Heat. Duncan Robinson came off the bench with 24 points. Bam Adebayo composed 20 points and nine rebounds for Miami. 

Brian Griese Gone From 49ers

     One-time Miami Dolphins quarterback Brian Griese is no longer with the San Francisco 49ers organization. He recently worked for them as a quarterback coach. 

     Griese, son of former Miami Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese, once had a short stint with the Fins in 2003. He started in five games that season and had 74 completions for 813 passing yards along with five touchdowns. 

Panthers Crowd Predators

     The Florida Panthers moved by the Nashville Predators 4-1 at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers will return home to begin a five-game homestand on Thursday.

     Florida(35-21-3) busted out to a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal at the 1:23 mark. Aleksander Barkov angled a pass from the left wing. Sam Reinhart carried the puck to the low slot and sent a backdoor pass. Sam Bennett tapped it in from the left side of the crease past Juuse Saros for his 19th goal of the season. 

     It became 2-0 for the Panthers when Justin Sourdif scored his first NHL goal at 4:21 of the second period on a forehand shot from the top of the crease. Jesper Boqvist and Niko Mikkola picked up the assists on the play. 

     Nashville(20-30-7) broke the shutout at 4:30 of the third period. Michael McCarron placed in a rebound with a backhand shot from the right of the crease by Spencer Knight for his third tally this year. 

     The Cats expanded their lead to 3-1 with 10:58 remaining in the third. Barkov banked the puck off the right-wing boards and an Aaron Ekblad slap shot from the right point went wide left of the cage. Gustav Forsling released a wrist shot from the left wing and it floated in for his ninth goal of the campaign. 

     The Panthers make it 4-1 during a 4-on-4 situation with 4:26 left in the third. Bennett took the puck away and centered it from the left circle. Mackie Samoskevich put in a backhand shot from the crease area for his ninth goal this season. 

Hawks Sweep Down Heat

     The Atlanta Hawks pulled by the Miami Heat 98-86 on Monday night at State Farm Arena. The Heat have lost seven of their past 10 games since they traded away Jimmy Butler. 

     Atlanta(27-31) had a slight 23-22 advantage at the end of the first quarter. They extended their lead to 50-42 by halftime. 

     Miami(26-30) kept up with the pace during the third quarter and were down 83-75 at the conclusion of the frame. The Hawks held off the Heat in the final quarter. 

     Andrew Wiggins helped the Heat with a game-high 23 points. Bam Adebayo and Kyle Anderson both contributed 14 points each. 

     Onyeka Okongwu led the Hawks with 17 points and eight rebounds. Trae Young had a double-double with 11 points and 14 assists. 

Harold Ramirez In Mexico

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Harold Ramirez is off to Mexico. He has signed a contract with Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos in the Mexican League. 

     Ramirez was with the Marlins for 119 games in 2019 and three contests in 2020. He compiled 11 home runs, 51 runs batted in and a .274 batting average in two seasons with Miami. 

Dolphins Get Bump Cooper

     Cornerback Ryan Cooper Jr. has joined the Miami Dolphins. He was claimed off waivers by the Fins from the Seattle Seahawks. 

      It was the second time during the offseason that Cooper was claimed. He participated in one game with the Baltimore Ravens in 2024. 

Inter Miami CF Spanish Radio Rights

     Deportes Radio 760 WEFL-AM in West Palm Beach is again the Spanish-language audio rights holder for the 2025 Major League Season. Good Karma Brands West Palm Beach picked up the Spanish-language radio rights for that radio station in October 2024. 

     Good Karma Brands now controls the Inter Miami CF audio rights in two languages. ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM acquired the English-language radio rights a couple of weeks ago. 

Heat Outscored By Bucks

     The Milwaukee Bucks outlasted the Miami Heat 120-113 at Fiserv Forum on Sunday night. The Heat will complete their three-game road trip tomorrow in Atlanta. 

     Miami(26-29) rocketed out to a 37-23 by the conclusion of the opening quarter. Milwaukee(32-24) closed it to 65-55 at halftime. 

     The Heat remained ahead with a 93-85 advantage at the end of the third quarter. The Bucks took the lead and outscored Miami 35-20 during the fourth quarter. 

     Tyler Herro led the Heat with a game-high 40 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for a double-double. Kel'el Ware also had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Bam Adebayo chalked up 24 points and seven rebounds while Andrew Wiggins dropped 20 points. 

     Giannis Antetokounmpo collected 23 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists for Milwaukee. Damian Lillard drained in a team-high 28 points. 

Inter Miami CF Tie 2025 Season Opener

     Inter Miami CF had their 2025 Major League Soccer season opener on Saturday night at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale and tied New York City FC 2-2. It began the sixth season for Inter Miami CF in MLS.        

     The Herons captured the MLS Supporters' Shield last year. They set the league record for the most points in a single-season campaign during 2024.

     Lionel Messi began his third season with Inter Miami CF(0-0-1). He finished up with assisting on their two goals in the contest. 

     The Herons jumped out to a 1-0 advantage five minutes into the first half. Tomas Aviles made a sliding shot from seven yards out with his left foot. 

     New York City FC(0-0-1) would move ahead 2-1. Mitja Ilenic scored in the 26th minute and Alonso Martinez scored during the 55th minute of play. 

     Inter Miami CF evened it up 2-2 with a tally 10 minutes into stoppage time at the end of the second half. Telasco Segovia found the net with seconds left in the contest as he chipped a right-footed shot from six yards away. 

