Josef Boumedienne Added By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers have added Josef Boumedienne to their hockey operations department. He was give the new position of vice president of hockey operations in the organization. Boumedienne will report to president and general manager Bill Zito along with senior vice president of hockey operations Paul Krepelka. 

     Boumedienne and Zito both worked together with the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2013 until 2020. He recently was the Sweden National Team general manager for the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics. 

Marlins Handle Cubs

     The Miami Marlins held off the Chicago Cubs 3-2 at Wrigley Field on Wednesday night. The Marlins will play their final road contest of the 2026 season tomorrow and conclude a nine-game road swing. 

     The Cubs attempted to clinch a National League postseason spot. Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara appeared in the ninth inning and made his second career MLB save. It turned out to be his second save during this Marlins road trip. 

     Miami(78-80) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth. Kyle Stowers hammered a two-run homer to center field on a 2-0 pitch with Otto Lopez aboard. Stowers collected his 21st homer of the campaign. It was the second straight game that Stowers homered against the Cubbies. 

     Chicago(87-71) tied it up 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth. Dansby Swanson singled through the left side to score Michael Busch and Ian Happ. 

     The Marlins regained the lead 3-2 in the seventh inning. Joe Mack grounded out to second and Agustin Ramirez crossed the plate. 

Heat Extend Pelle Larsson

     The Miami Heat have signed guard Pelle Larsson to a four-year, $60 million contract extension through the 2029-30 season. There is a mutual option for the 2030-31 campaign. 

     Larsson joined the Heat in June 2024 when they acquired him from the Houston Rockets in a three-team trade. He has averaged 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 125 games over the past two seasons with Miami. 

Marlins Outduel Cubs

     The Miami Marlins managed the Chicago Cubs 8-2 in 12 innings at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night. Both teams faced each other earlier this month in South Florida. 

     Miami(77-80) had a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Agustin Ramirez knocked in Kyle Stowers with a base hit into center field. 

     The Marlins extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the sixth. Stowers cracked a solo home run to left field on  field on the first pitch for his 20th homer of the season. It was his second straight year with at least 20 home runs. 

     Chicago(87-70) broke the shutout in the bottom of the sixth. Pete Crow-Armstrong scored on a fielder's choice when Joe Mack made a catching error on a throw from first. Two batters later, Ian Happ singled through the right side and Seiya Suzuki crossed the plate to make it 2-2. 

     The Fish recaptured the lead in the top of the 12th with six runs and made it 8-2. Griffin Conine sliced a single inside the left-field line and Esteury Ruiz reached home. Two batters later, Jakob Marsee drove in Conine on a single into right-center field. 

     Three batters after that, Stowers walked with the bases loaded and Marsee touched home. Javier Sanoja followed with a single into right field and Heriberto Hernandez scored. Mack came up next and singled up the middle for Otto Lopez and Stowers to score. 

Hurricanes Ease By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers were edged by the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in a shootout at Lenovo Center in Raleigh on Tuesday night. It was the second preseason contest for both clubs. Panthers goalie Akira Schmid made his Panthers debut in net. 

     The Panthers and the Hurricanes will face each other for the regular season opener on September 29 at Raleigh. Carolina will raise their 2026 Stanley Cup championship banner to the rafters prior to that contest. 

     Florida rolled out to a 1-0 lead at the 4:31 mark of the opening period. Aleksander Barkov tapped the puck on the left goal line and Sam Reinhart sent a pass from the left corner. Brady Tkachuk chalked up his third goal in two preseason games with a snap shot from the top left circle. 

     Carolina evened it up 1-1 at 7:00 of the first. Brady Nadeau was able to pick a tally from the top of the crease following a left point shot by former Panthers defenseman Mike Reilly.

     The Cats made it 2-1 just 18 seconds later. Seth Jones cleared the puck out of their defensive zone with a lead pass from the goal line. Tkachuk pushed a square pass in the neutral zone. Barkov skated into the Canes zone and placed in a wrist shot from the left inner circle for his second goal in the preseason. 

     In the second period, the Hurricanes got the only goal during the frame. Justin Robidas had an unassisted goal with 8:35 to go when he snapped a shot from the right wing off a Panthers turnover. There was no scoring by either team in the third period and overtime.   

     The shootout would decide the contest. Nadeau scored on Carolina's second attempt with a backhand shot and Felix Unger Sorum followed with a backhand shot on their third attempt for the victory. 

Dolphins Ink Andre Jones

     The Miami Dolphins have signed defensive lineman Andre Jones to a contract. He was taken from the Buffalo Bills practice squad. 

     Jones played in 16 games with the Washington Commanders in 2023 and 2024. He participated in three contests with the Bills last season. 

Chaminade-Madonna & Cardinal Gibbons Cancelled

     The game between the Chaminade-Madonna Lions and the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs at Dr. Bud Tight Field on Monday night in Fort Lauderdale was cancelled due to inclement weather. Their contest on Friday night was postponed for the same reason. 

     It was the only South Florida high school football contest to be played tonight. Both teams have won multiple FHSAA state championships in the past eight years. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(3-1) will host the St. Andrew's Scots this Friday. Cardinal Gibbons(2-2) will be home against the Plantation Colonels later this week.