Category: Sports

Penguins acquire forward Elmer Soderblom from the Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round NHL draft pick

(Caption and Credit for Photo: Detroit Red Wings Left Wing Elmer Soderblom (85) in action during the game between Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings on January 31, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI (Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Pittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas announced today that the Penguins have acquired forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round draft pick which originally belonged to the San Jose Sharks. This means that Soderblom is signed through the 2026-2027 season and his contract will carry an average annual value of $1.125 million. Soderblom was drafted by the Red Wings in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Draft as the 159th overall pick and he has made an appearance in 39 games this season for the Red Wings. Soderblom tallied two goals, one assist and three points during those games.

Former Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin gets a new job as a senior assistant with the Arizona Cardinals

(Caption and Credit for Photo: Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin laughs with the media before mandatory mini-camp at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. (Lucy Schaly/Post-Gazette)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Glendale, AZ) A source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler today that former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is joining the staff of the Arizona Cardinals as a senior assistant. Austin was the defensive coordinator of the Steelers for four seasons and he was the last assistant from the staff of former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to find a new job. Patrick Graham, who was previously the defensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders, replaced Austin as the defensive coordinator for the Steelers.

Highland Middle School Kids of STEEL Program to Receive Grant Support from P3R

(File Photo of the Blackhawk School District Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver Falls, PA) Highland Middle School in the Blackhawk School District will welcome Maria DeCello of P3R and the Kids of STEEL program on March 12th, 2026, during the team’s regularly scheduled practice as the school receives grant funding to support its growing youth running program. The Highland Middle School Kids of STEEL program prepares student-athletes and their families to participate in events that are associated with the Pittsburgh Marathon that takes place each spring. Students train together while building lifelong habits centered on goal setting, physical activity, and teamwork through the program. DeCello will present grant funding from P3R to support the continued growth and success of the Highland Middle School program. The funding will help provide resources that ensure more students and families can participate in training and upcoming race events during the practice on March 12th, 2026.

Andrew McCutchen, 39, and the Texas Rangers make agreement for his minor league contract

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Pittsburgh Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen sits in the dugout before a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Sept. 6, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed, File)

(AP) The Texas Rangers and outfielder Andrew McCutchen agreed to a minor league contract.

As part of the deal announced Friday, the 39-year-old would make $1.5 million this season while playing in the major leagues if he’s added to the 40-man roster.

McCutchen has three weeks of spring training to show the Rangers he’s worth a spot. They’re well-positioned in the outfield with rising standouts Wyatt Langford in left field and Evan Carter in center field and veteran newcomer Brandon Nimmo in right field.

Still, Carter was limited by injuries to 63 games in 2025, so depth is a concern that McCutchen could help alleviate. His right-handed bat could also serve as a natural complement at the designated hitter spot, where left-handed hitter Joc Pederson is slated for the bulk of the playing time.

McCutchen played the last three seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the club that drafted him in the first round in 2005 and promoted him in 2009 for his major league debut. McCutchen played his first nine years in MLB with the Pirates, making five straight All-Star teams and winning the 2013 National League MVP award while becoming one of the most popular players in that franchise’s history.

McCutchen bounced around with four other teams between 2018 and 2022, before reuniting with the Pirates. He played in 135 games last season, with 13 home runs, 57 RBIs and a .700 OPS. When the Pirates reported to spring training last month, general manager Ben Cherington publicly kept the door open to bringing back McCutchen, but the signing of veteran Marcell Ozuna effectively eliminated a spot on their roster for him.

“No matter what, Andrew’s a Pirate and certainly our desire will be to continue to have a really strong relationship with him into the future, whatever that looks like,” Cherington said then.

Penn State fires women’s basketball coach Carolyn Kieger after seven seasons

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Penn State head coach Carolyn Kieger directs her team against South Carolina during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, in Columbia, S.C., Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(State College, PA) Penn State fired their women’s basketball head coach Carolyn Kieger yesterday after seven seasons. Kieger finished with an 84-123 record. The Lady Lions had an 11-18 record this season with a 4-14 record in Big Ten play and did not make the 14-team field for the Big Ten conference tournament. According to Penn State, it will conduct a national search for its next coach. 

McLeod and Tuch score short-handed goals to power Sabres past Penguins, 5-1

 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1) blocks a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins’ Blake Lizotte (46) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryan McLeod and Alex Tuch scored short-handed goals and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 on Thursday night.

McLeod now has a league-best five short-handed goals this season. Josh Norris added a power-play goal, Owen Power scored and Mattias Samuelsson scored an empty-net goal for the Sabres, who won their fifth straight game.

Tage Thompson established a career-best, nine-game point streak with an assist. Buffalo has points in 10 straight road games, matching the longest road point streak in franchise history.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 26 shots for the Sabres, who are 11-2-1 in their last 14 games.

Bryan Rust scored a short-handed goal for the Penguins, who lost consecutive games in regulation for the first time since Jan. 10-11.

Evgeni Malkin was given a major penalty for slashing Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin at 38 seconds of the second period. Malkin, who was also assessed a cross-checking minor, was ejected, which snapped a 10-game home point streak.

Arturs Silovs made 21 saves for the Penguins, who have points in 14 of their last 17 games.

