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Former Sharks forward says Barracuda coach pressured him to fight

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:45 GMT

A former San Jose Sharks forward said he was pressured by a coach with the team’s AHL affiliate to fight opposing players, adding that it was a key factor in his decision not to re-sign with the organization.Martin Kaut, whom the Sharks acquired from the Colorado Avalache in January, told the Czech website iDNES.cz in a story published Sunday that an unnamed Barracuda coach would choose an opponent, usually a fellow Czech-born player, before each game for him to fight. When Kaut refused, he said the coach responded by saying that his refusal was a reason why he wasn’t in the NHL.Kaut in the story mentioned Adam Klapka, a Czech native who is listed at 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds and was credited with six AHL fighting majors this past season for the Calgary Wranglers. Kaut, listed at 6-2 and 190 pounds, has only two fighting majors in five seasons of North American professional hockey.“They also chose Czechs for me. Why? It was one of the reasons why I didn’t want to continue ...

Wong drives in career-best three runs, Pivetta strikes out 13 as Red Sox beat Athletics 7-0

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:45 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Connor Wong hit a two-run double and singled in a run for a career-high three RBIs, leading the Boston Red Sox past the Oakland Athletics 7-0 on Monday night for their eighth win in nine games.Nick Pivetta (6-5) matched his career high with 13 strikeouts over six innings of one-hit relief after replacing lefty opener Brennan Bernardino, who worked two innings. It marked Pivetta’s ninth career double-digit strikeout game and first of 2023 — and his most Ks with the Red Sox after striking out 13 while pitching for the Phillies in June 18, 2018, against Saint Louis.Justin Turner and Adam Duvall added sacrifice flies for Boston, which is 6-1 in a stretch of 12 straight matchups against teams below .500.The A’s lost their eighth straight game and dropped a season-high 46 games under .500 at 25-71. The game drew a Red Sox-heavy crowd of 9,987.Oakland right-hander Paul Blackburn (1-2), scratched from his previously scheduled start against Boston on July 8 b...

Mets 1st-round draft pick Colin Houck gets a $2.75 million signing bonus

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:45 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — First-round draft pick Colin Houck will receive a $2.75 million signing bonus from the New York Mets, above the slot value of $2,607,500 for his selection at No. 32 overall last week. The 18-year-old high school shortstop from Georgia passed up a college commitment to Mississippi State to sign with the Mets. New York’s first pick was pushed down 10 spots because the Mets were more than $40 million above the initial luxury tax threshold last year.The club announced last Friday that Houck and second-round pick Brandon Sproat, a pitcher from the University of Florida, had agreed to deals. Both were assigned to Port St. Lucie in the rookie level Florida Complex League.Sproat, who turns 23 in September, was drafted by the Mets in the third round last year but returned to school when the sides could not strike a deal. The right-hander was chosen 56th overall this year and agreed to a $1,474,500 bonus, exactly slot value.Two-way player Nolan McLean, a right-handed pit...

Deadly hit-and-run in Virginia Village neighborhood

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:45 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The Denver Police Department is searching for the vehicle and driver involved in a deadly hit-and-run crash early Sunday morning. Police said the crash happened at East Louisiana Avenue and South Birch Street around 5 a.m. A dark-colored SUV traveling westbound on East Louisiana hit a bicyclist, which damaged the SUV's headlight, and took off. 3 killed, 2 seriously injured in Aurora rollover crash The bicyclist died from the injuries they sustained in the crash, police said. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

Avalanche sign forward Ross Colton, avoid arbitration

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:45 GMT

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche have avoided arbitration with forward Ross Colton, signing him to a four-year contract.The deal is worth $16 million with a $4 million annual salary-cap hit, according to a person with knowledge of the move. The person spoke Monday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team doesn't disclose contract terms.Colorado acquired Colton from cap-strapped Tampa Bay prior to the NHL draft for the 37th pick. Colton was a restricted free agent whose arbitration rights could have hurt the Lightning, making him their top trade candidate. Avalanche say goodbye to defenseman Erik Johnson Colton, now 26, scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for Tampa Bay in 2021. He was also with the Lightning the following year when they lost to the Avalanche in the final.“Ross is a hard-working, two-way center with a championship pedigree,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said at the time of the trade. “He has physicality to his game, is u...

