Hurricanes Edge North Carolina

     The number one-ranked University of Miami Hurricanes barely defeated the University of North Carolina Tar Heels 38-35 at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill on Saturday night. The Hurricanes remained undefeated overall and in ACC conference play. 

     Miami(8-0, 6-0) had a 7-0 lead at 8:33 of the first quarter. Quarterback Darian Mensah tossed a two-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Malachi Toney.

     North Carolina(4-4, 2-3) tied it up 7-7 at the 11:50 mark of the second quarter. Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. tossed an eight-yard pass to tight end Jelani Thurman.

      The Canes regained the lead 14-7 with 7:41 left in the second. Mensah connected a 31-yard swing pass to running back Mark Fletcher Jr. on the right sideline for a touchdown. 

        The Tar Heels evened it up 14-14 with 1:56 to go in the quarter. Thurman was found by Edwards again on another eight-yard pass play.

         The Hurricanes would go ahead 17-14 with 22 seconds left in the first half. Jake Weinberg kicked a 26-yard field goal.

        North Carolina got their first lead of the game 21-17 at the 10:51 mark of the third quarter.

Edwards fired a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jordan Shipp in the back right corner of the end zone. 

         The U moved in front 24-21 with 5:14 remaining in the third. Fletcher rushed up the middle on a two-yard touchdown run.

      In the fourth quarter, UNC reclaimed the lead 28-24 at 11:46. Running back Demon June scored on a run through the middle of the offensive line from one yard away.

         The Hurricanes leaped to a 31-28 advantage at the 7:49 mark. Fletcher changed in by bulldozing from two yards out up the middle on a rushing attempt. 

        Miami extended their lead to 38-28 with 2:33 left in the fourth on their next possession. Mensah angled a nine-yard touchdown pass to Toney on the right hash marks.

        North Carolina closed it to 38-35 with 1:38 remaining in the contest. Edwards sent a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Trech Kekahuna. 

Josh Bell Free Agent

     Former Miami Marlins first baseman Josh Bell is now a free agent. The Minnesota Twins decided not to exercise their portion of the mutual option after he spent this past season with them. 

     Bell played parts of two seasons with the Fish in 2023 and 2024. He had 25 home runs, 75 runs batted in and a .249 batting average in 157 games with the Marlins. Bell helped Miami reach the postseason in 2023. It was the team's fourth postseason appearance in franchise history. 

Dolphins Claiming Jamree Kromah

     The Miami Dolphins have decided to claim defensive lineman Jamree Kromah off the waive wire from the Chicago Bears. He will be placed on the Fins practice squad. 

     Kromah was on the New England Patriots practice squad for one month back in the early part of the  2024 campaign. He bounced between the Bears practice squad and their 53-man roster in 2024, 2025 and 2026. Kromah played in two NFL games with Chicago earlier this season. 

Chaminade-Madonna Controls Coconut Creek

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions bashed the Coconut Creek Cougars 34-7 at Don Conkel Stadium. Both Broward County schools will advance to the FHSAA Playoffs after finishing first in their districts. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(8-2) will host a FHSAA Class 2A regional quarterfinal in two weeks. Coconut Creek(7-2) will host the Archbishop McCarthy Mavericks on Wednesday for their final regular season game before hosting a Class 5A regional quarterfinal two weeks from now. 

Glades Central Tops Pahokee In Muck Bowl

     The Glades Central Raiders defeated the Pahokee Blue Devils 27-14 in the 2026 Muck Bowl at Effie C. Grear Field in Belle Glade on Friday night. The Raiders and the Blue Devils met for the 46th Muck Bowl. 

     Glades Central(4-5) have won three consecutive Muck Bowl games and 13 of the past 19 contests since 2008. Pahokee(5-4) have been victorious in three of the past six Muck Bowls since 2021 and six of the last 11 contests in this famous rivalry. 

     It was an unusual circumstance that this tradition will not be the final regular season game for both teams this year. They will face another opponent from postponed games earlier this season that will be played next week. The Raiders visit the Spanish River Sharks on Tuesday while the Blue Devils host the Melbourne Central Catholic Hustlers on Wednesday.  

     Glades Central picked a field goal on their first possession of the game early in the opening quarter. They added a touchdown pass in the final minute of the first as quarterback Tawan Roux fired a long bomb to wide receiver Rashawn Nembhard on the left sideline for a 10-0 lead.

     The Blue Devils cut the deficit to 10-7 four minutes into the second quarter. They returned a short punt 50 yards for the score.

     The Raiders answered back quickly and made it 17-7. Nembhard returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards down the right sideline and into the end zone for a touchdown.

     In the third quarter, Glades Central extended their lead to 24-7. Running back Zhaire Davis scooted up the middle on a nine-yard touchdown run. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Pounds West Broward

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders destroyed the West Broward Bobcats 49-8 on Friday night at Flanagan High School Stadium. The Raiders remained undefeated this season and now have a 24-game winning streak going back to August 2025. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(10-0) will host a FHSAA Class 5A regional quarterfinal game in two weeks. West Broward(3-7) will visit the reigning FHSAA Class 1A state champions the Cardinal Newman Crusaders on Monday. 

     The Raiders dominated the first two quarters and had a 49-0 halftime lead. A running clock was implemented for the second half.

West Boca Raton Handles Atlantic

     The West Boca Raton Bulls outlasted the Atlantic Eagles 35-0  at Frank A. Barbieri Jr. Stadium in Boca Raton on Friday night. It was a battle between the top two teams in southern Palm Beach County. 

     West Boca Raton(8-1) will complete their regular season as they visit The First Academy Royals on Tuesday in Orlando. Atlantic(7-3) are the District 14-4A champions and will host a FHSAA postseason contest two weeks from now. 

     The Bobcats got out to a 6-0 lead with three minutes left in the first. Quarterback Trey Moran threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Billy Clancy III.

     West Boca increased their lead to 14-0 midway through the second quarter. Running back Quinton Miller Jr. raced in a on a 65-yard touchdown run. They converted on a two-point conversion pass.

     The Bobcats made it 21-0 in the last minute of the second. Moran was able to scramble out of the pocket and go in from 10 yards out.

     After no scoring in the third quarter, the Eagles surrendered another seven points one minute into the fourth and trailed 28-0. Moran connected a 12-yard strike to running back Terriel Harmon.

     West Boca Raton expanded it to 35-0 with two minutes to go in the fourth. Running back Jacorrion McCrary rushed in from eight yards away. 

Anton Lundell Hat Trick & Panthers Sweep Jets

     Anton Lundell got a hat trick as the Florida Panthers swept the Winnipeg Jets with a 5-2 victory at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday night. The Panthers swept the home-and-home series against the Jets. 

     The Cats defeated the same team back on Tuesday night in Manitoba. The Jets now have an eight-game losing streak. 

     Florida(8-4-2) rolled out to a 1-0  lead with 1:45 remaining in the first period. Reinhart carried the puck on the end wall and made a pass from behind the cage. Carter Verhaeghe returned a pass back from the left wing to Reinhart on the left goal line. Reinhart skated toward the middle and then put in a wrist shot from the left side of the crease past Nico Daws for his seventh goal of the campaign. Seth Jones started off the play in the Jets zone. 

     The Panthers expanded their lead to 2-0 at the 2:38 mark. Anton Lundell collected his second goal of the year as he snapped a shot from the top left circle. Jones picked up his second assist of the contest on the play when he forwarded a lead pass from his own goal line. 

     Winnipeg(4-7-3) closed it to 2-1 with the man advantage at 9:51. Kyle Connor roofed a wrist shot from the low slot by Akira Schmid for his 11th goal of the season.

     The Cats scored another power-play goal with 4:36 to go in the second and led 3-1. Reinhart centered the puck from the end wall and Jones snapped a shot from the inner left circle for his second tally this year

     In the third period, the Jets cut the deficit to 3-2 at the 8:46 mark. Morgan Barron helped them out with his first tally in 2026-27 on a snap shot. 

     Florida made it 4-2 with 6:27 remaining in the period. Lars Eller took a shot from the right wing which was saved and Lundell guided in the rebound with a forehand shot from the top of the crease for his second goal of the game and third goal this year. Eetu Luostarinen was given a secondary assist on the tally. 

     Lundell completed the hat trick with his third goal of the contest and fourth goal of the season with 1:39 left in the third. He cleared the puck from the middle of the Cats defensive zone into an empty net. Luostarinen was credited with the assist on the sequence. 

Heat Roar Past Pacers

     The Miami Heat leaped by the Indiana Pacers 145-125 on Friday night at Kaseya Center in a NBA Cup East Group B contest. The Heat got their first home victory this season and are now on a two-game winning streak. Their next game will be on Monday at the Los Angeles Lakers. 

     Indiana(2-4) was able to get in front 42-36 at the end of the first quarter. Miami(2-4) outscored their opponent 32-19 during the second quarter and led 68-61 at halftime. 

     The Heat extended their lead to 103-88 by the conclusion of the third quarter. They held off the Pacers in the final quarter outscoring them 42-37 in the frame. 

     Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Heat with a triple-double of 31 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists. Bam Adebayo almost had a double-double as he collected 27 points and nine rebounds. Klay Thompson showed his best output since joining the Heat dropping in 25 points. Davion Mitchell contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double while Pelle Larsson drained in 18 points. 

     Quenton Jackson had a club-high 24 points off the bench for the Pacers and Andrew Nembhard added 22 points. Pascal Siakam and Jay Huff both scored 13 points each in the loss. 

     

Cardinal Gibbons xxxx Piper

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs xxxxx the Piper Bengals xx-xx at Dr. Bud Tight Field in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night. It was a Broward County matchup. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(6-3) will host a FHSAA Class 3A regional quarterfinal contest in two weeks because they captured the District 15-3A title. It is unknown if Piper(5-4) will qualify for the FHSAA postseason. 

Dillard Shuts Out Plantation

     The Dillard Panthers made the four-mile trip going west on Sunrise Boulevard and blanked the Plantation Colonels 33-0 at PAL Field on Friday night. Both teams are near each other in location, however they have not played in the same district due to their different classifications.  

     Dillard(6-4) has a shot to be listed as a postseason team in 2026 with their winning record. Plantation(2-8) will not be in the FHSAA Playoffs this year. 

