Sports

Connor Bedard’s spectacular goal sparks Blackhawks to 4-1 win over Lightning

Published

1 day ago

January 29, 2025

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with center Ryan Donato (8) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Connor Bedard scored from a seemingly impossible angle, Arvid Soderblom stopped 34 shots and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 on Tuesday night.

Landon Slaggert, Ryan Donato and Teuvo Teravainen also scored for Chicago, which won for just the third time in 18 games this season when trailing after the first period.

The 19-year-old Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, sparked the Blackhawks on a power play midway through the second. He drifted to near the bottom of the right circle before firing a shot through a tiny window that got past goaltender Jonas Johansson and hit the left post for his 14th goal of the season.

Johansson finished with 16 saves. Brayden Point scored early in the first period for Tampa Bay, which has lost four of five.

Slaggert put the Blackhawks ahead late in the second and Donato scored midway through the third. Teravainen added an empty-netter.

Takeaways

Blackhawks: Chicago snapped a seven-game skid on the road (0-6-1), winning for the first time since Dec. 9 at the New York Rangers. … The Blackhawks beat Tampa Bay in regulation for just the second time in the past 16 meetings.

Lightning: G Andrei Vasilevskiy missed the game with an illness, and 27-year-old emergency backup Kyle Konin dressed for his fourth career NHL game. … Tampa Bay’s four-game home winning streak ended.

Key moment

Chicago had a 5-on-3 power play that lasted 1:37 but failed to capitalize. However, Bedard scored with 5 seconds left on the second half of the man advantage.

Key stat

After going 3 for 3 on the power play against Chicago on Friday, the Lightning went 0 for 3 on Tuesday.

Up next

The Blackhawks play at Carolina on Thursday, when the Lightning host Los Angeles.

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Sports

Rays and free agent infielder Ha-Seong Kim agree to 2-year deal worth $29 million, AP source says

Published

6 hours ago

January 30, 2025

Austin Reed

San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (7) in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Aug. 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file)

The Tampa Bay Rays and free agent Ha-Seong Kim have agreed to a two-year contract valued at $29 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced. ESPN first reported the agreement.

Kim, who played his first four seasons in the majors with the San Diego Padres and won a Gold Glove in 2023, will be paid $13 million this year. He also could earn $2 million in performance bonuses — $10,000 per plate appearance starting at 326 through 525.

Kim has a $16 million player option for 2026.

The 29-year-old infielder from South Korea tore the labrum in his right shoulder on Aug. 18 and needed season-ending surgery. He hit .233 with 11 homers and 22 stolen bases in the final season of a $28 million, four-year contract.

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Sports

Tampa earns the No. 1 spot in the USA Lacrosse Magazine’s preseason rankings.

Published

13 hours ago

January 30, 2025

Austin Reed

Tampa earns the No. 1 spot in the USA Lacrosse Magazine’s initial rankings. After earning the program’s highest final ranking in 2024 following a National Championship title, the team garners its highest-ever preseason ranking in any poll at No. 1 surpassing the previous mark at No. 4.

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Tampa is the No. 1 team in the USA Lacrosse Division II Women’s Preseason Top 20, USA Lacrosse Magazine announced Tuesday.

When Tampa put the final touches on its 13-8 win over Adelphi in the 2024 NCAA championship game, the Spartans became the fourth straight first-time champion in Division II. And they were certainly deserving.

The defending national champs are the popular choice among Division II coaches as the preseason No. 1, with returning talent throughout the lineup. Peyton Howell and Sophi Wrisk return to lead the offense, with Lexi Waters and Delaney Stahrr back as the defensive anchors.

While it’s still to be seen how the changes for 2025 ‑ an expanded NCAA tournament field of 24 teams and automatic berths for conference champions ‑ will impact the parity, what is known is that Tampa begins the new season right where it left off last year, sitting at the top of the national rankings.

Led by midfielders Maggie Schipfer and Megan Bunker, No. 2 Regis has a strong group returning from last year’s final-four team. A sixth straight RMAC title and another deep NCAA run won’t be surprising in 2025.

No. 3 Florida Southern battled Tampa three times last year, with those games decided by a combined four goals. The margin between these two Sunshine State Conference foes is usually razor-thin, and that’s likely to be the case again this spring.

No. 4 Pace, which was undefeated until the NCAA regional final in 2024, must replace national player of the year Angelina Porcello in the midfield as well as first-team All-America defender Alexandra Quinn, but the Setters welcome back All-America goalie Sami Tanguay.

Rounding out the top five, West Chester has some key losses from last year’s regional final squad, most notably midfielder Hannah Stanislawczyk, the program’s all-time scoring leader. The return of midfielder Keri Barnett, who missed all of 2024 due to an injury, should help.

Preseason rankings are compiled by USA Lacrosse Magazine staff and contributors with consultation from college coaches.

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Top ranked University of Tampa baseball team is set to defend their World Series title.

Published

14 hours ago

January 30, 2025

Austin Reed

TAMPA, Fla. – The National Championship University of Tampa Baseball team is the pre-season #1 ranked team in the nation and is set to host a top-15 matchup to open up the season. The top-ranked Spartans celebrate the start of the 2025 season as we honor the 2024 national championship team and raise the championship flag, celebrating their ninth national championship in program history.

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Matchup: #1 Tampa vs. #13 Georgia College

Times:

Friday, Jan. 31, 6:00 P.M.

Saturday, Feb. 1, 3:00 P.M.

Sunday, Feb. 2, 12:00 P.M.

Tampa

The Spartans are back on the diamond this Friday at 6 pm. Tampa is seeking its 10^th national championship and 24^th regular season SSC championship. The Spartans are pre-season ranked #1 in the nation and #1 in the SSC. This is Tampa’s 10^th pre-season ranked at #1, 27^th consecutive preseason ranked inside the Top 15, 21^st pre-season ranked inside the Top 5, and 12^th consecutive pre-season ranked inside the Top 3. The Spartans have 15 returning national champions, including All-American and National Pitcher of the Year Skylar Gonzalez, 17 transfers, including University of Miami transfer J.D. Urso, son of National Coach of the Year Joe Urso, and four true freshmen. Tampa will take the field for the first time Friday since winning their 9^th national championship in program history over Angelo State in a historic 2024 season. Before hosting a three-game series with #13 Georgia College, the Spartans will honor the 2024 national championship team and raise the championship flag on Friday, Jan. 31^st.

Georgia College

The Bobcats finished their 2024 campaign with a 37-22 record and 2^nd in the Peach Belt Conference before losing to No. 9 Catawba in the Southeast Super Regionals. Georgia College is preseason ranked #13 in the nation and look to play spoiler to start the season with a three-game set against the #1 Tampa Spartans.

Live stats for all games this week can be found at Tampastats.com. 

Live broadcasts for all games this week can be found at TampaSpartans.tv.