Kraken Grab Panthers

     The Florida Panthers lost to the Seattle Kraken 2-1 at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday night. It was the first game for both teams in two weeks. 

     Former Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour was honored with a video montage during the first period. Panthers centers Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett played in their first contest since Team Canada captured the 4 Nations Face-Off title. Matthew Tkachuk did not play due to an injury during the tournament. 

     The Panthers had their five-game home winning streak snapped. The Kraken are now 5-2-1 all-time against the Cats.

     Seattle(25-29-4) made it 1-0 on the power play at 6:32 of the first period. Matty Beniers angled a pass from the high slot to his left. Kaapo Kakko slipped in a wrist shot from the left side of the crease past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 10th goal of the campaign.

     Florida(34-21-3) evened it up 1-1 with 8:23 left in the second period. Anton Lundell backhanded a centering pass from the right circle. Eetu Luostarinen steered the puck in from the top of the crease by Joey Daccord for his eighth tally of the year.  

     The Kraken regained the lead 2-1 at the 7:03 mark of the third period. Adam Larsson sent a pass from the slot area. Former Panthers player Jared McCann snapped a shot from the low left circle and collected his 15th goal of the season. 

 

    

      

Ken LaVicka New Inter Miami CF Radio Voice

     Ken LaVicka has been named the new radio play-by-play announcer of Inter Miami CF. He takes over for Phil Schoen. ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM in West Palm Beach recently acquired the team's audio broadcast rights.         

     LaVicka finished a 17-year tenure with Good Karma Brands West Palm Beach in April 2024. He continues as the radio voice of Florida Atlantic University Owls football and men's basketball. 

     He has called a handful of NWSL soccer games on television in recent years. LaVicka has not announced any FAU and Palm Beach County high school soccer contests on radio. 

Heat Down Raptors

     The Miami Heat slid by the Toronto Raptors 120-111 in overtime at Scotiabank Arena on Friday night. It was the first contest for both teams since the NBA All-Star Game break. 

     Miami(26-28) blasted out to a 30-19 lead by the end of the first quarter. They stayed ahead 57-48 at halftime. 

     Toronto(17-39) cut into the deficit and trailed 84-80 at the conclusion of three quarters. Both teams were tied 107-107 after four quarters. The Heat outscored the Raptors 13-4 in overtime. 

     Tyler Herro led with Miami with 28 points and seven assists. Andrew Wiggins was able to add 25 points for the Heat. Bam Adebayo contributed a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds.

     RJ Barrett finished with a game-high 29 points for the Raptors. Immanuel Quickly was able to drop in 23 points.

Panthers Win 4 Nations Face-Off

     Several Florida Panthers players were on the winning squad for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Team Canada defeated Team USA 3-2 in overtime in the championship game at TD Garden in Boston on Thursday night. 

     Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett represented the Panthers for Canada. Bennett scored a goal in the second period to tie it up 2-2. Reinhart had an assist in the first period to give Canada a 1-0 lead. 

Canada Takes USA & 4 Nations Face-Off Title

     Team Canada topped Team USA 3-2 in overtime in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game on Thursday night in Boston at TD Garden. Canada won the first best-on-best tournament among NHL players since 2014.

     In the first period, Canada took a 1-0 lead at the 4:48 mark when Nathan McKinnon placed in a wrist shot from the top of the zone. Panthers center Sam Reinhart was credited with a secondary assist on the play with a takeaway. 

     The United States evened it up 1-1 with 3:08 remaining in the first. Auston Mathews attempted a wraparound shot and Brady Tkachuk poked the puck in from the top of the crease. 

     Team USA moved ahead 2-1 early in the second period. Jake Sanderson placed in a shot from the low slot. 

     Team Canada tied it up 2-2 with xxxx remaining in the second. Sam Bennett roofed a wrist shot from the left side of the crease. 

     After a scoreless third period, Canada captured the 4 Nations Face-Off title at the 8:18 mark of overtime. Connor McDavid powered in a forehand shot from the slot area. 

Marlins Claim Seth Martinez

     Relief pitcher Seth Martinez was claimed by the Miami Marlins off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was the second time this offseason that he was claimed. 

     Martinez spent his entire four-year Major League Baseball career with the Houston Astros. That club won the World Series in 2022. 

Andrew Heaney Lands With Pirates

     One-time Miami Marlins pitcher Andrew Heaney will playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025. He is signing a one-year deal worth $5.25 million. 

     Heaney spent one season with the Marlins in 2014 and participated in seven contests. He captured a World Series title with the Texas Rangers in 2023. 

Matt Moore Inks With Red Sox

     One-time Miami Marlins starting pitcher Matt Moore signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox. He is now in their spring training camp following two seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. 

     Moore had a short stint with the Marlins during the 2023 season and had four starts. He helped the Fish reach the postseason in a 162-game campaign for the first time in 20 years. 

Dylan Floro Off To A's

     The A's have inked former Miami Marlins relief pitcher Dylan Floro. It is a minor league contract between him and the club. 

     Floro was with Miami during the 2023 campaign. He had a 4.54 earned run average in 43 relief appearances for the Marlins. 

USA & Canada For 4 Nations Face-Off Title

     Team USA and Team Canada will face each other in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game at TD Garden in Boston on Thursday night. The United States knocked off Canada 3-1 on Saturday during the round-robin phase of the tournament.