Palm Beach Central Cans Palm Beach Gardens

     The Palm Beach Central Broncos easily kicked aside the Palm Beach Gardens Gators 21-3 on Friday night at Mullinax Ford Stadium. It was a clash between two Palm Beach County high schools. 

     Palm Beach Central(7-3) will wait to find out if they get a spot in the 2026 FHSAA Playoffs. Palm Beach Gardens(3-7) completed their regular season. 

     In the first quarter, the Broncos made it 6-0 when they scored a touchdown and missed the extra point. Palm Beach Central expanded it to 12-0 later in the second quarter when running back Donnie Yocum IV went around the left end and cut through the right side for a 45-yard touchdown run. 

     The Gators found themselves down 18-0 early in the third quarter. Broncos quarterback Isaiah Hamilton zipped a 60-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Davon Eustache on the right sideline. 

WTGL Launches

     WTGL will open up their inaugural first season on November 8. All contests will be held at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens. 

     25 women golfers from the LPGA Tour will compete on five different teams. WTGL is owned and operated by the same organization that runs TGL.

Booker T. Washington Falls To North Miami

     The Booker T. Washington Tornadoes lost to the North Miami Pioneers 18-7 at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami on Thursday night. It was the final game this season for both teams.

     Booker T. Washington(1-8) and North Miami(4-6) will not participate in the 2026 FHSAA Playoffs. Both high schools ended up with unfortunate seasons this year. 

Deerfield Beach Downs South Broward

     The Deerfield Beach Bucks took down the South Broward Bulldogs 21-7 at Butler Stadium on Thursday night. It was one of a couple of high school football games happening in Broward County tonight. 

     Deerfield Beach(6-4) is uncertain if they are selected to be in the FHSAA postseason. South Broward(7-3) is an independent school who does not play in a district and therefore can not participate in the FHSAA Playoffs. 

Christian Yelich Wins World Series

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich became a member of a World Series championship team tonight. The Milwaukee Brewers captured the 2026 World Series title as they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in five games. It was the first World Series title in Brewers franchise history. 

     Yelich entered Major League Baseball with the Marlins organization. He played with the club for five seasons from 2013 to 2017. Yelich compiled 59 home runs, 293 runs batted in and a .290 batting average in 643 contests with Miami. 

     He was dealt in a five-player trade to the Brewers in January 2018. Yelich ended up winning the 2018 National League Most Valuable Player Award with Milwaukee and finished second in National League MVP voting the following season. He is currently the captain of the Brewers. 

Thomas Morstead With Titans

     Longtime NFL punter Thomas Morstead has agreed to a contract with the Tennessee Titans. He will placed on their practice squad. 

     Morstead spent 17 games with the Miami Dolphins during the 2022 regular season. Along with the Fins, he had previous stints with the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets(twice), Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers.

Jake McQuaide Re-Signs With Rams

     One-time Miami Dolphins long snapper Jake McQuaide has re-upped with the Los Angeles Rams for his third stint with that club. He will be assigned to their practice squad. 

     McQuaide first tenure with the organization from was when they were in St. Louis from 2011 to 2015 and in Los Angeles from 2016 to 2020. After a brief three-game stint with the Miami Dolphins in 2024, he returned to the Rams for the 2025 NFL campaign. 

Dolphins Claim Christian Haynes

     The Miami Dolphins have claimed offensive lineman Christian Haynes off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks had demoted Haynes to their practice squad yesterday after they acquired Quenton Nelson from the Indianapolis Colts. 

     Haynes has played his entire three-year NFL career with Seattle. He participated in 31 contests with that organization. 

Ben Sims Joining Seahawks

     Former Miami Dolphins tight end Ben Sims has inked a contract with the Seattle Seahawks. He will be placed on their practice squad. 

     The Dolphins signed Sims to a deal when the NFL yearly calendar began on March 11. He played in a couple of Miami preseason contests, placed on injured reserve on September 2 and eventually was waived by the club with an injury designation on September 10. 

Andre Jones Back With Bills

     One-time Miami Dolphins linebacker Andre Jones is making his return to the Buffalo Bills. He has signed a deal to join their practice squad and begin a second stint with the club. 

     Jones participated in three games last season with Buffalo. The Dolphins signed him off the Bills practice squad on September 21. Jones played on the special teams unit for three contests with the Fins. Miami placed him on the waiver wire last week. 

Inter Miami CF Ties FC Cincinnati

     Inter Miami CF tied FC Cincinnati 2-2 at Nu Stadium on Wednesday night. The Herons eliminated FC Cincy in the MLS Cup Eastern Conference Semifinals last year on their way to the franchise's first MLS Cup title. 

     Both teams have two games remaining in the regular season. Inter Miami CF remained third in the Eastern Conference standings. 

     Neither team scored during the first half of play. Inter Miami CF(15-6-11) took a 1-0 lead in the 61st minute when Luis Suarez curled in a right-footed shot from 17 yards away off the bottom of the crossbar and into the top right corner of the cage.  

     FC Cincinnati(11-11-10) evened it up 1-1 in the 80th minute. Kenji Mboma Dem fired a 17-yard shot with his left foot. 

     Samuel Gidi made it 2-1 for FC Cincy during the 86th minute of play. He one-timed a left-footed shot from 22 yards out into the low left corner of the net. 

     The Herons tied it up 2-2 in the 90th minute. Riquelme Fillipi dribbled down the left side and rifled an 18-yard, right-footed shot. 

Heat Win Over Hawks

     The Miami Heat are no longer winless this season as they beat the Atlanta Hawks 129-117 on Wednesday night at State Farm Arena. Bam Adebayo became the all-time leader for rebounds in Miami Heat franchise history. 

     The Heat's snapped a four-game losing streak to begin the 2026-27 season. The Hawks have lost three straight contests after winning their first two games of the season. 

     Neither squad was up by more than three points during the first eight minutes of the contest. Miami(1-4) finished up with a 14-6 spurt to conclude the opening quarter and they led 34-25. The Heat never gave up the lead in the second quarter and were up 69-56 at halftime. 

     Atlanta(2-3) narrowly cut the gap down to seven points 75-68 at 9:32 of the third quarter on a 12-6 spurt, however they trailed 97-85 at the end of the frame. The Hawks went on a 22-14 run to begin the fourth quarter and were behind 111-107 with 6:21 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

     Adebayo put together 24 points and nine rebounds in the victory for the Heat. Giannis Antetokounmpo ended up with a double-double of 24 points and 18 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins dropped in 18 points while Tim Hardaway Jr. had a season-high 14 points. Davion Mitchell collected his third double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 assists. Bobby Portis chalked up 11 points along with nine rebounds. 

     Nickeil Alexander-Walker led Atlanta with 23 points and C.J. McCollum placed in 13 points. Kingston Flemings came off the bench with 23 points. Jalen Johnson fell short of a triple-double with 12 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. 

Ja'Markis Weston Heads To Panthers

     The Carolina Panthers have signed former South Florida high school linebacker Ja'Markis Weston. He has been placed on their practice squad. 

     Weston played high school football with the Clewiston Tigers and college football with the University of Florida Gators. He participated on the special teams unit in three games with the New York Jets last season. 

Miami Hurricanes Remain First Overall

     The Associated Press Top 25 college football teams was released. The University of Miami Hurricanes have the number-one spot for the second straight week. 

     The Hurricanes received 59 first-place votes, Ohio State University picked up 10 first-place votes and the University of Utah got one first-place vote. The Canes will play at the University of North Carolina on Saturday. 

Panthers Burn Jets

     The Florida Panthers charged the Winnipeg Jets 5-1 on Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre. The Panthers concluded a four-game road trip. The Jets came into tonight off a home loss in the Heritage Classic outdoor game versus the Montreal Canadiens. 

     Both teams played the first game of a home-and-home series between both clubs. The Panthers will host the Jets in Sunrise on Friday. 

     Florida(7-4-2) rushed in front 1-0 on the power play at the 7:27 mark. Seth Jones ripped a shot from above the high slot that went wide left. Brady Tkachuk banked the puck off the back of the cage while on the end wall. Carter Verhaeghe backhanded a shot by Clay Stevenson from the left side of the crease for his seventh goal of the season. The Cats scored first in a contest for the fourth time this season. 

     The Panthers extended their lead to 2-0 at 8:42. Matthew Tkachuk cycled the puck around the boards from the left corner. Seth Jones sent a cross-ice pass from the right point. Niko Mikkola skated down and put in a wrist shot from the left wing for his second goal this year. 

     It became 3-0 for Florida with 9:42 remaining in the first on another power-play goal. Jones pushed a square pass from the right point. Verhaghe angled a pass from the top of the zone and Matthew Tkachuk returned it from the low left circle. Verhaeghe blasted a one-time slap shot from the high slot for his second tally of the game and eighth goal in 2026-27.

     Winnipeg(4-5-3) closed the gap to 3-1 on a shorthanded goal with 7:33 to go in the second period. Adam Lowry intercepted a pass by Cats goalie Akira Schmid on the right goal line. He placed in a wraparound shot for his second goal of the year. 

     Florida made it 4-1 with 6:46 left in the second on their third power-play goal of the game. Matthew Tkachuk zipped a pass from the right wing and Brady Tkachuk tapped it from the right goal line. Sam Reinhart snapped a shot from the low slot for his sixth goal of the campaign. 

     In the third period, the Panthers increased their lead to 5-1 with 7:50 remaining. Mikkola sent a lead pass from the red line. Matthew Tkachuk connected a diagonal pass from the left wing and Brady Tkachuk redirected a shot from the top of the crease for his eighth goal this season. 

David Moulton Passes Away

     Former Southwest Florida sports talk radio host David Moulton passed away on Saturday at the age of 59. He had worked in the television broadcast booth with play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and game analyst Troy Aikman on National Football League games as a spotter for the past eight years since 2018. 

     Moulton is best remembered for co-hosting sports shows with Mark Miller. They began together in July 2006 as afternoon co-hosts at 770 WWCN-AM. Their show added an FM simulcast on WWCN-FM and they were later shifted to the midday shift. 