After Malkin’s penalty, Norris scored on the power play at 4:10 to give the Sabres a 2-1 lead. Buffalo continued on the power play after Pittsburgh unsuccessfully challenged for goaltender interference. The Penguins are 0 for 7 on goaltender interference challenges this season.

Tuch continued a four-game point streak with a goal at 6:18 and Power gave the Sabres a 4-1 lead with 9:30 to play in the second period.

The 39-year-old Malkin has been suspended twice in his NHL career, one game for high-sticking Philadelphia’s Michael Raffl in February 2019, and four games in April 2022 for cross-checking Nashville’s Mark Borowiecki.

Pittsburgh is already without captain Sidney Crosby for a minimum of four weeks because of a lower-body injury.

Up next

Sabres: Host Nashville on Saturday.

Penguins: Continue a three-game homestand Saturday against Philadelphia.

 

The 2025-2026 PIAA boys high school basketball playoffs kicks off this weekend

(File Photo of the Basketball Broadcast Schedule Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) The 2025-2026 PIAA boys high school basketball playoffs are ready to begin with its first-round tipping off today and tomorrow. Several local teams from the area of the Beaver Valley will compete in this year’s state playoffs. They are Aliquippa, Central Valley, Cranberry, OLSH, Moon Area, Quaker Valley and Sewickley Academy. According to the Beaver County Times, here is the full schedule for the first round of the 2025-2026 PIAA boys high school basketball playoffs, with the local teams in bold:

Friday, March 6th

5A: Moon Area at Hershey, 6 p.m.

4A: Hickory at Quaker Valley, 7 p.m.

4A: Central Valley at Cathedral Prep, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 7th

3A: Cranberry at Aliquippa, 1 p.m.

2A: 10-3 Saegertown at Sewickley Academy, 1 p.m.

2A: 5-2 Conemaugh Township at OLSH, 3:30 p.m.

Sources: Steelers releasing tight end Jonnu Smith after one season

(Caption and Credit for Photo: Jonnu Smith celebrates his first-quarter touchdown against the Bengals last season. (Chaz Palla, TribLive)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday that the Pittsburgh Steelers will release veteran tight end Jonnu Smith ahead of the new NFL league year, which begins on March 11, 2026 at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. The Steelers will save about $7 million in cap space by releasing the thirty-year-old Smith, who made the NFL Pro Bowl in 2024. Smith arrived in Pittsburgh as part of a massive trade that sent him, three-time NFL All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick to the Steelers in exchange for three-time NFL All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Dolphins in June of 2025.

Pirates trade reliever pitcher Kyle Nicolas to the Reds in exchange for infielder/outfielder Tyler Callihan

(Caption and Credit for Photo: Pirates reliever Kyle Nicolas pitches during a game at LECOM Park in Bradenton. (Christopher Horner/ TribLive)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The Pittsburgh Pirates traded reliever pitcher Kyle Nicolas to the Cincinnati Reds yesterday in exchange for infielder/outfielder Tyler Callihan. The twenty-five-year-old Callihan is ranked as the Reds’ No. 19 prospect by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. Callihan made his Major League Baseball debut on April 30th, 2025, and went 1 for 6 in four games. The twenty-seven-year-old Nicolas, who is a right-handed reliever, had a record of 3-4, a 4.68 ERA and 1.48 WHIP, while averaging 8.8 strikeouts and 4.9 walks per nine innings in 98 innings over 86 appearances with the Pirates in three seasons with the team. Nicolas will return to Ohio thanks to this trade to the Reds because he is a native of Massillon, Ohio, and he will also play for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

Andrew McCutchen, 39, and the Texas Rangers agree to a minor league contract, AP source says

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Pittsburgh Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen sits in the dugout before a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Sept. 6, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed, File)

(AP) The Texas Rangers and veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen agreed to a minor league contract on Thursday, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.

The person confirmed the agreement to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been finalized and a physical exam still needed to be completed. The 39-year-old McCutchen would make $1.5 million this season while playing in the major leagues if he’s added to the 40-man roster, the person said.

McCutchen has three weeks of spring training to show the Rangers he’s worth a spot. They’re well-positioned in the outfield with rising standouts Wyatt Langford in left field and Evan Carter in center field and veteran newcomer Brandon Nimmo in right field.

Still, Carter was limited by injuries to 63 games in 2025, so depth is a concern that McCutchen could help alleviate. His right-handed bat could also serve as a natural complement at the designated hitter spot, where left-handed hitter Joc Pederson is slated for the bulk of the playing time.

McCutchen played the last three seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the club that drafted him in the first round in 2005 and promoted him in 2009 for his major league debut. McCutchen played his first nine years in MLB with the Pirates, making five straight All-Star teams and winning the 2013 National League MVP award while becoming one of the most popular players in that franchise’s history.

McCutchen bounced around with four other teams between 2018 and 2022, before reuniting with the Pirates. He played in 135 games last season, with 13 home runs, 57 RBIs and a .700 OPS. When the Pirates reported to spring training last month, general manager Ben Cherington publicly kept the door open to bringing back McCutchen, but the signing of veteran Marcell Ozuna effectively eliminated a spot on their roster for him.

“No matter what, Andrew’s a Pirate and certainly our desire will be to continue to have a really strong relationship with him into the future, whatever that looks like,” Cherington said then.