Blackhawks end 8-game slide with 6-3 win over Penguins

 

 – 12/12/18 11:05 PM
BC-HKN–Penguins-Blackhawks
By MATT CARLSON ,  Associated Press
Eds: APNewsNow. Blackhawks 6, Penguins 3. With AP Photos.
CHICAGO (AP) — Jonathan Toews had a goal and two assists, and the Chicago Blackhawks snapped an eight-game losing streak by topping the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 on Wednesday night.

Marcus Kruger, Brent Seabrook, Andreas Martinsen, Brandon Saad each had a goal and an assist for Chicago, which rebounded after blowing 2-0 and 3-2 leads to win for just the second time in 12 contests. Alex DeBrincat scored a power-play goal.

Toews became the 16th active player to reach 700 career points with the same franchise. He assisted on Saad’s empty-netter for his 701st point.

Kruger snapped a 3-all tie when he beat Casey DeSmith from the front of the crease 3:49 into the third period. Martinsen set up Kruger’s fourth goal of the season with a centering pass from below the goal line.

Toews also had an empty-netter before Saad made it 6-3 with his ninth goal at 19:39.

Bryan Rust scored three times for Pittsburgh in his second career hat trick. The 26-year-old forward, who entered with one goal in 29 games this season, missed on several other prime chances.

Corey Crawford made 40 saves for Chicago. DeSmith blocked 23 shots in his sixth straight start and 10th in the last 12 games.

Matt Murray, who started the season as Pittsburgh’s No. 1 goalie, was activated from injured reserve and served as DeSmith’s backup. Murray missed 11 games with a lower-body injury.

The Blackhawks shook up their roster on Wednesday morning by recalling forward Dylan Sikura and defenseman Carl Dahlstrom from Rockford of the AHL and sending forward Alexandre Fortin to the minors. Sikura and Dahlstrom played.

Chicago is 4-12-2 under coach Jeremy Colliton, who replaced Joel Quenneville on Nov. 6.

The Blackhawks opened the scoring for the first time since Nov. 18 and led 2-1 after one period. Opponents had scored first in Chicago’s last 11 games, outscoring the Blackhawks 25-5 in the first period during that span.

Martinsen skated across the crease and was credited with his first goal of the season on a deflection of Dahlstrom’s shot at 14:14. The goal capped a flurry around the Pittsburgh net after Kruger fired a shot off the crossbar and DeSmith lost his stick.

Seabrook put Chicago ahead 2-0 3:37 later when he fired a shot from the right point over DeSmith’s glove.

Rust cut it to 2-1 with 1:20 left in the first when he skated from the left corner and beat Crawford on the glove side.

Rust’s second goal, at 5:46 of the second, tied it at 2. After Seabrook’s turnover, Crawford made a pad save on Derek Grant’s drive from the slot, but Rust buried the rebound.

DeBrincat’s power-play goal with 4:32 left in the period regained the lead for Chicago. After taking Patrick Kane’s feed, DeBrincat skated around Olli Maatta and beat DeSmith on the stick side with a shot just under the crossbar.

Rust tied it at 3 with 56.8 seconds left when his cross-ice pass from the left side of the net deflected off Seabrook’s stick and past Crawford.

NOTES: Rust has 37 goals in 211 career games. He scored three times against Ottawa in December 2016. … Seabrook played in his 1,037th NHL game to move past Bobby Hull and into second place in games played as a Blackhawk. Stan Mikita leads with 1,396. … Pittsburgh G Tristan Jarry was returned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL to make room for Murray, who practiced Tuesday and participated in the game-day skate Wednesday. “We thought we’d get him a good solid workout again today and then engage him over the next couple of games here,” coach Mike Sullivan said. Murray last played at Ottawa on Nov. 17 when he allowed three goals on 10 shots in the first period, then was relieved by DeSmith in a 6-4 loss. … Pittsburgh F Matt Cullen returned after missing 11 games with a lower-body injury. … Chicago C Artem Anisimov was placed on injured reserve (concussion protocol) retroactive to Dec. 9, when he left a 3-2 loss to Montreal in the third period. … Blackhawks D Erik Gustafsson (illness) missed his second game, while Penguins F Patric Hornqvist (upper body) missed his third.

UP NEXT

Penguins: Host Boston on Friday to open three-game homestand over four days.

Blackhawks: Host Winnipeg on Friday.

Pens lose 6-3 in Chicago despite Rust Hat-trick

3rd period goals:

Chicago:

Marcus Kruger (3:49)

Jonathan Toews ( EN 8:58)

Brandon Saad ( EN 19:49)

 

End of 2nd: Pens 3 Blackhawks 3 on WBVP and WMBA!!