     Both were hired as morning co-hosts at WFSX-AM in 2017 and stayed there until August 2021. Moulton and Miller joined the state-syndicated Florida Sports Network in October 2021 and had their morning program aired on 770 WBCN-AM in Fort Myers along with 1010 WHFS-AM and 1010 WJBR-AM in Tampa. The show's run ended at WBCN in February 2026 when the station was about to flip from a sports talk format. They were both added as morning co-hosts on Veterans Classic Rock at NEWHD Radio in April 2026 and did their last show together in August 2026 due to Moulton's health.  

     Moulton worked as a sports anchor at WZVN-TV Channel 7 in Naples, which began in 1999 prior to him hosting any radio programs in 2000. He was the radio play-by-play announcer of Florida Gulf Coast University starting in 2002. Moulton was also employed at the Naples Daily News and The News-Press as a sports columnist from 2007 until March 2018.  

     He was a spotter at CBS Sports for Gary Danielson on college football games beginning in 2006. His tenure lasted until the end of the 2014 season. Moulton became a spotter for Joe Buck at Fox Sports during golf events in 2015. He would be elevated to NFL contests with Buck and Aikman in 2018. All of them moved to Monday Night Football on ESPN and ABC in 2022.  

Mavericks Waltz By Heat

     The Miami Heat were beaten by the Dallas Mavericks 113-109 at Kaseya Center on Monday night. The Heat remained winless so far this season. 

     Miami(0-4) was able to get out to a 27-24 by the conclusion of the first quarter. Dallas(2-2) would take the lead and they led 53-52 at halftime. 

     The Heat had a 84-82 lead at the end of the third quarter. The Mavericks would hold off their opponent in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. 

     Giannis Antetokounmpo compiled his first triple-double with the Heat. He finished with game-highs of 29 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Davion Mitchell scored 21 points while Andrew Wiggins and Pelle Larsson both added 12 points. 

     The Mavs were led by Cooper Flagg with a double-double of 29 points and 11 assists. P.J. Washington dropped in 20 points and Kyrie Irving poured in 18 points. 

Santaluces Splits Wellington

     The Santaluces Chiefs pulled by the Wellington Wolverines 23-7 at Wolverine Stadium on Monday night. It was a contest between two teams from District 13-6A.

     Wellington(5-4, 2-4) will host the Dwyer Panthers in a week. Santaluces(5-3, 4-2) travels up to the Riverview Sarasota Rams next week. 

Rangers Ink James Reimer

     The New York Rangers have signed former Florida Panthers goalie James Reimer to a one-year contract. He agreed to a professional tryout offer from the Rangers AHL affiliate the Hartford Wolf Pack back on October 15. 

     Reimer was with the Panthers for three seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19. He finished with a 53-42-16 record, .912 save percentage and a 2.85 goals-against-average while with the Cats. 

     He will be playing with his ninth NHL team as a goalie. Reimer will tie a National Hockey League record held by Cam Talbot. 

Panthers Slip By Blackhawks

     The Florida Panthers scooted by the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Sunday at United Center. The Panthers will conclude their four-game road trip on Tuesday at the Winnipeg Jets. Panthers right wing Carter Verhaeghe played in his 500th NHL game. 

     Chicago(3-8-0) motored out to a 1-0 lead at the 2:34 mark of the first period. Kevin Korchinski shot the puck from the left point and it was wide left of the cage. Andrew Mangiapane batted a backhand pass from the right goal line and Ryan Greene placed in a wrist shot from the top of the crease past Akira Schmid for his first tally this year.  

     Florida(6-4-2) tied it up 1-1 at 6:49 of the first. Verhaeghe tapped a pass from the inner right circle and a shot by Sam Reinhart from the slot area was saved by former Panthers goalie Spencer Knight. Sandis Vilmanis scored his first goal in 2026-27 on a backhand shot from crease area.  

     The Panthers pulled ahead 2-1 on the power play with 5:39 left in the opening period. Brady Tkachuk drew the puck back after winning the faceoff in the left circle. Seth Jones skated from the left point to above the high slot area and shot it. Matthew Tkachuk made the second deflection on the play from the right side of the crease for his fourth goal of the season. 

     In the second period, the Blackhawks evened it up 2-2 with 8:45 to go. Connor Bedard made a square pass from the top of the zone. Roman Kantserov passed it down from above the right circle. Patrick Kane returned it back from the right goal line and Kantserov snapped a shot from the inner right circle for his fourth goal of the campaign. 

     The Cats regained the lead 3-2 with 2:23 remaining in the third period. Aaron Ekblad sent a long diagonal lead pass from the middle of his own zone. Lars Eller carried it in from the Blackhawks blue line and released a forehand shot from the right-circle dot for his first goal in a Panthers uniform. 

Dolphins Squeeze By Jets

     The Miami Dolphins outdueled the New York Jets 28-25 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins were victorious for the first time in the 2026 campaign and gave head coach Jeff Hafley his first career coaching victory. 

     It continued the longtime divisional rivalry between both teams. The Jets have lost 11 of their past 12 games facing AFC East Division opponents. 

     Miami(1-5) quickly got up 7-0 at the 10:53 mark in the first quarter. Quarterback Malik Willis threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Caleb Douglas in the back left corner of the end zone. It was the first career touchdown catch for Douglas. The Dolphins led a game for the first time this season. 

     New York(2-6) answered back and tied it up 7-7 at 8:37. St. Thomas Aquinas High School grad and tight end Mason Taylor caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Miramar High School grad and quarterback Geno Smith. Taylor is the son of one-time Dolphins defensive lineman Jason Taylor. 

     The Dolphins reclaimed the lead 14-7 with 58 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Running back Ollie Gordon II busted through the right side of the line from one yard out.

     The Fins extended their lead to 21-7 with six seconds to go in the first half. Willis was able to sneak it in on a run from two yards away. 

     In the third quarter, the Jets cut the deficit to 21-14 with 5:53 left. Smith tossed a three-yard touchdown swing pass to wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. on the left side. 

     New York closed it to 21-17 at the 9:01 mark of the fourth quarter. Former Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders booted a 33-yard field goal. 

     Miami increased their lead to 28-17 with 4:44 remaining in the fourth. Douglas caught a pass from Willis, broke through a Minkah Fitzpatrick tackle and sprinted down the left sideline for a 63-yard touchdown.     

     The Jets made it 28-25 with 3:24 to go in the quarter. Smith fired a 12-yard touchdown pass to Taylor in the back right corner of the end zone for his second touchdown catch today. Taylor received a two-point conversion pass from Smith.           

Pete Banaszak Passes Away

     One-time University of Miami Hurricanes running back Pete Banaszak passed away at the age of 82. He was with the Hurricanes for three seasons from 1963 to 1965. 

     Banaszak is best remembered for his 13-season stint of 192 combined regular season and postseason games with the Oakland Raiders from 1966 until 1978. He was selected in the fifth round of the 1966 AFL Draft by the Raiders. Banaszak scored two rushing touchdowns as Oakland won Super Bowl XI over the Minnesota Vikings in January 1977.

     He led the National Football League with 16 rushing touchdowns in 1975. Banaszak is second all-time in Raiders franchise history with 47 rushing touchdowns behind Marcus Allen. 

     The NFL play he is associated with is called the Holy Roller in September 1978. He attempted to pick up a fumbled football from quarterback Ken Stabler and shoveled it ahead at least seven yards to tight end Dave Casper, who landed with the football in the end zone to defeat the San Diego Chargers with no time remaining in the game. The National Football League created a rule that no longer allows a player to intentionally advance a fumble ahead to a teammate. 

Red Bull New York Upsets Inter Miami CF

      Inter Miami CF were taken by Red Bull New York 2-0 at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Saturday night. The Herons dropped to third place in the Eastern Conference standings behind the New England Revolution due to the number of wins this season. 

     In the first half, Red Bull New York(11-14-6) got out in front 1-0 on an own goal by the Herons in the seventh minute. A cross from the right side was accidentally kicked in by Carlos Casemiro into his own cage with his left foot.

     Inter Miami CF(15-6-10) fell behind 2-0 during stoppage time at the conclusion of the second half. Emil Forsberg tapped in a right-footed shot from 10 yards away into an unoccupied net. 

Hurricanes Pounce On Pittsburgh

     The number-one ranked University of Miami Hurricanes walloped the University of Pittsburgh Panthers 53-23 at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. The Hurricanes lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in first place and have the inside track to reach the ACC Championship Game. 

     Miami(7-0, 5-0) jumped out to a 3 -0 lead at the 7:21 mark of the the first quarter. Jake Weinberg was able to kick a 40-yard field goal.

     The Hurricanes increased their lead to 10-0 with 2:00 left in the first quarter. Quarterback Darian Mensah threw a swing pass to the left sideline and wide receiver Malachi Toney dashed in for a 19-yard touchdown.

     The Canes struck again at 12:25 of the secomd quarter to make it 17-0. Running back Javian Mallory went up the middle, cut to his right and scored from 16 yards away.

     Pittsburgh(5-3, 2-3) scored with 4:36 to go in the quarter and trailed 17-7. Running back Damon Ferguson Jr. raced around the right end from five yards out.

     The U answered back with 1:50 remaining in the second and made it 24-7. Mensah connected a 53-yard touchdown pass to Toney. He broke one tackle on the reception and sprinted in for the first al 50 yards in the play.

     It became 31-7 for Miami with 39 seconds left in the first half. Mensah tossed a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Gavin Mueller.

     In the second half, the Canes expanded their lead to 38-7 at the 13:00 mark of the third quarter. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. got in the end zone on a two-yard touchdown run.

     The Panthers cut it to 38-14 with 10:02 to go in the third. Quarterback Holden Geriner rifled a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cataurus Hicks. 

     The Hurricanes extended it to 45-14 with 4:33 remaining in the quarter. Mallory rushed the ball in from two yards.

Hornets Dispose Winless Heat

     The Charlotte Hornets held off the Miami Heat 115-110 on Saturday night at Spectrum Center. The loss by the Heat matches their worst record to begin a regular season since going 0-3 in 2007-08.

     It was the Heat's first road game of the 2026-27 regular season. The Heat concluded their 2025-26 campaign in the same venue when they fell in the NBA Play-In Tournament to the Hornets.  