     The United States looks to win their first best-on-best tournament since the World Series of Hockey in 1996. Canada has a 4-2 record in championship finals against Team USA.

Dolphins Disposing Raheem Mostert

     The Miami Dolphins are expected to release running back Raheem Mostert prior to the 2025 NFL season. He has one year remaining on his contract. Mostert was passed over by De'Von Achane for the Dolphins starting running back position in 2024. 

      Mostert has been on the Dolphins since 2022. He led the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns and 21 overall touchdowns in 2023. 

 

Gregori Denisenko Dealt To Predators

     One-time Florida Panthers left wing Gregori Denisenko has been traded by the Vegas Golden Knights to the Nashville Predators. He participated in just seven contests, including one game in 2024-25, with Vegas over the past two seasons and had no points.  

     Denisenko spent his first three NHL seasons with Florida from 2020-21 to 2022-23. He finished with seven assists in 27 games during his time with the Panthers.

New York Golf Club Smash Jupiter Links GC

     New York Golf Club wiped out Jupiter Links GC 10-3 at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens on Tuesday night. It was the third game of the 2025 TGL season for both teams. 

     The result had New York Golf Club(1-2-0) leap to a playoff position from sixth place to fourth place with the holes won tiebreaker. Jupiter Links Golf Club(1-2-0), who is led by Tiger Woods, dropped from fourth place to fifth place with two contests left in the regular season. 

Yuli Gurriel Goes To Padres

     Former Miami Marlins first baseman Yuli Gurriel has signed a one-year minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. He spent 2024 with the Kansas City Royals. Gurriel captured two World Series titles with the Houston Astros in 2017 and 2022.

     Gurriel was with the Marlins for the 2023 campaign. He compiled four home runs, 27 runs batted in and .245 batting average in 108 games with Miami.

Sweden Passes USA

      Team USA lost to Team Sweden 2-1in TD Garden in Boston on Monday night. It was the last contest in the round-robin stage of the 4 Nations Face-Off. 

      The United States ended first in the final standings. Team USA will challenge Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game on Thursday.

Richard Bleier Retires

     Former Miami Marlins relief pitcher Richard Bleier has retired from baseball. He made his announcement several days ago. 

     Bleier was with the Marlins from 2020 to 2022. He had a 3.16 earned run average in 142 games with Miami.

2025 NBA All-Star Game

     The 2025 NBA All-Star Game was held at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sunday night. It was the first time that the NBA All-Star Game was held in the Bay Area since it was at Oakland in 2000. 

     Tyler Herro of the Miami Heat played for Kenny's Young Stars among the four different rosters. They were eliminated in the semifinal round by Chuck's Global Stars 41-32. 

     Shaq's OG's knocked off Chuck's Global Stars 41-25 in the championship game. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors won the 2025 NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award with 12 points in the final contest. 

Tyler Herro Wins Three-Point Contest

     Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro captured the three-point shooting contest in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game weekend festivities at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday night. He became the fifth player in Miami Heat franchise history to win it. 

     Herro finished ahead in the final round with 24 points. He was able to get by Buddy Hield of the Golden State Warriors who had 23 points and Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers with 17 points. 

USA Upends Canada

     Team USA beat Team Canada 3-1 in the 4 Nations Face-Off on Saturday night at Bell Centre in Montreal. It was the second game of the round-robin series for both clubs. 

     The United States now has six points and clinched first place in the round-robin pool with a regulation win over Canada. Team USA will play for the 4 Nations Face-Off championship in Boston on Thursday night. 

      

Former Locals Announcing 4 Nations Face-Off

     Two former South Florida residents are announcing the 4 Nations Face-Off. They are Bob Wischusen and Anthony Stewart. 

     Wischusen is the television play-by-play announcer on ESPN. He once was a sports anchor and weekend talk show host on 560 WQAM-AM.

     Stewart began his National Hockey League playing career with the Florida Panthers. He will work the first four games of the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal as a radio game analyst on Sirius XM Radio. 

USA Routs Finland

     Team USA pounded Team Finland 6-1 at Bell Centre in Montreal on Thursday night. It was the first contest for both countries in the 4 Nations Face-Off. 

      Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk was named the First Star of the Game. He ended up with two goals and one assist in the victory. The United States scored four goals during the third period. 

      Panthers center Aleksander Barkov was the captain for Team Finland. He is only Finland-born NHL player to capture a Stanley Cup champion as a captain. 

Sandy Alcantara Marlins Opening Day Starter

     The Miami Marlins announced yesterday that Sandy Alcantara will be their starting pitcher on opening day. Alcantara missed the entire 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery. 

Jake Marisnick On Braves

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Jake Marisnick is joining the Atlanta Braves. He has agreed to a minor league deal and will be in spring training. 

     Marisnick was with the Marlins in 2013 and 2014 for 54 games. He spent last season in the minor leagues with the Los Angeles Angels. 

Mavericks Squeeze By Heat

     The Dallas Mavericks handled the Miami Heat 118-115 at American Airlines Arena on Thursday night. It was the final game for the Heat before the NBA All-Star Game break. 

ESPN West Palm Get Inter Miami CF Radio Rights

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM is now the English-language radio flagship station of Inter Miami CF broadcasts. It is a one-year contract between them and the team.