2nd period goals:

Pit:

Bryan Rust (5:46)

Bryan Rust (19:03)

Chicago:

Alex DeBrincat (PP 15:28)

Former Bucs shortstop Jordy Mercer, Tigers agree to $5.25M, 1-year deal

AP source: Jordy Mercer, Tigers agree to $5.25M, 1-year deal
By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A person familiar with the negotiations says shortstop Jordy Mercer and the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a $5.25 million, one-year contract.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.
Mercer had spent his entire seven-season big league career with Pittsburgh. The 32-year-old hit .251 with six homers and 39 RBIs, down from 14 homers and 58 RBIs in 2017.
His agreement was first reported by Fancred.
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End of 1st: Blackhawks 2 Pens 1 on WBVP and WMBA!!

1st Period Goals:

Chicago:

Carl Dahlstrom (14:14)

Brent Seabrook (17:51)

Pit:

Bryan Rust (18:40)

Former Pirate Charlie Morton and Tampa Bay agree on $30M, 2-yr deal

AP source: Charlie Morton, Rays agree on $30M, 2-yr deal
By BEN WALKER, AP Baseball Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays are perfectly comfortable putting relief pitchers on the mound to begin games. But the chance to add an All-Star to their patchwork rotation, that was too good to pass up.
Coming off a career-high 30 starts, Charlie Morton reached a $30 million, two-year contract with the Rays, a person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been officially announced.
The 35-year-old Morton was a first-time All-Star last season when he went 15-3 with a 3.13 ERA for Houston.
Morton helped the Astros win their first championship in 2017. He started and won Game 7 of the AL Championship Series against the Yankees, then was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers with four innings of relief.
“He’s a good pitcher,” Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “You never like to have good pitching come into the division, prefer they go somewhere else.”
Morton’s success with the Astros came after a career that had been beset by injuries and inconsistency. He’d undergone Tommy John surgery and was just 46-71 with Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia for going to Houston.
The right-hander joins a Rays staff led by AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.
The Tampa Bay rotation was wrecked by injuries this year, and the team often used relief pitchers as starters in their “opener” strategy on the way to 90 wins.
The Rays’ approach became a trend in baseball, especially when teams saw how well it worked. Tampa Bay went 46-38 with traditional starters and was 44-34 when using relievers at the start.
Manager Kevin Cash said earlier this week at the winter meetings that the Rays will employ the strategy again this season.
“I think right now we’re discussing internally whether we do it two times through the rotation or three times through the rotation,” Cash said Monday. “But the nice thing is we’ve got all that information last year and we have a bunch of candidates that we can fill in as a traditional starter if need be.”
Two days later, the math became a little easier with Morton.
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Bucs Deal Ivan Nova to White Sox for minor league pitcher!!!

Pitcher Ivan Nova acquired by White Sox from Pirates
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Right-hander Ivan Nova has been acquired by the Chicago White Sox from the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor league pitcher Yordi Rosario and $500,000 in international signing bonus pool allocation.
A 31-year-old right-hander, Nova was 9-9 with a 4.19 ERA in 29 starts this season, striking out 114 in 161 innings. He is 78-64 with a 4.26 ERA in nine seasons with the New York Yankees (2010-16) and Pirates (2016-18).
Nova has a $8.5 million base salary next year in the final season of a $26 million, three-year contract, then can become a free agent.
A 19-year-old right-hander, Rosario was 1-4 with a 2.57 ERA in 11 starts and three relief appearances last year in the Dominican Summer League and Arizona Rookie League. He struck out 70 in 56 innings.
The trade was announced Tuesday at the winter meetings.
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AP source: McCutchen, Phillies agree to $50M, 3-year deal

AP source: McCutchen, Phillies agree to $50M, 3-year deal
By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) — All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen and the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a $50 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the agreement, which includes a club option for 2022, is subject to a successful physical.
The 32-year-old McCutchen was an All-Star each season from 2011-15, topping .300 in batting average from 2012-14. He was the NL MVP in 2013.
McCutchen nine years with Pittsburgh before he was traded to San Francisco last winter. He was dealt to the New York Yankees on Aug. 31 and hit .255 with 20 homers and 65 RBIs in 155 games overall this year.
McCutchen has 223 homers, a .287 average and 790 RBIs in 10 major league seasons.
Philadelphia remains interested in Bryce Harper, the top free agent on the market, but has a surplus of outfielders, including Odubel Herrera, Nick Williams, Aaron Altherr and Roman Quinn.
Rhys Hoskins is moving from left field to first base after the team traded Carlos Santana to Seattle for infielder Jean Segura last week.
Herrera, a former All-Star, is a trade candidate. He struggled in the second half last season and finished with career lows in batting average (.255) and on-base percentage (.310).
Philadelphia pursued Patrick Corbin and is still seeking a left-handed starter.
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AP Sports Writer Rob Maaddi in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
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