     Charlotte(2-1) began the contest with a 9-2 spurt. Miami(0-3) responded with 10 straight points to go up 12-9 at 7:36 of the first quarter. Both clubs were tied 31-31 at the end of the opening quarter. 

     The Hornets compiled a 22-15 run at the end of the second quarter. Charlotte had a 66-58 advantage at halftime. 

     In the second half, Charlotte piled on a 17-5 spurt to start the third quarter and they led 83-63 at the 7:19 mark. The Heat tried to close the deficit later in the frame and were down 85-70 with 3:57 remaining in the third. The Hornets responded with seven straight points which gave them a 22-point margin 92-70 with 2:57 left in the quarter. Miami found themselves down 96-75 heading into the final quarter. 

     Miami rocketed out with a 25-4 run at the beginning of the fourth quarter and tied it up 100-100 with 5:42 to go. Grayson Allen made a four-point play with 3:19 remaining and Charlotte moved ahead 108-104. Heat center Giannis Antetokounmpo fouled out with 1:57 left in the fourth. It was the 32nd time that he fouled out in a NBA game and the third time in the past four seasons. 

     The Heat were led by Davion Mitchell with 22 points and 10 assists for a double-double. Antetokounmpo chalked up 14 points and six rebounds. Bam Adebayo added 20 points and eight rebounds while Klay Thompson scored 14 points. Pelle Larsson came off the bench with 15 points and seven rebounds. Bobby Portis finished up with 13 points and eight rebounds. 

     Dennis Schroder helped the Hornets with 25 points. Brandon Miller contributed 34 points and Naz Reid had 23 points along with nine rebounds. Allen ended up with 20 points in the win. 

DeeJay Dallas Off Vikings Then Returns

     The Minnesota Vikings let go running back DeeJay Dallas on Friday. The organization re-signed him on Saturday, shifted him to the practice squad and then elevated him to the active roster. He played five contests with them this season and compiled three carries for 10 rushing yards. 

     Dallas was with the University of Miami Hurricanes for three seasons from 2017 to 2019. He chalked up 265 rushing attempts for 1,527 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns for the Canes.

Jon Sciambi Announcing World Series

     Former South Florida radio sportscaster Jon "Boog" Sciambi is the radio play-by-play announcer on ESPN Radio for the 2026 World Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. He is calling his fourth World Series as their radio voice. 

    Sciambi, a Boston College grad, spent time during the 1990s and early 2000s as a sportscaster in the  Miami market. He began as a producer and weekend host on Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM. Sciambi then worked the evening shift followed by a midday co-host spot with original Florida Panthers radio play-by-play announcer Chris Moore. He later was the Florida Panthers Radio Network studio host in 1995-96 and 1996-97.

     He eventually became the Florida Marlins Radio Network studio host in 1997. He added duties as a secondary radio play-by-play announcer in 1999. Sciambi held those positions until the conclusion of the 2004 regular season. 

Coconut Creek Gets By Piper For District Title

     It was a clash for the District 14-5A title as the Coconut Creek Cougars edged the Piper Bengals 27-24 at Don Conkel Stadium on Saturday night. The Cougars advanced to the FHSAA postseason with the victory. 

     Coconut Creek(8-1, 2-0) hosts the Chaminade-Madonna Lions in a week. Piper(5-4, 1-1) visits the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs next week. 

Royal Palm Beach Topples Dwyer & District

      The Royal Palm Beach Wildcats disposed of the Dwyer Panthers 34-0 on Rick Hubbard Field at Blum Stadium on Friday night. The Wildcats clinched the District 12-5A title. The start of the game was delayed by 90 minutes due to a weather delay. 

     After a scoreless first quarter, Royal Palm Beach(8-1, 5-0) pushed out to a 7-0 lead two minutes into the second quarter. Running back Demetrice Rolle sprinted in on a nine-yard touchdown run through the right side of the offensive line. The Wildcats increased it to 14-0 at the midway point of the second when Rolle rushed in from five yards out. Dwyer(4-5, 1-4) trailed 21-0 a couple of minutes later as quarterback Tashaad Brown connected a 56-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Amarri Woods. 

     The Panthers were down 28-0 five minutes into the second half as Brown sneaked in on a one-yard touchdown run. Royal Palm Beach expanded it to 34-0 when Brown tossed an eight-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demetrius Gibson with one minute remaining in the third quarter. 

American Heritage Gets McArthur & District Title

     The American Heritage Patriots went on the road and knocked off the McArthur Mustangs 26-18 on Friday night in Hollywood. The Patriots captured the District 15-4A title. 

     American Heritage(6-3, 3-0) got out early to a 3-0 early in the opening quarter with a field goal by Johnathan Matei. McArthur(3-7, 1-2) responded to make it 6-3 when quarterback Jackson Stroud fired a 37-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Khamarian Young. The Patriots regained the lead 10-6 with five minutes to go in the second quarter as quarterback Neimann Lawrence raced in from eight yards away. 

     Early in the third quarter, the Patriots expanded their lead to 17-6. Wide receiver Trae Proctor caught a 40-yard touchdown strike from Lawrence. Matei booted a 33-yard field goal on the Patriots next drive for a 20-6 advantage. Matei kicked a 43-yard field goal with one minute left in the third and they led 23-6. 

     The Mustangs cut the deficit to 23-12 one minute into the final quarter on a Stroud 10-yard touchdown pass to Young. They failed on the two-point conversion. Matei made a 46-yard field goal, his fourth field goal of the contest, to give American Heritage a 26-12 lead midway in the fourth. McArthur closed it to 26-18 in the final minute of the game when wide receiver Corey Watson made a 10-yard touchdown reception from Stroud. 

Spanish River Sinks Park Vista For District Crown

     The Spanish River Sharks exposed the Park Vista Cobras 19-0 on Friday night in Boca Raton. The District 14-6A title was on the line in this game between both high schools.

     Spanish River(5-3, 5-0) would score a touchdown early in the second quarter and led 7-0 at halftime. Park Vista(3-4, 3-1) surrendered a rushing touchdown in the third quarter and trailed 13-0.  The Sharks made it 19-0 on another score a couple of minutes into the fourth quarter. 

Nick Bjugstad Dealt To Jets

      Former Florida Panthers center Nick Bjugstad, right wing Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, center Alexander Command and two future draft picks have been traded by the New Jersey Devils to the Winnipeg Jets for goalie Connor Hellebuyck. The Panthers had been trying to acquire Hellebuyck for the last couple of months.

     Bjugstad played his first seven NHL seasons with the Panthers from 2012-13 to 2018-19. He compiled 87 goals and 104 assists for 191 points in 394 games while with Florida. Bjugstad helped the Cats capture the Atlantic Division title in 2015-16, their second division title in franchise history. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Takes Flanagan & District

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders bashed the Flanagan Falcons 56-12 on Simmons Family Field at Brian Piccolo Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night. The Raiders clinched the District 15-5A title with the win over the Falcons. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(9-0, 2-0) moved out to a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter with a rushing touchdown. The Raiders increased their lead to 14-0 when they scored again on the ground with two minutes remaining in the first. 

     Flanagan(1-8, 0-2) bounced back with a touchdown pass two minutes into the second quarter. The two-point conversion failed and the Falcons were down 14-6. 

     STA responded on their next possession with a touchdown run for a 21-6 lead. They were able to  extend it to 28-6 a couple of minutes later on a touchdown pass. It became 35-6 for St. Thomas Aquinas with four minutes left in the second. The Raiders expanded their lead to 42-6 in the final minute of the first half with another touchdown toss. 

     A running clock was implemented for the second half of play. Aquinas completed a pass for a touchdown for the only score during the third quarter and a 49-6 advantage. 

     The Falcons got a touchdown and missed the two-point conversion with 10 minutes left in the final quarter and they trailed 49-12. The Raiders answered back with kickoff return for a touchdown for a 44-point margin 56-12. 

Columbus Handles Miami Northwestern

     The Columbus Explorers erased the Miami Northwestern Bulls 30-7 at Traz Powell Stadium on Friday night. Both high schools had already won district titles to reach the FHSAA Playoffs this year. 

     Columbus(9-1) rolled out to a 7-0 just five minutes into the first quarter. Miami Northwestern(5-5) tied it up 7-7 late in the opening quarter. The Explorers had a 20-7 lead midway through the second quarter. 

     In the third quarter, Columbus added three points on a field goal and they were up 23-7. The Explorers found the end zone two minutes into the final quarter for a 30-7 lead. 

Deerfield Beach Edges Olympic Heights

      The Deerfield Beach Bucks got by the Olympic Heights Lions 14-13 on Friday night at Corey Lewis Stadium in Boca Raton. Both high schools battled it out not to finish in last place for District 13-5A. 

     Deerfield Beach(5-4, 1-2) hosts the South Broward Bulldogs next week. Olympic Heights(4-5, 0-3) will remain at home versus the Boynton Beach Tigers in a week. 

Pistons Hum By Heat

     The Detroit Pistons zoomed by the Miami Heat 128-111 on Friday night at Kaseya Center. The Heat, who lost their first two games in the 2026-27 regular season, play three of their first four contests this season at home. WPLG-TV Channel 10 in Miami had their first telecast as the new primary flagship television station of the Miami Heat. 

     Detroit(2-0) came out with a blitz as they scored 11 consecutive points to begin the game on their way to a 17-2 lead. The Pistons were up 41-26 at the conclusion of the first quarter. Cardinal Newman High School grad and Pistons forward John Collins was the leading scorer with 11 points after one quarter. 

     Miami(0-2) had a 9-2 spurt to begin the second quarter and they were down 43-35 at the 9:11 mark. The Heat outscored their opponent 27-24 in the second and trailed 65-53 at halftime. Miami guard Davion Mitchell led all players with 19 points at the midway point of the contest.

     The Pistons broke out with a 13-4 run to start the second half and they were up 78-57. Miami scored seven straight points and they were behind 82-69 with 5:58 remaining in the third quarter. Heat forward Bam Adebayo collected his first two points of the game at the midway point of the frame. Detroit had a 21-11 spurt at the end of the third quarter and led 103-80.

     The Heat could not cut the deficit to a single-digit margin in the fourth quarter. Both teams replaced their starters in the middle of the quarter. 