     2025 is likely to be the final season for Inter Miami CF in Fort Lauderdale at Chase Stadium. That venue has been their home since their first Major League Soccer season in 2020. The club will move to Miami for the 2026 campaign. 

     The Inter Miami CF English-language audio rights has been around over the past six seasons. It began in-house on InterMiamiCF.com. It was carried by OnsideSports.com from October 2020 to June 2021 when they ceased operations. 

     Audacy picked up the radio rights in 2022 and placed it on Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM. It stayed there until that flipped from sports talk in September 2022. The rights were shifted to sister-station AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM from 2023 to 2025. Inter Miami CF game broadcasts in 2025 were bumped plenty of times to WAXY along with WQAM online streaming due to broadcast window conflicts with the University of Miami Hurricanes football, Miami Heat and Florida Panthers.

World Series Of Hockey In 2028

     The National Hockey League announced that the World Series of Hockey will return in 2028. It was lasted played in 2016. It means that the best NHL players will be involved. 

     A league-high eight Florida Panthers players are participating in the Four Nations Face-Off tournament this week. It includes Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, Niko Mikkola and Gustav Forsling. 

Thunder Run By Heat

     The Miami Heat were passed by the Oklahoma City Thunder 115-101 on Wednesday night at Paycom Center. The Heat have one more contest before the NBA All-Star Game break. 

     Miami(25-27) blasted out to a 35-28 advantage after one quarter. Oklahoma City(44-9) cut it to 63-52 by halftime. 

     The Heat stayed ahead 93-83 at the end of the third quarter. The Thunder scored 24 consecutive points to begin the fourth quarter and pulled away. 

      Bam Adebayo had a double-double for Miami with a club-high 27 points and 15 rebounds. Tyler Herro had 14 points while Andrew Wiggins added 13 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with a game-high 32 points. 

Ken Dorsey With Cowboys

     Former University of Miami Hurricanes Ken Dorsey has a new job. He has been added by the Dallas Cowboys as their passing game specialist. He spent his 2024 season with the Cleveland Browns organization. 

     Dorsey was the starting quarterback when the Canes captured their last national championship in 2001. He once was the offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills. 

Marlins Sign Cal Quantrill

     The Miami Marlins have signed starting pitcher Paul Quantrill to a one-year contract. He will be involved in the Marlins spring training camp in Jupiter. 

     He previously had stints with the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians/Guardians and Colorado Rockies. Quantrill ended up with an 8-11 record and a 4.98 earned run average with Colorado in 2024. 

John Curtiss Off To Diamondbacks

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher John Curtiss has joined the Arizona Diamondbacks. He has agreed to a minor league deal. 

     Curtiss was with the Marlins during the 2021 campaign. He finished with a 3-1 record and a 2.48 earned run average for Miami.

Ronny Henriquez Heads To Marlins

     Ronny Henriquez is off to the Miami Marlins. He was claimed off waivers by the Fish from the Minnesota Twins.  

     Henriquez spent most of the 2024 season in the minor leagues. He had a 1-1 record and a 3.26 earned run average with the Twins last season. 

Marlins Ink Janson Junk

     The Miami Marlins signed pitcher Janson Junk to a minor league contract. He began in their training camp today.

     Junk split his time with the Milwaukee Brewers and the Oakland A's in 2024. He had a 14.63 earned run average in six combined games last season. 

Jorge Sedano & Scott Kaplan On National List

     Former Miami radio sportscasters Jorge Sedano and Scott Kaplan showed up once again on the Barrett Media top 25 local afternoon shows in America. Sedano and Kaplan co-host an afternoon program on KSPN-AM in Los Angeles since February 2021. 

     Both finished in 14th place during 2024. They ended up 19th in 2021, 20th in 2022 and 12nd place in 2023.

     Sedano had on-air stints locally from 1999 to 2013. Organizations included 1700 WAFN-AM, 940 WINZ-AM, 610 WIOD-AM, 790 WAXY-AM, 560 WQAM-AM, WFOR-TV Channel 4 and Sunshine Network. Kaplan was at 560 WQAM-AM and CBS Sportsline in the late 1990s. 

Marlins Hall Of Fame

     The Miami Marlins announced that the team will start a Marlins Hall of Fame in 2025. Their first induction ceremony will occur in July. 

     Leading the inaugural class into the Marlins Hall of Fame is manager and Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim Leyland. He managed the Florida Marlins for two seasons in 1997 and 1998. Leyland guided he Marlins organization to their first World Series title in 1997. It was at the time the fastest that a franchise won a World Series in their fifth season. 

Hubie Brown Retires

     Hubie Brown announced his final NBA contest as an NBA television game analyst for ESPN on Sunday. He has been in broadcasting since 1981 when he hosted Scholastic Sports Academy on USA Network. 

     Brown had a connection to the Miami Heat organization. He was the radio game analyst at ESPN Radio on national broadcasts of the NBA Finals involving the Heat in the 2000s, 2010s and 2020s. 

Celtics Can Heat

     The Boston Celtics downed the Miami Heat 103-85 at Kaseya Center on Monday night. Andrew Wiggins made his debut with Miami. 

     The Heat were coming off a four-game road trip. The Celtics have the third-best record in the National Basketball Association. 

     Miami(25-26) sprinted out to a 24-18 advantage by the end of the opening quarter. Boston(38-16) scored 10 consecutive points to begin the second quarter and led 52-43 at halftime. 