Nick Pivetta pitches way into Red Sox history books with dominant relief performance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:45 GMT

Even without Rafael Devers, who’s day-to-day with right calf tightness, the Red Sox lineup is relentless. On Monday evening in Oakland, they collected 10 hits and demolished the downtrodden A’s, 7-0.Aside from Yu Chang, every batter collected a hit, but Connor Wong was the only Red Sox player with a multi-hit game. The catcher went 3-for-4 with a run and three RBI.But all due respect to the impressive Boston bats, this night belonged to Nick Pivetta.After Brennan Bernardino opened the game with a pair of scoreless innings, Pivetta took over and pitched one of the best relief performances in baseball history.Over six innings, he induced 14 swings & misses, didn’t allow a single hit, and racked up strikeouts.With his tenth strikeout, he joined Hideo Nomo (April 4, 2001) and Smoky Joe Wood (July 29, 1911) as the only three Red Sox pitchers to reach double-digit Ks without allowing a hit.When Pivetta reached 12 (his seventh consecutive K), he tied Diego Segui (1974...

Deadly crash shuts down all southbound I-15 lanes in Fallbrook

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:45 GMT

FALLBROOK, Calif. -- A deadly crash Monday on Interstate 15 in the Fallbrook area has prompted traffic delays, fire officials said.The collision occurred on southbound I-15, located north of State Route 76, North County Fire Protection District tweeted around 9:35 p.m. Passenger killed in East County crash that hurt 4 others identified "The entire SB 15 Freeway is currently blocked. Expect delays," the tweet read.Authorities advise to use an alternate route.Check back for updates on this developing story.

Day and night Phoenix has sweltered from heat that will break a record for American cities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:45 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix’s relentless streak of dangerously hot days was finally poised to smash a record for major U.S. cities on Tuesday, the 19th straight day the desert city was to see temperatures soar to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 C) or more.Nighttime has offered little relief from the brutal temperatures. Phoenix’s low of 95 F (35 C) on Monday was its highest overnight low ever, toppling the previous record of 93 F (33.8 C) set in 2009. It was the eighth straight day of temperatures not falling below 90 F (32.2 C), another record.It’s “pretty miserable when you don’t have any recovery overnight,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Salerno.The length of Phoenix’s heat wave is notable even during a summer in which much of the southern United States and the world as a whole has been cooking in record temperatures, something scientists say is stoked by climate change.What’s going on in a metropolitan area known as the Valley of th...

No winner in Monday’s Powerball drawing. Jackpot reaches $1 billion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:45 GMT

ST. JOSEPH. Mo. (AP) — The Powerball jackpot rose yet again to an estimated $1 billion after no winning ticket was sold for the latest drawing.No ticket for Monday’s drawing matched the white balls 5, 8, 9, 17, 41 and red Powerball 2. The jackpot was estimated at $900 million.The new jackpot for Wednesday’s drawing would be the third highest in U.S. history and will keep growing until someone wins. Ticket buyers have a chance at $1 billion paid out in yearly increments or a $516.8 million one-time lump sum before taxes.Three people won $2 million after matching all five numbers plus the Power Play, lottery officials said. The winning tickets were sold in Arkansas, Georgia and Texas.Five people won $1 million after matching all five numbers. The winning tickets were sold in Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New York and Pennsylvania.The game’s abysmal odds of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to build big prizes that draw more players. The largest Powerball jackpot was $2.04 billion Powe...

Think it’s hot now? It’s about to get even hotter in SoCal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:45 GMT

The National Weather Service has extended its excessive heat warning through Saturday for inland areas, deserts and mountains with temperatures expected to top triple digits. Above normal temperatures are expected through at least early next week as high pressure remains dominant over the region, according to NWS. Dangerously hot temperatures may return later this week into the weekend for interior areas. On Sunday, Death Valley will reach a blistering 128 degrees fahrenheit.  Places to cool off in Southern California during the latest summer heat wave From Southern California to South Florida, nearly one-third of the population is under heat advisories and warnings with record-breaking temperatures impacting millions of people. Phoenix  will experience its 18th day of consistent temperatures at or above 110 degrees. Las Vegas is sizzling under triple digit temperatures where emergency rooms are reporting an increase of heat-related illnesses and inju...