     Giannis Antetokounmpo ended up with a double-double as he compiled game-highs of 36 points and 12 rebounds in his second contest with the Heat. He passed LeBron James for the most points scored in the first two games by a Miami Heat player with 71 points. 

     Only two Miami players finished with double-digit scoring. Mitchell dropped in 18 points while Bobby Portis added 11 points along with eight rebounds in the defeat. 

     Collins had a team-high 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Pistons. Former Heat player Duncan Robinson placed in 17 points and Cade Cunningham drained in 16 points. Paul Reed composed 19 points and a team-high 11 rebounds for a double-double. 

Cardinal Newman Blanks St. Andrew's

     The Cardinal Newman Crusaders shut out the St. Andrew's Scots 49-0 on Thursday night at Don Jones Memorial Field in Boca Raton. Both squads played for the District 7-2A runner-up spot in this contest. 

     Cardinal Newman(6-2, 1-1) steamrolled to a 35-0 lead by halftime. The Crusaders expanded their lead to 49-0 with two touchdowns during the second half. It was capped on a 13-yard touchdown run around the left end by running back Cayleb Jones. St. Andrew's(4-4, 0-2) was unable to score in the game. 

Chaminade-Madonna Defeats Cardinal Gibbons

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions picked up a 41-6 victory over the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs on Dr. Bud Tight Field at The Furnace in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday night. It was a battle between two of the top private high school football programs in Broward County. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(7-2) raced out to a 20-3 lead by the conclusion of the opening quarter. The Lions extended their lead to 27-6 during the second quarter. 

     Cardinal Gibbons(6-3) could not gain any traction in the second half. Chaminade-Madonna added two more touchdowns in the final two quarters and led 41-6.

West Boca Raton Takes Monarch & District

     The West Boca Raton Bobcats topped the Monarch Knights 44-0 at Frank A. Barbieri Jr. Stadium on Thursday night. The Bobcats captured the District 13-5A title with the victory. They clinched a postseason spot and it will give them the opportunity to win a third straight FHSAA state championship. 

     West Boca Raton(7-1, 3-0) sailed out to a 7-0 advantage by the end of the first quarter. Quarterback Trey Moran rushed for a touchdown from 55 yards away. 

     Moran later connected a 53-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Billy Clancy III in the middle of the field for a 14-0 lead  with 6:25 remaining in the second quarter. Wide receiver Lorontae Davis caught a seven-yard touchdown on a screen pass to the left side from Moran late in the second quarter. The Bobcats would have a 21-0 halftime lead. 

     Monarch(4-5, 2-1) surrendered nine more points early in the third quarter and they trailed 30-0. West Boca Raton picked up a safety followed by a Moran six-yard touchdown run on their next possession. The Bulls increased their lead to 37-0 when Moran fired a 21-yard touchdown strike to Davis. 

     The Knights gave up another touchdown in the first minute of the final quarter to make it 44-0. Running back Terriel Harmon received a 23-yard touchdown pass from Moran. A running clock was used during the fourth quarter of play. 

Bob Ohrablo Trenton Ironhawks President

     One-time Florida Panthers business executive Bob Ohrablo is currently the Trenton Ironhawks president. He has held that position since September 2025. 

     The Ironhawks begin as the new ECHL affiliate of the New York Islanders in 2026-27. Trenton will have their first game in franchise history on Saturday night when they host the Adirondack Thunder at CURE Insurance Arena. 

     Ohrablo once worked as the director of new business development with the Florida Panthers and Sunrise Sports & Entertainment from June 2001 until June 2005. He later became the president of Zawyer Sports. 

     He was the sports information director at SUNY Binghamton during the early 1980s. Ohrablo was then the marketing director, public relations director and radio play-by-play announcer of the Binghamton Whalers from 1984 to 1990 and the Binghamton Rangers from 1990 to 1992. 

     Ohrablo worked mainly as a minor league hockey executive over the past 34 years. Teams he was associated with include the Phoenix Roadrunners, Kansas City Blades, Syracuse Crunch, Orlando Solar Bears, Jacksonville Ice Men, Atlanta Gladiators and Trenton Ironhawks. 

Tommy Tighe Not On Heat Radio Broadcasts

      Longtime Miami Heat radio studio co-host Tommy Tighe was not on the Miami Heat Radio Network broadcast on Wednesday night. It marked the first time that Tighe had not been heard on the airwaves in a studio host capacity with the team since January 2010. 

     Tighe was known for being the studio host on Westwood One from 1998 until the middle of 2009 prior to his arrival in Miami. He joined CBS Radio as a sportscaster in 1987. 

Bob Wischusen NFL Television Announcing Debut

     Former Miami radio sportscaster Bob Wischusen made his debut announcing a National Football League regular season game on national television with NFL Network this past Sunday. The Jacksonville Jaguars faced the Tennessee Titans in London. 

     He was able to work the assignment because the New York Jets had a bye week. Wischusen is the radio play-by-play announcer for that team. He has held that position since 2002. 

     ESPN bought NFL Network earlier this year. Both organizations have been sharing on-air personnel along with resources. Wischusen is currently an ESPN play-by-play announcer announcing college basketball, college football and National Hockey League contests. He has worked NHL telecasts since October 2021. 

     Wischusen, a Boston College grad, began his professional broadcasting career with Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM. He started with the radio station as a producer and a weekend co-host. Wischusen became the first morning sports anchor of The First Team. He was elevated to morning co-host on The First Team alongside Joe Rose when Dave LaMont left the program in late 1994. Wischusen was demoted to afternoon sports anchor during 1995.

Penguins Freeze Panthers

     The Pittsburgh Penguins blanked the Florida Panthers 4-0 on Thursday night at PPG Paints Arena. The Panthers continued their four-game road swing. The Penguins snapped a four-game losing streak and have the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference. 

     Panthers starting goalie Cooper Black made his National Hockey League debut tonight. He is now the tallest goalie in NHL history at six-foot, eight inches. 

     Pittsburgh(4-6-1) scooted out to a 1-0 lead with 4:19 remaining in the first. Kris Letang made a square pass at the red line and Connor Dewar entered the Panthers zone with the puck. He angled a pass back from the top left circle and Nick Robertson snapped a shot from the high slot by Black for his fifth goal with his new team. 

     The Penguins expanded their lead to 2-0 at 9:59 of the second period. Evgeni Malkin sprinted up the middle of the ice and backhanded a pass in the neutral zone. Ville Koivunen sent a diagonal pass from the top left circle and Hendrix Lapierre slipped in a wrist shot from the top of the crease for his second tally this year. 

     In the third period, Florida(5-4-2) gave up another goal at the 1:40 mark and trailed 3-0. Spencer Stastney pushed the puck from his own blue line and Lapierre smacked it ahead from the red line. Malkin carried the puck through the left circle and placed in a forehand shot from the low slot for his sixth goal of the 2026-27 campaign. He passed Keith Tkachuk for 35th place all-time in NHL history with his 539th career goal. 

     The Panthers pulled their goalie for an extra attacker. It did not work and the Pens made it 4-0 with 2:26 left in third on an empty-net goal by Robertson from center ice for his second goal of the contest and his sixth goal of the season. 

Allen Bailey Passes Away

     Former University of Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman/linebacker Allen Bailey has passed away at the age of 37. He played for the Canes from 2007 to 2009. 

     Bailey spent time in the National Football League. He was with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2011 to 2018 and the Atlanta Falcons from 2019 to 2020. 

Andre Jones Waived

     The Miami Dolphins have placed defensive lineman Andre Jones on waivers from their practice squad. He participated in three Dolphins games earlier this year in a special teams capacity. 

     Jones played in 16 games over two seasons with the Washington Commanders in 2023 and 2024. He was with the Buffalo Bills for three contests last year. The Fins signed him off the Bills practice squad on September 21. 

Rodney McGraw Promoted

     The Miami Dolphins have decided to sign defensive line Rodney McGraw from their practice squad and place him on their active roster. He was signed to the team's practice squad on September 10. 

     McGraw has seen action in two games earlier in the 2026 season with the Fins. He played in their last two contests versus the Minnesota Vikings on October 4 and the Cincinnati Bengals on October 11. 

Miami Heat Lose Season Opener

     The Miami Heat began their 39th season in the National Basketball Association as they fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 131-106 at Kaseya Center on Wednesday night. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. made their playing debuts with the Heat. 

     The number 10 jersey was unretired by the Heat because Tim Hardaway Jr. was wearing it. His father Tim Hardaway wore that number 10 jersey from 1995-96 until the end of the 2000-01 season. It was the second jersey number retired by Miami in franchise history on October 27, 2009. 

     Gale Nelson worked his first regular season home game as the new Miami Heat public address announcer. Michael Baiamonte was at that post for 36 seasons from 1990 to 2026 and he retired following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

     Miami(0-1) scored the first four points of the contest, however they found themselves down 29-21 eight minutes into the opening quarter. The Heat had an 11-2 spurt at the conclusion of the first quarter and were behind 34-32. Antetokounmpo compiled 14 points in his first quarter wearing a Heat uniform. 

     Both teams remained close to each other during the second quarter with each club not leading by more than five points for most of the frame. Minnesota(1-0) went on a 14-5 run at the end of the second and led 69-59 at halftime. 

     The Timberwolves rolled out with a 9-2 spurt to begin the third quarter and they had a 78-61 advantage. The Heat answered back with nine consecutive points and they were down 78-70 with 7:46 to go in the third. Minnesota bounced back and were up 99-81 at the conclusion of the third quarter. 

     In the fourth quarter, Miami poured in five straight points to begin the frame and trailed 99-86. The Timberwolves followed with a 15-4 run and coasted to the victory. 

     Antetokounmpo finished up with a team-high 35 points along with six rebounds in his debut. He set a franchise history for the most points scored by the player in their Heat debut. LeBron James dropped in 31 points in his debut with the Heat back in 2010-11. 

     Bam Adebayo ended up with 15 points and seven rebounds while Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell contributed 11 points each. Thompson scored 10 points, Portis chalked up seven points and Hardaway had three points for Miami. 

     Minnesota was led by Anthony Edwards with a game-high 45 points along with 10 rebounds for a double-double. LaMelo Ball got 21 points and Jonathan Kuminga pumped in 12 points in their Timberwolves debuts. 