     The C's expanded their lead to 88-65 by the conclusion of the third quarter. The Heat outscored their opponent 20-15 during the fourth quarter.

Marc James In Seattle

     Former South Florida sports radio host Marc James has moved to Seattle. He is the new midday host at KJR-FM. He recently held a sportscaster position at WWBA-AM in Tampa. 

     James, a University of Miami grad, was a sports talk host at 1400 The Fan WFLL-AM from April 2004 to May 2006. He then was an afternoon co-host on Sports Byline USA and Sirius XM Radio. James later had local radio stints in Memphis, Tampa, Charlotte, Atlanta and Boston. 

Jack McMullen New Marlins Radio Voice

     Jack McMullen was named the new Miami Marlins radio play-by-play radio play-by-play announcer on Friday. He take over for Kyle Sielaff, who was elevated to their television play-by-play announcer position. 

     McMullen, a Syracuse University grad, began announcing baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod League. He then landed with the Auburn Doubledays in the single-A New York-Penn League. McMullen spent the last couple of seasons with the Indianapolis Indians in triple-A.

WQAM Returns To National List

     The top 25 sports talk radio stations in the United States were released by Barrett Media. 560 WQAM-AM appeared after a one-year absence. 

     WQAM ended up in 21st place during 2024. They had previously finished 19th in 2017 and 25th in 2022. 

Paul Mason Appears On Barrett Media List

     Former West Palm Beach radio programmer Paul Mason showed up on the annual top 25 Barrett Media list for medium market sports radio program directors in the United States. He finished in fourth place in 2024 for his work at 104.5 The Zone WGFX-FM in Nashville. 

     Mason ended up in 13th in 2020, 16th in 2021, fourth in 2022 and sixth in 2023. He was the program director at 640 Sports WMEN-AM and News Talk 850 WFTL-AM from March 2017 until April 2020. 

Trey Mancini Arrives With Diamondbacks

     Trey Mancini has signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He will be invited to their spring training camp. 

     Mancini signed a deal with the Miami Marlins in January 2024 and went to spring training in Jupiter. He was released  by the team prior to the start of the last season in late March 2024. He did not play in professional baseball last year.

Former Locals On National Syndicated List

     Several former South Florida sports talk hosts appeared among the top 25 nationally syndicated sports talk host list in 2024. The decisions were made by Barrett Media.

     Damon Amendolara, the one-time 560 WQAM-AM evening host, finished in seventh with his morning show on Mad Dog Radio on Sirius XM Radio. He started on that show in October 2023. 

     Evan Cohen ended in 11th as the morning co-host at ESPN Radio. Cohen, the former ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM and ESPN Radio 760 WEFL-AM afternoon host, has been on mornings at ESPN Radio since September 2023. 

     Amber Wilson was 21st co-hosting evenings at ESPN Radio. She begin on that program in January 2023. Wilson was best known locally as the morning co-host at Sports Talk 790 The Ticket. 

Panthers Stomp Senators

     The Florida Panthers ripped the Ottawa Senators 5-1 at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday night. It was the final game for the Panthers and the Senators before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

     Ottawa scored the first goal in the first period. Florida(XXXXXX) came back with four unanswered goals during the second period to take the lead. 

Len Weiner On Program Director List

     Len Weiner has made the Barrett Media list for the top 25 sports talk radio program directors. He has been the program director of 560 WQAM-AM since February 2018.

     Weiner was able to finish in 20th place during 2024. He was 25th in 2018, 21st in 2019, 21st in 2020, 20th in 2021, 22nd in 2022 and 21st in 2023. 

Kelly Olynyk Traded By Raptors

     Former Miami Heat forward Kelly Olynyk was traded on NBA trade deadline day. He was dealt by the Toronto Raptors to the New Orleans Pelicans. 

     He had a short stint of 43 games with the Heat during the 2020-21 campaign. He averaged 10 points per game in Miami. 

Nets Slide By Heat

     The Miami Heat fell to the Brooklyn Nets 102-86 at Barclays Center on Friday night. The Heat completed a four-game road trip. 

     Brooklyn(18-34) had a slight 28-26 lead at the end of one quarter. Both teams were tied 53-53 by the midway point of the contest.

     Miami(25-25) pulled ahead 77-71 by the conclusion of the third quarter. The Nets went on a 27-7 run to begin the final quarter. Miami was held to just nine points in the fourth quarter, which was their lowest-scoring quarter of the 2024-25 season. 

     Terry Rozier had a game-high 20 points for the Heat. Bam Adebayo contributed 18 points along with eight rebounds while Tyler Herro dropped in 15 points. Kel'el Ware got a double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds. 

     Cameron Johnson led Brooklyn with a team-high 18 points. D'Angelo Russell was able to drain in 17 points in the victory. 

Delon Wright Dealt To Knicks

     One-time Miami Heat guard Delon Wright has been dealt at the NBA trade deadline. He was traded by the Milwaukee Bucks to the New York Knicks. 

     Wright was with the Heat during 2023-24. He participated in 14 games and averaged 5.4 points per contest for Miami.

Vinnie Hinostroza Heads To Wild

     Former Florida Panthers forward Vinnie Hinostroza is on the move. He has been claimed off waivers from the Nashville Predators by the Minnesota Wild. 

     Hinostroza was with Florida during the 2020-21 campaign. He finished with no points in nine games while in Florida. 

