Brandon Saad Starts, Plays in Chicago Blackhawks 6-4 Win Over Coyotes

The former Pine-Richland hockey star logs nearly a minute of power-play time against Phoenix. He also could be looking at more playing time over the next month.

Pine-Richland's Brandon Saad started the game and played 13 minutes, 31 seconds of the Chicago Blackhawks' 6-4 victory over Phoenix late Sunday in Glendale, AZ. And he could well expect more NHL ice time over the next month, at least, according to CSNChicago.com The rookie Saad, 20, replaced tough-guy winger Daniel Carcillo, who apparently will miss up to four weeks due to an MCL injury from a run-in Saturday with Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty, according to the Chicago Tribune.   Against Phoenix late Sunday, Saad started the game with captain Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. He took two shots and finished with a plus-1 rating while taking a regular shift, according to the NHL. Saad was on the ice for Hossa's game-winning goal, 14 …

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Brandon Saad 'Likely' to Suit Up with Chicago Blackhawks Against Coyotes

Winger Daniel Carcillo's injury could mean more playing time for the former Pine-Richland hockey star.

Rookie forward Brandon Saad, inactive as a healthy scratch, watched his Chicago Blackhawks teammates win their season-opening game Saturday in Los Angeles and ruin the Kings' pregame re-enactment of their Stanley Cup celebration from last summer. One night later, the former Pine-Richland hockey star is expected to play for the Blackhawks. Because of a third-period leg injury to feisty Blackhawks winger Daniel Carcillo, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville told the Chicago Tribune he anticipates that he "likely" would suit up the rookie Saad in Carcillo's spot Sunday night in Phoenix. The coach added that Carcillo, who needed ACL surgery a year ago and on Saturday was playing his first game since the Jan. 17, 2012 operation, "is going to miss …

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Pens, UPMC Making Plans for State-Of-The-Art Sports Complex in Cranberry

Township manager Jerry Andree says facility still is far from a done deal.

Plans are in the infancy stage for the Pittsburgh Penguins to partner with UPMC on a cutting edge performance center and practice rink in Cranberry. "It's really going to be a one-of-the-kind in the country," said Penguins spokesman Tom McMillan. The proposed 150,000 square foot complex would be located in the Cranberry Woods business park off Route 228—near the newly-opened Hilton Garden Inn—and offer hockey-related training and injury treatment and prevention. McMillan said the facility would be similar in nature to the UPMC sports performance complex on Pittsburgh's South Side, which is used by the Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh and includes sports medicine, practice and training facilities With its attachment to an NHL team …

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Wexford Goalie is Canadian Hockey League's Goaltender of the Year

Michael Houser, 19, plays for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.

Wexford Volunteer Fire Company Wins Charity Game Against U.S. Airways Team

The charity game, held at the Warrendale Bladerunners, raised more than $3,000 for the Allegheny Chapter of the United Way.

The Wexford Volunteer Fire Company won the United Way charity game March 27 against a team from U.S. Airways, with a final score of 5-1.  The team consisted of volunteer firefighters from Wexford and surrounding areas, with 12 skaters and two goalies on the roster. The charity game, which raised money for the Allegheny County Chapter of the United Way, was held at the Warrendale Bladerunners. A little more than $3,000 was raised through ticket sales.  The game was tight at the start with the score tied at 1-1 after the first period. Team 228 then pulled ahead in the second period and finished the game with the 5-1 win. "It was an experience that all of us will not forget and we are looking forward to skating again in the future to help …

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Wexford Volunteer Firefighters to Don Skates for Charity Hockey Game

Proceeds benefit United Way.

Wexford Volunteer Fire Company firefighters will take on U.S. Airways employees in a charity hockey game Tuesday evening. The puck drops at 7 p.m. at Bladerunners Ice Complex, 103 Marshall Drive in Warrendale. The arena and silent auctions will open at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the United Way of Allegheny and Butler County. The suggested donation is $5 per ticket. Following the matchup, employees from Westinghouse will take on McGuireWoods employees. The puck drops at 8:15 p.m.

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Video: Root Sports Interviews Hockey's Ty Loney

Former Pine-Richland player now plays for University of Denver.

PR Grad Ty Loney Hot in Hockey at University of Denver

"Everywhere he's skating, the ice is melting around him, he's so hot," DU coach George Gwozdecky joked about the Richland Township resident.

Give Thanks: Sid is Back!

Sidney Crosby came back to hockey in a big way Monday night after a 10-month hiatus.

A certain amount of luck and a random act of kindness landed me a seat exactly one row behind the Penguins bench at Monday night’s big game. This was not just any hockey game, as we all know. Monday night marked the epic return of Sid the Kid—the great Sidney Crosby—after a 10-month absence that a severe head injury spawned. Before I delve into this column, I want to first give some mad props to the sports columnists out there who cover these historic games, because I am having a little trouble moving past these: “Oh my God. Did that just happen? Did we just see that? Was Sidney Crosby seriously two feet away from me? Wow. Oh, wow.” Bear with me. We’re going to get through this. I’ll take it from the top. On Friday, I spent $10 on a raffle…

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Moms Talk: Has Your Child Had a Concussion?

Awareness of concussions is on the rise.

I didn't see the hockey hit that sent my son to the emergency room. It's better that way. To hear him tell it, he collided with a taller player who put his arm up and caught Daniel in the throat. Daniel's feet went out from under him (easy to do when you're wearing inline skates), and he fell backward, hitting the back of his head so hard that it bounced and hit again. Dazed, he skated to the bench with the help of referee Dave Thomas, who made it clear to the coaches that Daniel was not to come back into the game. Dave knew. The coaches did not have to be told; they knew too. Pine-Richland's JV2 head coach Chad Kirkpatrick and defense coach Dave Hein made no bones about it -- health is more important than hockey.  It was a relief to see …

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