Panthers Downed By Senators

     One-time Ottawa Senators captain and center Brady Tkachuk retuned to his former home as the Florida Panthers lost to the Senators 5-1 at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday night. The Panthers, who had  their three-game winning streak snapped, started a four-game road trip. The Cats are in the middle of playing six road contests in an eight-game stretch. 

     Florida(5-3-2) scored on their first shot of the contest during the man advantage at the midway point 10:00 of the first period. Seth Jones angled a pass from the top of the zone and Matthew Tkachuk pushed it from the top right circle. Brady Tkachuk put in a wrist shot from the right side of the crease past Linus Ullmark for his seventh goal of the season. It was Brady Tkachuk's seventh tally in the past four games. Jones got his 10th point in the last five games and he set a Panthers record with 11 points by a defenseman in the first 10 contests of a season.  

     Ottawa(7-3-0) tied it up 1-1 on the power play with 5:47 remaining in the first. Jake Sanderson sent a cross-ice pass from the inner left circle and Tim Stutzle fired a forehand shot from from the inner right circle by Akira Schmid for his sixth goal in 2026-27. Stephen Halliday was credited with a secondary assist on the sequence. 

     In the second period, the Sens made it 2-1 at 9:34. Nikolas Matinpalo connected a pass from the left wing and former Panthers center Claude Giroux scored on a wrist shot from the top of the zone for his second goal this year. 

     The Senators increased it to 3-1 with 2:42 remaining in the second. Sanderson sent a long lead pass from his own zone. Shane Pinto went in on a breakaway and his attempted shot from the low slot went off his own skate and into the cage for his second tally this season.

     It became 4-1 for Ottawa on a shorthanded goal at the 7:58 mark of the third period. Drake Batherson banked the puck ahead from the red line off the boards. Dylan Cozens brought it into the left circle and made a square pass to the middle. Warren Foegele ripped a forehand shot from the slot area for his first goal of the campaign. 

     The Sens expanded their lead to 5-1 with another shorthanded goal with 5:03 left in the third. Stutzle dropped a pass in the high slot and Halliday snapped a shot from the inner right circle for his third goal of the season. 

Dolphins Releasing Riley Patterson

     The Miami Dolphins will be releasing kicker Riley Patterson from his one-year contract. He already missed two field goals and one extra point in five contests this year. 

     Patterson played two seasons with the Dolphins in 2025 and 2026. He participated in 22 games and made 34 field goals on 38 field-goal attempts. 

Heat & Panthers 2026-27 Home Game Conflicts

     The Miami Heat and the Florida Panthers will have home game conflicts and will be playing at the same time during the 2026-27 season. This has happened since the 1998-99 season when both teams began to play contests in different venues. 

     It is the biggest date difference ever in terms of the start of both club's regular season. The exceptions to this matter were a lockout, strike or pandemic. 

     The Florida Panthers stared their 2026-27 campaign on September 29 while the Miami Heat begins on October 21. The difference between both season and home openers was 23 days. 

     The total number of regular season home conflicts between both teams is seven this season. It is the lowest since the 2019-20 season when six of the seven planned dates happened. The final one did not happen due to both leagues being suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

     This season's conflicts consist of one on October 30, zero in November, one on December 21, zero in January and none in February. There are four conflicts in the month of March on March 2, March 6, March 25 and March 27. Both clubs play home game on the same day on April 9. 

     The Heat and the Panthers were anticipated to have strong rosters in 2026-27 and both could contend for a league championship in the middle of next year. There can sometimes be a possible arangement or agreement between both organization's team operations, venue operations and leagues to avoid game conflicts. Some corporations and individuals can be season-ticket holders which can create a conflict for them. In addition, media organizations, security personnel and vendors may work at both arenas on gamedays. 

Zane Gonzalez Back With Dolphins

     Zane Gonzalez has returned to the Miami Dolphins for his second stint as a kicker. He was placed on the team's practice squad. 

     The Dolphins had signed Gonzalez to a contract back in March. He was placed on the injured reserve list on August 10, waived on August 19 and eventually released with an injury settlement. 

Miami Heat 2026-27 Announcers

     The Miami Heat will introduce their broadcasters for the 2026-27 campaign. Some on-air personnel will not be back from last season. The Heat begin their 39th regular season on Wednesday night when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kaseya Center. 

     The Heat will have two new television stations broadcasting their games this season with WPLG-TV Channel 10 in Miami and WTCN-TV Channel 15 in West Palm Beach. They will broadcast 66 Miami Heat contests that are not aired exclusively nationwide. The club's television rights was held for the last two seasons by FanDuel Sports Network Sun.  

     Eric Reid will be on the Heat's television broadcasts for the 39th season. He has held the television play-by-play announcer spot for 36 seasons. John Crotty is back in the broadcast booth as the television game analyst for his 10th consecutive season. Will Manso becomes the television studio host for all Heat contests this season. He did work as a television studio host for road games and sideline reporter for home games until the end of the 2025-26 season. Ron Rothstein is back as a television studio analyst on home contests. Amy Audibert did not continue as a radio analyst for the Heat home contests following four seasons at the helm. She will be shifted to television sideline reporter this season from her television studio analyst on away contests. Brady Hawk has been added to the broadcast crew as a television studio analyst on road games. 

     The radio broadcasts for the Heat will return to 104.3 Sports WQAM-FM for the second straight season as their flagship radio station. Jason Jackson will be the radio play-by-play announcer for all of their games. It will be his sixth season as the radio voice of the Heat. He will no longer have duties as a television studio host for home games during this campaign. Alejandro Solana will be the radio studio host as he begins his fifth season in that capacity. Tommy Tighe did not retain his studio co-host spot after 17 seasons at that position, which began in January 2010. 

     There was another change in the Heat broadcasting crew from last season. Kelly Saco and Jeremy Tache do not return as sideline reporters after each had four-season stints. Both mainly worked as television sideline reporters on Marlins.tv in 2026. 

Mazi Smith Goes To Packers

     Former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Mazi Smith has signed a contract with the Green Bay Packers. He was then added to the Packers practice squad. 

     Smith did play with the Dolphins for one game earlier this season. He was released by the organization last week. 

Chris Myarick Released By Raiders

     Former Miami Dolphins tight end Chris Myarick was let go by the Las Vegas Raiders. He was on their practice squad and participated in two NFL games this season. 

     Myarick broke into the National Football League with the Fins during the 2020 season. He was able to enter three contests with the club that year. 

Ryan Miller Ups With Patriots

     One-time Miami Dolphins wide receiver Ryan Miller has agreed to a deal with the New England Patriots. He will be assigned to their practice squad. 

     Miller spent time with the Fins during the 2026 NFL season. He had three catches for 92 receiving yards and one touchdown in five contests while in Miami. The Dolphins place him on the waiver wire last week. 

Brady Tkachuk First Star Of The Week

     The National Hockey League has named Florida Panthers center Brady Tkachuk as their First Star of the Week. The time period went from October 12 to October 18. 

     Tkachuk compiled back-to-back natural hat tricks at the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 13 and at home against the Vancouver Canucks on October 15. He finished with six goals and four assists for 10 points in three games this past week. He was held pointless in his first five contests with the Panthers to begin the 2026-27 regular season. 

     Florida had one of their players announced as the NHL First Star of the Week several times over the past decade. Matthew Tkachuk was named First Star of the Week in February 2023 and December 2024. Sam Reinhart won it in January 2024 and October 2024.   

Jack Studnicka On Flyers

     One-time Florida Panthers center Jack Studnicka was called up by the Philadelphia Flyers from their AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley last week. He had no points in three contests with the Flyers. 

     Studnicka had a short stint with the Panthers last season. He participated in 19 games and contributed no points for them. 

Vidal Brujan Becomes Free Agent

     Former Miami Marlins utility player Vidal Brujan had decided to become a free agent. He participated in nine contests with the New York Mets during the 2026 campaign. 

     Brujan was with the Marlins organization for one season in 2024. He finished with two home runs, 16 runs batted in and a .222 batting average in 102 games with Miami. 

Eagles Ink Joe Milton

     The Philadelphia Eagles decided to sign quarterback Joe Milton to a one-year contract. He was selected off the Dallas Cowboys practice squad. 

     Milton started his high school football career with the Pahokee Blue Devils and moved on to the Olympia Titans. He split his time in college football with the University of Michigan Wolverines and the University of Tennessee Volunteers. 

     He was taken by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft and appeared in one game. Milton participated in four contests with the Cowboys last year. 

Hurricanes Survive Florida State

     The University of Miami Hurricanes escaped the Florida State University Seminoles 43-35 in double overtime at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night. It continued the rivalry between the two Florida-based colleges in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

     Miami(6-0, 4-0) took a 7-0 lead at 7:33 of the first quarter. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. busted through the left side of the line from seven yards away.

     Florida State(3-4, 1-3) tied it up 7-7 at the 13:52 mark of the second quarter. Tight end Desirrio Riles caught a 23-yard screen pass on the left side from quarterback Ashton Daniels for the score. 

     The Canes answered back with 8:19 remaining in the second and led 14-7. Quarterback Darian Mensah connected a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Malachi Toney in the back of the end zone.

      The Seminoles evened it up 14-14 with 1:40 to go in the first half. Daniels was able to sneak in on a run from two yards out.

      FSU got their first lead in the contest with 4:09 left in the third quarter to make it 21-14. Daniels tossed a 28-yard pass to running back Quintrevion Wisner.

      In the fourth quarter, the Hurricanes made it 21-21 at the 9:33 mark. Javian Mallory rushed around the left end on a three-yard touchdown run. 

      The U moved in front 28-21 with 2:38 remaining in the fourth. Mensah threw a four-yard swing pass to tight end Elija Lofton on the right side of the end zone. 

      The Seminoles scored just 13 seconds later to tie it 28-28. Daniels zipped a 75-yard touchdown pass to wide reciever Duce Robinson. 

      The Noles got the ball in the overtime session and scored. Daniels found Robinson again on a 20-yard pass play.

      The Hurricanes matched it and made it 35-35. Mallory bolted through the left side of the line from 25 yards away.

       In the second overtime, Mensah fired a three-yard touchdown pass  to Toney. Wide receiver Cooper Barkate caught a two-point conversion pass from Mensah and Miami led 43-35.