Panthers Sing Blues

     The Florida Panthers knocked off the St. Louis Blues 3-2 on Thursday night at Enterprise Center. It was the final road contest for the Panthers before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

     St. Louis(24-26-5) jumped out to a 1-0 advantage at the 3:31 mark. Zack Bolduc chalked up his sixth goal of the year on a backhand shot. 

     Florida(33-20-3) answered back at 7:09 to tie it up 1-1. Sam Bennett took a shot and it was deflected in by Mackie Samoskevich for his eighth tally in 2024-25. 

      The Cats took a 2-1 lead on the power play with 3:06 left in the first. Aaron Ekblad released a shot and it was tipped in by Matthew Tkachuk for his 20th goal of the season. 

     In the second period, the Blues scored with the man advantage at 5:18. Oskar Sundqvist put in his fourth goal this year from close range. 

     The Panthers broke the game open to make it 3-2 with 12 seconds remaining in the third period. Tkachuk redirected a shot for his second tally of the contest.

Josh Richardson Heat Stint Ends Again

      Josh Richardson finished his second stint with the Miami Heat. He was dealt in a four-team trade to the Detroit Pistons.   

      Richardson participated in just eight games this season with the Heat. He played for Miami from 2015-16 until 2018-19. 

  

     

Miami Heat Trade Jimmy Butler

     The Miami Heat have parted with guard Jimmy Butler in a four-team deal. The Heat have send Butler to the Golden State Warriors for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson and a first-round pick. 

     Butler has played the last six seasons with the Heat. He led Miami to two Eastern Conference titles in 2020 and 2023. 

Hochman & Crowder Among Afternoon Sports Show List

     Barrett Media released their top 25 local afternoon sports shows in the United States. Marc Hochman and Channing Crowder of AM 560 WQAM-AM showed up on the list at 18th place in 2024.

     Their program has appeared on the list over the years. They were 19th place in 2017, 25th in 2020, 22nd in 2021, 25th in 2022 and 17th in 2023. 

Bobby Hart Remains With Commanders

     One-time Broward County high school football offensive lineman Bobby Hart will be remaining with the Washington Commanders. He has agreed to a reserve/futures contract. 

     He has been on the Commanders practice squad since October. He last participated in an NFL game back in 2022. 

     Hart played three years with the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs. He was with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders during his senior year and won the FHSAA Class 5A state championship along with a national championship in 2010. 

Heat Punch 76ers

     The Miami Heat beat the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Center. The Heat continued their four-game road trip.

     Miami(25-24) had a 29-25 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. Philadelphia(20-30) ended up being down 62-57 at halftime. 

     The Heat increased their lead to 86-79 by the end of the third quarter. The Sixers were unable to recover in the fourth. 

Marlins Ink Rob Brantly

     The Miami Marlins have signed catcher Rob Brantley to a minor league contract. He will be invited to their spring training camp. Brantley has participated in just 12 Major League Baseball contests since 2018. 

     It will be the second stint for Brantley with the Marlins organization. He played for Miami in 2012 and 2013. He had four home runs, 26 runs batted in and a .235 batting average in 98 games. 

Caleb Martin Traded To Mavericks

     The Philadelphia 76ers have traded forward Caleb Martin to the Dallas Mavericks. HE signed with the club as a free agent last July. 

     Martin was with the Miami Heat for three seasons from 2021-22 to 2023-24. He averaged 9.6 points per game for the team in 195 games. 

Randy McMichael On Barrett Media List

     Former Miami Dolphins tight end Randy McMichael was on the Barrett Media list for midday sports talk shows in America. His program on 92.9 The Game WZGC-FM in Atlanta finished in 17th place.

     McMichael joined that radio station in 2015 hosting a Saturday morning college football show. He was elevated to the midday co-host position in May 2019.

Craig Minervini Announcing Caribbean Series

     Local sportscaster Craig Minervini is working the Caribbean Series as the television play-by-play announcer. The games are being broadcast on MLB Network. 

     Minervini, a Syracuse University grad, has mainly worked as the Miami Marlins television studio host. He has called Marlins baseball as a fill-in television play-by-play announcer. 

     He began his broadcasting career as a sideline reporter with the World Wrestling Federation. Minervini once was a sportscaster at WPBF-TV Channel 25 and WPTV-TV Channel 5 in West Palm Beach along with WTVJ-TV Channel 6 in Miami.. He has worked as a television studio host on Marlins and Florida Panthers contests for over 20 years.

Bulls Overcome Heat

     The Miami Heat were passed by the Chicago Bulls 133-124 at United Center on Tuesday. The Heat continued their road trip.  

     Miami(24-24) had a 37-32 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Heat was able to extend their lead to 70-60 by halftime. 

     Chicago(22-29) stayed in the contest and were down 103-94 at the conclusion of the third quarter. The Bulls cut the nine-point deficit and outscored the Heat 39-21 in the final quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro both placed in 23 points for Miami. Kel'el Ware put together a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds. Nikola Jovic was able to contribute 20 points. 

Capitals Leap By Panthers

     The Washington Capitals broke the Florida Panthers 6-3 at Capital One Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers started a short two-game road swing. Panthers owner Vincent Viola and the entire team visited the White House as the defending Stanley Cup champions yesterday.

     The Capitals lead in the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division. The Panthers remain ahead in the Atlantic Division. 

