Good morning, Pittsburgh. Here's your day in sports for Monday, October 5, 2015. What's on tap for today: At the craziest part of the year's sports calendar, there will be two days of nothing but anticipation, as the Pirates, Steelers, Penguins and local college teams are all off until Wednesday's Wild Card game between the Bucs and the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park. At noon, Pitt (3-1. 1-0) head coach Pat Narduzzi will discuss his team's big road win over Virginia Tech and look forward to ... Read More
AM Joe: ‘Batman’ finishes regular-season career
Good morning, Pittsburgh. Here's your day in sports for Sunday, October 4, 2015. What's on tap for today: The Pirates (97-64) need a win over the Reds (64-97) today or a Cubs loss to ensure home-field advantage for the Wild Card game. J.A. Happ will take the hill for the Bucs, who have won seven of his nine starts. First pitch is at 3:05 p.m. ROOT Sports Pittsburgh Pittsburgh headlines: Veteran Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett made his final start of the regular season last night, ... Read More
Penguins release Sergei Gonchar
The comeback attempt of 41-year old defenseman Sergei Gonchar looks like it has hit a major road block. Gonchar, who was attempting a comeback with the Pittsburgh Penguins, was released Saturday from his tryout contract. For Gonchar the question is now whether or not he showed enough in preseason action that another team will take a shot on him. If not, it all but likely brings an end to a lengthy and successful NHL career. Gonchar showed some glimpses during the preseason in the ... Read More
AM Joe: Plenty of blame for Steelers loss
Good morning, Pittsburgh. Here's your day in sports for Friday, October 2, 2015. What's on tap for today: Wrapping up their marathon preseason, the Penguins (3-4-0) are in Raleigh, NC for their preseason finale against the Carolina Hurricanes. 7:00 p.m. WXDX-FM 105.9 The X The Pirates (96-63) host he Reds (63-96) in the first of a three-game series at PNC Park. Despite the Cardinals clinching the division on Wednesday night, the Pirates still must make sure to stay ahead of the Cubs for ... Read More
Penguins defensive depth taking shape
The Pittsburgh Penguins training camp is almost finished with just one final preseason game remaining. There has been a lot of talk about who would make the opening night roster, but after the most recent stretch of games the eight defensemen the Penguins plan to start the season with appear to have stepped forward. Roster Locks There are a handful of players that were all but guaranteed to make the opening night lineup as long as they can manage to remain healthy. Kris Letang is the ... Read More
Penguins cut Tom Sestito and 11 others
The Pittsburgh Penguins cut 14 players from their training camp roster on Wednesday, bringing the team to 35 players in camp with three preseason games remaining. Five players – forwards Dominik Uher and Kael Mouillierat and defensemen Steve Oleksy, Will O’Neill and Reid McNeill – have been placed on waivers. If they clear waivers tomorrow at noon, they will be assigned to the Penguins top minor league affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Eight players other players will await ... Read More
AM Joe: Pirates face must-win twinbill with Cardinals
Good morning, Pittsburgh. Here's your day in sports for Tuesday, September 29, 2015. What's on tap for today: A lot will be decided between the Pirates (95-62) and Cardinals (99-58) in their doubleheader today at PNC Park. A pair of Cardinals wins would clinch the division for the Redbirds, while a Bucco sweep would leave the Pirates down only a game with three to play. The Pirates will move Gerrit Cole up to the early game at 1:35 p.m. to square off against Lance Lynn. Charlie Morton and ... Read More
AM Joe: Johnstown ready for big stage
Good morning, Pittsburgh. Here's your day in sports for Tuesday, September 29, 2015. What's on tap for today: The Penguins (2-3-0) will take the hour-long bus ride to Johnstown, Pa where they will host the Tampa Bay Lightning at the historic Cambria County War Memorial Arena. The game -- and hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of arena upgrades -- were given to Johnstown for winning the first Kraft Hockeyville USA contest. The War Memorial is most famous for being the arena where the ... Read More
Questions remain on defense for Pens
Throughout the Penguins offseason, most of the attention of the fans, the media and the front office was the team’s group of forwards. General manager Jim Rutherford took great strides forward in his second offseason with the club, bringing Phil Kessel, Nick Bonino, Sergei Plotnikov, Eric Fehr and Matt Cullen to an already-talented group of forwards. What wasn’t addressed was the team’s defense. Through five preseason games, it seems that it may be an issue. They’ve given up 12 goals in the ... Read More
AM Joe: Steelers turn to Vick; Bucs host Cardinals
Good morning, Pittsburgh. Here's your day in sports for Monday, September 28, 2015. What's on tap for today: Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin will hold his weekly press conference today at noon, and more information is expected to be revealed about the extent of starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's left knee injury and how the Steelers plan to move past the loss of their franchise player. ROOT Sports Pittsburgh The Penguins (2-2-0) will travel to Quebec City, Quebec for the first ... Read More