       Florida State had a 36-yard touchdown strike on fourth down from Daniels to wide receiver Danzy deep on the right side of the end zone, however it was negated due to a holding penalty. Daniels then threw another hail-Mary pass of 46 yards to the right side of the end zone and it was barely intercepted by Bryce Fitzgerald to end the game.

Inter Miami CF End Atlanta United FC

     Inter Miami CF topped Atlanta United FC 3-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday night. The Herons entered tonight's contest at an away venue in which they have the worst road record among all competitions in franchise history at 2-5-2 or a .222 winning percentage. 

     Inter Miami CF(14-5-10) waited until 45 minute into the first half to go up 1-0. Luis Suarez made a left-footed cross from the right side and German Berterame was able to get the tally on a header from three yards away. 

      In the second half, it became 2-0 for the Herons in the 56th minute. Lionel Messi dribbled with the ball up the middle of the field, through several defenders and into the penalty area. He then fired a left-footed shot from 12 yards out. 

     Messi put in another goal in the 60th minute to increase the Inter Miami CF lead to 3-0. Suarez threaded a long lead pass from the Herons own end of the field. Messi went in on a 1-on-1 breakaway and scored from 15 yards out with his left foot. It was his second tally of the contest and his 25th Major League Soccer goal this season. 

     Atlanta United FC(8-15-6) broke the shutout in the 89th minute of play. Fafa Picault shot the ball into the low right corner of the cage on a penalty kick with his right foot.

Panthers Steamroll Kraken

     Carter Verhaeghe pulled off a natural hat trick and Sam Bennett added a hat trick as the Florida Panthers clobbered the Seattle Kraken 8-3 on Saturday night at Amerant Bank Arena. Florida became the first team in NHL history with natural hat tricks in three straight games.

     The Panthers led at the conclusion of the first period for the first time in nine games this season. They completed a two-game homestand and will not play at home again until October 30. Kraken right wing Mackie Samoskevich faced his former team for the first time. 

     Florida(5-2-2) raced out to a 1-0 lead at the 1:05 mark. Bennett chalked up his first goal of the year off an assist by Matthew Tkachuk.

     Seattle(5-3-1) evened it up 1-1 at 4:54 in the period. Shane Wright released a rising shot for his third tally this season.

     The Cats expanded their lead to 2-1 with 2:04 left in the opening frame. Carter Verhaeghe found the net for the fourth time of the campaign.

     The Panthers made it 3-1 on the power play with 53 seconds remaining in the first. Verhaeghe collected his second goal of the contest and fifth goal of the season.

     In the second period, Florida increased their lead to 4-1 at 6:02. Verhaeghe picked up the natural hat trick with his third goal of the game and sixth goal in 2026-27.

     The Cats made it 6-1 later in the period. Niko Mikkola scored at the 6:42 mark and Bennett marked his second goal of the contest with 6:47 to go in the second.

     The Kraken closed it to 6-2 with 54.6 seconds remaining in the second. Frederick Gadreau placed in his fifth tally in 2026-27.

     The Panthers had a 7-2 lead on the power play at the 2:25 mark of the third period. Sam Reinhart was able to get his fifth goal this season.

      It became 8-3 for Florida with 8:46 to go in the third. Bennett completed a hat trick with his 400th career NHL point.

     

Magic Close Heat

     The Orlando Magic handled the Miami Heat 136-115 on Friday night. It was the final preseason game for the Heat before the 2026-27 regular season. 

     Miami finished with a 3-2 preseason record. They will open up their regular season at home versus the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. 

Miguel Rojas Retires

     Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas has retired from Major League Baseball. He announced his retirement prior to the start of the 2026 season. The Dodgers were eliminated by the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series on Thursday night. 

     Rojas was with the Miami Marlins for eight seasons from 2015 to 2022. He had 38 home runs, 260 runs batted in and a .265 batting average in 870 games with the Marlins. He helped Miami reach the postseason in 2020 for the first time in 17 years. 

     He won consecutive World Series with the Dodgers in 2024 and 2025. He will be best remembered for throwing the ball to home plate on a ground out that prevented the Toronto Blue Jays from getting the walk-off winning run and clinching the championship in the ninth inning of Game 7 in the 2025 World Series. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Pounds Monarch

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders dominated the Monarch Knights 71-20 on Simmons Family Field at Brian Piccolo Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night. The Raiders have won a state-record seven consecutive FHSAA state titles. 

     St. Thomas Aquinas(8-0) rocketed out to a 14-0 in the first couple of minutes of the first quarter. STA added a safety later in the first and led 16-0.

     Monarch(4-4) was held scoreless in the first two quarters of play. The Knights found themselves down 50-0 at halftime.

     The Raiders put up 14 more points midway through the third quarter and led 64-6. A running clock was implemented for the remainder of the game.

Chaminade-Madonna Beats McArthur

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions knocked off the McArthur Mustangs 47-12 at Vince Zappone Field in Hollywood on Friday night. The Lions have appeared in a state-record 10 consecutive FHSAA state title games. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(6-2) had a 7-0 advantage early in the first quarter. The Lions increased their lead to 14-0 six minutes into the second quarter.

     McArthur(2-6) did score during the second quarter. The Mustangs were behind 27-6 at halftime.

     The Lions added 13 points in the third quarter to go up 40-6. Both teams scored a touchdown in the final quarter for a 35-point margin. 

Columbus Controls Miami Central

     The Columbus Explorers dropped the Miami Central Rockets 28-3 at Traz Powell Stadium on Friday night. Both Dade County teams are expected to make the FHSAA postseason. 

     Columbus(8-1) was able to get out in front 7-0 in the opening quarter. The Explorers scored a touchdown two minutes into the second quarter to make it 14-0.

     Miami Central(6-2) managed a field goal on the final play of the second quarter. The Rockets were behind 14-3 at halftime. 

     The Explorers got a touchdown midway in the third quarter for a 20-6 advantage. Columbus reached the end zone before the end of the third and were up 28-3. A second weather delay stopped the contest for good near the conclusion of the third. 

Cardinal Newman & West Broward Postponed

     The Cardinal Newman Crusaders and the West Broward Bobcats game was postponed due to inclement weather on Friday night at Sam Budnyk Field in West Palm Beach. The Crusaders are the reigning FHSAA Class 1A state champions. The contest will be made up on November 2.

     Cardinal Newman(5-2) will travel to the St. Andrew's Scots in Boca Raton next week. West Broward(2-5) hosts the Miami Stingarees in a week. 

Hartford Wolf Pack Tries James Reimer

     The Hartford Wolf Pack have given a professional tryout offer to former Florida Panthers goalie James Reimer. Hartford is the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers. Reimer was with the Ottawa Senators last season. 

     Reimer played three seasons with Florida from 2016-17 to 2018-19. He had a 53-42-16 record, .912 save percentage and a 2.85 goals-against-average with the Panthers.

St. John Paul II Edges Somerset Academy Canyons

     The St. John Paul II Academy Eagles eased by the Somerset Academy Cougars 19-16 on Thursday night at Cougar Field in Boynton Beach. Both Palm Beach County teams do not play in a district and are not eligible for the FHSAA Playoffs. 

     St. John Paul II Academy(3-5) have won two straight games and will host the Calvary Christian Academy Eagles next week. Somerset Academy Canyons(1-8) have lost five consecutive contests and will conclude their 2026 season in a week as they host the Clewiston Tigers. 

Jorge Sedano Adds ESPN Radio Duties

     Former Miami sportscaster Jorge Sedano has added an additional role at ESPN Radio. This NBA season he will work as a radio play-by-play announcer. Sedano will continue as a NBA sideline reporter for ESPN and ESPN Radio.

    Sedano had numerous stops while employed in the Miami market from 1999 until August 2013. They included 1700 The Fan WAFN-AM, Fox Sports Radio 940 WRFX-AM, News Radio 610 WIOD-AM, Fox Sports Radio, Fox Sports Net Florida, FIU, Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM, WFOR-TV Channel 4, CBS Sports.com, Sun Sports and Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM. 

     He hosted a nationally syndicated show on ESPN Radio from September 2013 to September 2016. Sedano has been a sports talk radio host on KSPN-AM in Los Angeles for the past 10 years since September 2016. 

Brett McLean Joins Avalanche Staff

     Brett McLean has joined the Colorado Avalanche coaching staff as an assistant coach. He worked last season as an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks.

     McLean was a center with the Florida Panthers for two seasons in 2007-08 and 2008-09. He ended up with 21 goals and 35 assists for 56 points in 147 contests with the Cats. 

Don Mattingly Now Phillies Manager

     Former Miami Marlins skipper Don Mattingly has been elevated to manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. He was named the Phillies interim manager in April. 

     Mattingly led the Phillies to a postseason spot this year. They were eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in the National League Wild-Card Series during a decisive Game 3. 

     Mattingly was the Marlins manager from 2016 to 2022. He is the club's all-time leader with 443 manager wins. Mattingly was the Los Angeles Dodgers manager from 2010 until 2015. 

Forest Hill Topples Marjory Stoneman Douglas

     The Forest Hill Falcons got by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Eagles 29-28 on Thursday night at Cumber Stadium in Parkland. Both teams do not play in any district this season and are independent high schools. 

     Forest Hill(5-3) have been victorious in three striaght contests and are at the Suncoast Chargers next week. Marjory Stoneman Douglas(1-7) hosts the Taravella Trojans in a week. 

Olympic Heights Fires On Suncoast

     The Olympic Heights Lions coasted by the Suncoast Chargers 51-14 at Corey Lewis Stadium in Boca Raton on Thursday night. It was a contest between two teams from Palm Beach County. 

     Olympic Heights(4-4) will remain home and challenge the Deerfield Beach Bucks in a District 13-5A game a week from now. Suncoast(1-6) will host the Forest Hill Falcons next week. 

Another Brady Tkachuk Hat Trick Stuns Canucks

     Brady Tkachuk picked up his second natural hat trick in the last two games as the Florida Panthers overcame the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in overtime at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday night. Tkachuk is the third player in Panthers history to score back-to-back hat tricks. The Panthers played just their second home game of the 2026-27 regular season. 