     Washington(35-11-7) scooted out to a 1-0 advantage with 5:52 left in the first period. Andrew Mangiapane collected his 11th goal of the season on a snap shot from the low left circle by Sergei Bobrovsky. 

     Florida(32-20-3) tied it 1-1 with 29.7 seconds remaining in the period. Sam Bennett got to his own rebound and backhanded a shot from the low slot past Logan Thompson for his 17th goal this season. 

     In the second period, the Caps moved ahead 2-1 at the 1:15 mark. Tom Wilson snapped a shot from the inner left circle for his 22nd goal of the campaign. 

     The Panthers evened it up 2-2 just three minutes later. Sam Reinhart poked the puck ahead and Carter Verhaeghe sent a long lead pass from his own blue line. Aleksander Barkov came in on a breakaway and slipped in a backhand shot from the right side of the crease for his 13th goal in 2024-25. Barkov and Reinhart increased their point streaks to four games. 

     The Capitals expanded their lead to 4-2 with two goals in the first seven minutes of the third period. Lars Eller placed in a wrist shot from close range at 2:10 and Nik Dowd put in a forehand shot from the top of the crease at the 6:10 mark. 

     The Cats closed it to 4-3 with 12:14 to go in the third. Matthew Tkachuk powered in a snap shot from the the right-circle dot for his 19th goal of the season. 

     Washington added two empty-net tallies in the final two minutes of play. Aliaksei Protas was able to score with 1:39 remaining in the period. Alex Ovechkin got his 878th career goal with 0.1 seconds left which leaves him 17 goals away from Wayne Gretzky for the NHL all-time record. 

Leonard Hamilton Steps Down

     Florida State University Seminoles men's basketball coach Leonard Hamilton is stepping down from his post at the end of the 2024-25 season. He had been with FSU for the past 23 years. 

     Hamilton once led the University of Miami Hurricanes men's basketball program. He joined the school when the basketball team was an independent in 1990. Hamilton stayed with the Canes through 2000 when they played in the Big East Conference from 1991 to 2000. He finished with a 144-147 overall record while with Miami. 

Xavier Edwards On Lindy's Sports Magazine Cover

     Miami Marlins shortstop Xavier Edwards appears on the front cover of Lindy's Sports baseball magazine. He was placed on the Florida region edition. 

     Edwards has been with the Marlins for the past two years. He had a .328 batting average, one home run and 26 runs batted in during 70 games in 2024. 

Florida Panthers Visit The White House

     The Stanley Cup champions the Florida Panthers visited the White House to see President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. on Monday. The Stanley Cup winner has been invited to the White House annually by the President of the United States. The Panthers will remain in town and take on the Washington Capitals tomorrow night. 

     Panthers owner Vincent Viola led the his club into the White House. Both Viola and Trump have known each other for many decades while living in New York City. Trump once nominated Viola for United States Secretary of the Army in December 2016 before his first team as United States President, but Viola decided to withdraw from the position in February 2017 before it went to conformation. 

Joe Rose Makes Local Morning Sports Show List

     Longtime Miami radio talk show host Joe Rose once again appeared among the Barrett Media top 25 local sports radio morning shows in the United States. He showed up on the list for the ninth consecutive year. 

     Rose finished in 20th place in 2024 like he did in 2023. His program ended up 18th in 2016, 16th in 2017, 24th in 2018, 22nd in 2019, 23rd in 2020, 22nd in 2021 and 21st in 2022. 

LeBron James On NBA All-Star Team

     Former Miami Heat player LeBron James was named for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game last week. It was an NBA-record 21st selection of him for the contest. 

     James, who is the NBA all-time points scorer, played with the Miami Heat for four seasons from 2010-11 until 2013-14. He captured two NBA titles and four Eastern Conference championships with the franchise.

Fernando Fiore Show

     Longtime Miami sportscaster Fernando Fiore continues with his own show. He is the host of Soccer Republic on Hispanic Radio Network.

     Fiore had a long reign as the Sunday midday show studio host of Republica Deportiva on Univision. He was a game analyst on the Inter Miami CF Audio Network alongside play-by-play announcer Chris Wittyngham and game analyst Thomas Rongen from 2020 to 2021. 

Reggie McKenzie Moves To Titans

     Reggie McKenzie has left his position with the Miami Dolphins. He was the senior personnel executive with the Fins. 

     He has joined the Tennessee Titans as the vice president of football advisor. McKenzie was once the general manager of the Oakland Raiders during the 2010s.

Tyler Herro Makes NBA All-Star Team

     Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro was named as a member of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game. It will be played in San Francisco on February 17.

     Herro will be making his first NBA All-Star Game appearance. He has averaged a team-high 23.8 points per game in 48 contests this season. Herro is currently in his sixth season with Miami.

Panthers Lose Adam Boqvist

     The Florida Panthers lost defenseman Adam Boqvist on Friday. He was claimed off waivers by the New York Islanders. His brother Jesper Boqvist remains on the Cats roster.

     Boqvist joined the Panthers last July as a free agent. He ended up with two goals and four assists for six points in 16 games with Florida.

Panthers Roll By Islanders

     Carter Verhaeghe collected his fourth career hat trick as the Florida Panthers pushed by the New York Islanders 6-3 on Sunday night at Amerant Bank Arena. The Panthers will complete their three-game homestand with a rare circumstance of back-to-back home games on Saturday and Sunday.  The Islanders had their seven-game winning streak snapped. 

     Islanders goalie Jakub Skarek made his NHL debut. The Panthers had a pregame ceremony as they gave defenseman Dmitri Kulikov a silver stick for playing in his 1,000 NHL game last week. 

     Florida(32-19-3) ripped out to a 1-0 advantage just 39 seconds into the opening period. Aleksander Barkov pushed the puck from the right point off an Islanders turnover and Sam Reinhart passed from right wing. Carter Verhaeghe then roofed a backhand shot from the crease area past Skarek for his 13th goal this season.  

     It became 2-0 for the Cats with 7:08 left in the first. Gustav Forsling shot the puck from the high slot which was saved. Verhaeghe placed in a wrist shot from the low left circle for his second tally of the game and 14th goal of the campaign. 

     Both teams combined for five goals during the second frame. A Tony DeAngelo shot from long range was saved by Spencer Knight. Kyle MacLean steered in the puck from the top of the crease for his third goal and New York(24-21-7) was down 2-1 at the 3:10 mark. 

     The Islanders tied it up 2-2 on the power play midway through the period at 10:00. Casey Cizikas fed a pass across the slot and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored his 10th goal this year on a wrist shot from the right circle. 

     The Isles took their first lead of the contest 3-2 with 5:09 to go in the period. Adam Pelech fired a slap shot from the left point and it was deflected in by Marc Gatcomb from the low slot for his second career goal. 

     Florida overtook them with two goals for a 4-3 advantage. Evan Rodrigues put in a backhand shot with 2:08 left and Sam Reinhart chalked up his 31st goal of the season on a forehand shot from the slot area with 51 seconds remaining in the second. 

     In the third period, the Panthers scored a power-play goal at 10:41 to make it 5-3. Matthew Tkachuk carried the puck from behind the cage to the right circle. He connected a cross-ice pass and Verhaeghe one-timed a a shot from the left-circle dot for his third goal of the contest and 15th goal overall.

     New York pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 4:54 remaining. Tkachuk would eventually score an empty-net goal from the right wing with 1:39 left in the third to give the Cats a 6-3 lead. It was the 18th goal this season for Tkachuk.

Garrett Hampson Goes To Diamondbacks

     Former Miami Marlins utility player Garrett Hampson has inked a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He will invited to their spring training camp.  

     Hampson played for Miami during the 2023 season. He chalked up three home runs, 23 runs batted in and a .276 batting average in 98 contests with the Marlins. 

Marlins Trade Jhonny Pereda

     The Miami Marlins have dealt catcher Jhonny Pereda to the Athletics. The Fish will receive back cash considerations. 

     Pereda finally made his Major League Baseball debut in 2024 with the Marlins. He finished with four runs batted in and a .231 batting average in 20 games.

Heat Get By Spurs

     The Miami Heat edged the San Antonio Spurs 105-103 on Saturday night at Frost Bank Center. The Heat began a four-game road swing. 

     Both teams were tied 33-33 at the conclusion of the first quarter. Miami(24-23) held a 60-56 advantage at halftime.  

     San Antonio(21-25) kept up and were down 85-82 at the end of three quarters. The Heat broke the tie with 0.1 seconds left in the final quarter when Bam Adebayo put in a 19-foot shot.  

     Adebayo led the Heat with 30 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists for a double-double. Terry Rozier had 19 points and Nikola Jovic added 14 points. 

     Keldon Johnson came off the bench for the Spurs with club-high 19 points. Devin Vassell was able to drop in 18 points.

Panthers Speed By Blackhawks

     The Florida Panthers froze the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1 at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday. The Panthers continued their three-game homestand. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice picked up his 900th career regular season victory.

     Chicago(16-31-5) rushed out to a 1-0 lead just seven seconds into the contest. Ryan Donato won the opening faceoff in the center-ice circle. Landon Slaggert went on a breakaway and slipped in a backhand shot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his second goal of the year. It was the fastest goal the team has ever scored to begin a game in franchise history. 

     Florida(31-19-3) evened it up 1-1 at the 5:28 mark. Jonah Gadjovich stuffed in a rebound from the blue paint past Petr Mrazek for his second goal this year.

     The Panthers took a 2-1 lead with 9:41 left in the first. Aaron Ekblad pushed the puck from the right point and Aleksander Barkov centered it from the low right circle. Sam Reinhart placed in a wrist shot from the left side of the crease for his 30th goal of the season. Reinhart reached the 30-goal plateau for the fourth consecutive season to set a Florida franchise record. 

     The Cats had 46 shooting attempts in he first period which was the most they have gotten in one single period in 2024-25. The Panthers outshot the Blackhawks 19-2 in the first 11 minutes and 22-4 in the opening frame.

     In the second period, the Cats increased it to 3-1 with 3:31 to go. Carter Verhaeghe angled a pass from the right corner. Reinhart took a shot from the inner right circle and it deflected off the body of Matthew Tkachuk in the crease area for his 17th goal of the campaign.

     It became 4-1 for Florida 10 seconds into the third period. Anton Lundell stole the puck on the end wall and passed it to the middle. Evan Rodrigues collected his 12th goal as he one-timed a snap shot from the low right circle.

     The Panthers made it 5-1 on the power play with 9:37 remaining in the third. Barkov chipped a diagonal pass from the top of the zone. Reinhart sent a cross-ice pass from the right circle and Verhaeghe tapped the puck in from the top of the crease for his 12th tally this season.