     Vancouver(2-6-1) scored on their first shot of the contest to make it 1-0 at 7:23 of the first period. Linus Karlsson poke-checked the puck from Bokondji Imama at the top of the zone and Liam Ohgren snapped a shot from the high slot past Akira Schmid for his second goal this year. 

     The Canucks increased it to 2-0 with 2:55 remaining in first on a 4-on-4 situation. Tom Willander handed the puck off to Filip Chytil and he backhanded a centering pass from the right corner. Elias Pettersson put in a snap shot from the slot area for his third goal of the campaign. 

     After a scoreless second period, Florida(4-2-2) broke the shutout with 8:49 left in the third period. Matthew Tkachuk made a square pass in the neutral zone and Aaron Ekblad backhanded a pass after crossing the Canucks blue line. Brady Tkachuk fired a forehand shot from above the top left circle by Leevi Merilainen for his fourth goal in the past two contests. 

     The Panthers pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 2:35 to go in the period. They tied the game 2-2 with 12.8 seconds remaining in the third. Seth Jones pushed the puck from the left wing and Carter Verhaeghe angled a pass from the top of the zone. Brady Tkachuk fired a one-time slap shot from the right-circle dot for his second goal of the contest and fifth tally of the season. 

     Florida won it at the 2:23 mark in overtime. Jones sent a diagonal pass from the center-ice center to Brady Tkachuk at the Vancouver blue line. He then snapped a shot from the inner left circle getting his third goal for the hat trick and his sixth goal in the last two games. Reinhart was credited with a secondary assist on the play. It turned out to be the sixth assist by Jones in the past two contests. 

Rachel Nichols Starts New Show

     One-time South Florida sports journalist Rachel Nichols will host a new Sports Illustrated studio show called The Story With Rachel Nichols. She will continue as a Sports Illustrated podcast co-host of Open Floor podcast with Chris Mannix. Nichols also hosts Hometown With Rachel Nichols on Monumental Sports Network in Washington D.C. 

     Nichols had a stint with the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel from 1995 to 1996. She moved on to the Washington Post from 1996 until 2004. Nichols later had two stints with ESPN from 2004 to January 2013 and from December 2015 to January 2022. Nichols did work at Turner Sports and CNN from January 2013 until late 2015. 

Inter Miami CF Stuff New York City FC

     Inter Miami CF blanked New York City FC 2-0 at Nu Stadium on Wednesday night. The Herons are in a middle of a stretch playing three games in an eight-day period. Both teams, who met each other in last year's Eastern Conference Finals, last tangled back on March 22. 

     In the first half, Inter Miami CF(14-5-10) rolled out to a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute. Luis Suarez made a square pass to the middle and German Berterame put in a right-footed shot from seven yards away. 

     New York(8-12-9) was behind 2-0 during stoppage time at the conclusion of the first half. Lionel Messi connected a pass with the outside of his left foot. Rodrigo De Paul powered in a 17-yard shot with his right foot into the top left corner of the cage. 

Heat Cut Nets

     The Miami Heat downed the Brooklyn Nets 144-128 on Wednesday night at Kaseya Center. It was the final preseason home contest for the Heat. Giannis Antetokounmpo compiled 20 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists in 20 minutes of play with his new team. 

     Miami participated in their third straight preseason home contest and their fourth overall preseason game prior to the 2026-27 campaign. They will visit the Orlando Magic on Friday to conclude their preseason slate. The Heat will open up their 39th NBA regular season next Wednesday night at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Creative Talent Adds Doc Reno

     Longtime Miami radio disc jockey Doc Reno has signed a multi-year contract with Creative Talent. That talent agency will represent Reno concerning radio, national syndication, podcasting, digital media, speaking engagements and promotional work. 

     Reno had a long tenure as a disc jockey with Clear Channel Miami and later iHeartMedia Miami. He is most known for being the afternoon host on WBGG-FM from July 2002 to June 2026. 

     He still continues to work outside of the broadcasting business. Reno is the on-site disc jockey for the Broward County Ohio State University Buckeyes Booster Club on Saturdays at Buffalo Wild Wings in Coral Springs. He is the founder and spokesperson of the My Family Matters Foundation, which Reno launched in late 2018. Reno began last month hosting Miami Dolphins watch parties Sundays at 1:00 p.m. from Fishtales Restaurant & Nightclub on 33rd Street in Fort Lauderdale.

Miami Marlins Announcers Retained

     A number of on-air announcing talent looks like they will be retained by the Miami Marlins organization based on their team website. The broadcasters include television game analyst Gaby Sanchez, television sideline reporter/studio host Kelly Saco, television sideline reporter Jeremy Tache, television studio host Craig Mish, radio play-by-play announcer Jack McMullen, radio game analyst A. J. Ramos and radio studio host Stephen Strom.

     The club let go television studio host/backup play-by-play announcer Craig Minervini, television play-by-play announcer Kyle Sielaff, television game analyst/studio analyst Jeff Nelson and television studio host/radio game analyst Rod Allen a couple of days ago. Television game analyst Tommy Hutton retired at the conclusion of the 2026 regular season. 

Dolphins Release Jarquez Hunter & Mazi Smith

     The Miami Dolphins have released two players from their practice squad. They are running Jarquez Hunter and defensive lineman Mazi Smith. 

     Hunter was acquired by the Dolphins from the Los Angeles Rams for former Miami Northwestern quarterback and current NFL wide receiver Tutu Atwell on August 27. He played five games on special teams with the Rams in 2025. 

     Smith signed with Miami and was placed on the practice squad on September 1. He was able to participate in one game with the Dolphins this season during Week 4 at the Minnesota Vikings. 

Brady Tkachuk Hat Trick & Panthers Top Blue Jackets

     Florida Panthers center Brady Tkachuk chalked up a natural hat trick as Panthers crushed the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-3 on Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena. Panthers right wing Matthew Tkachuk finished with five assists in the contest while defenseman Seth Jones had four assists. Florida goalie Akira Schmid won his first game in a Panthers jersey. 

     The Panthers completed a stretch of opening the 2026-27 regular season playing six of their first seven games on the road. They now have a 3-1-2 record away from South Florida. 

     Columbus(2-3-0) raced out to a 1-0 advantage with 5:49 remaining in the first period. Sandis Vilmanis lost the puck and turned it over at the top of the Cats zone. Kent Johnson put in an unassisted goal as he sprinted through the middle and took a wrist shot from the low slot by Akira Schmid. It was the third tally for Johnson this year. 

     In the second period, the Panthers tied it up 1-1 at the 2:27 mark. Matthew Tkachuk caught a clearing pass in the right circle and pushed a square pass from the top right circle. Brady Tkachuk released a wrist shot from the high slot past Cam Talbot for his first goal in a Panthers jersey. Matthew Tkachuk increased his point streak to six games. 

     It was the first time that both brothers appeared together in a scoring sequence with Florida. They did it numerous times when both played for the United States National Team at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where they both captured gold medals. 

     Florida(3-2-2) leaped to the lead 2-1 at 6:00 with the man advantage. Jones angled a pass from the high slot and Matthew Tkachuk centered the puck from the low right circle. Brady Tkachuk placed in a forehand shot from the low slot for his second goal of the contest and second goal of the season. 

     The Cats extended their lead to 3-1 on another power-play goal with 9:30 left in the second. Matthew Tkachuk zipped a pass from the right-circle dot and Sam Reinhart fired a one-time shot from the slot area which was wide right. It caromed off the end wall and Brady Tkachuk scored on a wrist shot from the left side of the crease for the natural hat trick and his third goal in 2026-27. 

     It became 4-1 for the Panthers on the power play with 2:10 to go in the frame. Matthew Tkachuk tapped the puck in the right corner and Brady Tkachuk connected a cross-ice pass from the low right circle. Carter Verhaeghe snapped a shot from below the low circle for his second goal this season. 

     Florida made it 5-1 at the 1:20 mark of the third period with their fourth power-play tally in the game. Jones sent a diagonal pass from the top of the zone. Matthew Tkachuk rifled a shot from the top of the zone and Reinhart deflected it in from the crease area for his third goal of the year. 

     The Panthers expanded their lead to 6-1 at 3:28. Jones passed the puck from the right point. Lars Eller skated with it up the right-wing wall to the right point and sent a backhand pass from the right point. Verhaeghe curled around the top of the zone and marked down his second goal of the game and third goal this season on a snap shot from above the left circle. 

     The Blue Jackets had two goals later in the third to make it 6-3. Denton Mateychuk collected his first goal this year with 6:13 left and Cole Sillinger scored his third goal this season with 5:51 remaining.

     Columbus pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with over five minutes to go in the period. The Cats led 7-3 with 2:17 left in the final period. Jones cycled the puck from behind his own cage and Anton Lundell released a diagonal cross-ice pass in the Florida zone. Reinhart carried it beyond the Panthers blue line and scored into an empty net for his second goal in the contest and fourth goal in 2026-27. Reinhart tied Aleksander Barkov in Panthers franchise history with 33 multi-goal games. 

     Jones tied a career-high with four assists and four points in a game on that play. He did it facing his former club the Blue Jackets.

Adam Boqvist Lands In Switzerland

     One-time Florida Panthers defenseman Adam Boqvist is off to Europe. He has signed a two-year contract with Geneve-Servette in Switzerland. 

     Boqvist spent a part of the 2024-25 season with the Panthers. He finished up with two goals and four assists for six points in 18 contests with Florida. 

Marlins Let Go Craig Minervini

     The Miami Marlins have released Craig Minervini as their television studio host, backup television play-by-play announcer and fill-in radio play-by-play announcer. It concluded Minervini's long reign in the Marlins broadcasting department. 

     Minervini, a Commack, New York native and Syracuse University 1985 grad, has held the position of Marlins television studio analyst and television sideline reporter since the 2002 season. The video clip most seen of Minervini on the job by the public was him interviewing Miguel Cabrera after he got his first Major League Baseball game-winning hit in 2003. 

     He started his professional broadcasting career as sideline reporter Craig DeGeorge in the World Wrestling Federation in the late 1980s. Minervini landed at WPBF-TV Channel 25 in West Palm Beach as a sportscaster. He moved on to become a sportscaster at WTVJ-TV Channel 6 in Miami.

    Minervini had two stints as a television studio host on Florida Panthers broadcasts. He was there from September 2003 until April 2012 and from August 2015 to April 2024.