Crosby hit in mouth by puck, leaves game vs. Islanders Crosby hit in mouth by puck, leaves game vs. Islanders ADVERTISING PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby lost several teeth and needed oral surgery after he was hit in
Crosby hit in mouth by puck, leaves game vs. Islanders
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby lost several teeth and needed oral surgery after he was hit in the mouth with a puck during a 2-0 victory against the New York Islanders on Saturday.
Coach Dan Bylsma wasn’t sure if the injury affected Crosby’s jaw and didn’t know if he would miss any more time. The Penguins, who have won a league-high 15 straight games, host Buffalo on Tuesday.
Bylsma saw enough to become concerned about the health of the team’s biggest star, particularly because of his well-documented history battling concussion problems.
Crosby missed considerable time the past two years because of concussions. He was sidelined for the final 41 games in 2011 and the Stanley Cup playoffs, in addition to skipping most of the 2012 regular season as symptoms lingered.
Mets LHP Santana to have shoulder surgery Tuesday
SARASOTA, Fla. — Johan Santana is set for another shoulder surgery that he hopes will save his career.
The former New York Mets ace will have surgery Tuesday to repair the re-torn anterior capsule in his pitching shoulder, the team announced Saturday. The operation will be performed by Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek.
Santana is likely to miss the entire season for the second time in three years, which means he may have thrown his last pitch for the Mets. The two-time Cy Young Award winner is in the final year of a $137.5 million contract.
Santana had surgery on Sept. 14, 2010, and did not make it back to the major leagues until last April 5. The 34-year-old left-hander didn’t pitch in any exhibition games this spring and threw his last bullpen session in early March without the team’s permission.
Goldschmidt, D-backs
agree on five-year contract
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks have completed a five-year, $32 million contract agreement with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
The announcement Saturday came a day after multiple reports said the two sides were close to a deal.
Goldschmidt says he loves it in Arizona and doesn’t want to play anywhere else.
The contract runs through the 2018 season with a $14.5 million club option for 2019.
The 25-year-old first baseman hit .286 with 43 doubles, 20 home runs and 82 RBIs last year, his first full season in the majors.
Source: QB Kolb agrees
to 2-year deal with Bills
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Kevin Kolb is getting another chance at a fresh start, this time with the quarterback-needy Buffalo Bills.
A person familiar with negotiations said the free-agent sixth-year player agreed to a two-year contract potentially worth over $12 million with Buffalo on Saturday night. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Bills haven’t announced the move.
Several media outlets, including ESPN.com and The Buffalo News, first reported the agreement.
Kolb spent the past two seasons in Arizona, where injuries hampered his opportunity to prove himself as a starter. The Cardinals were left with little choice but to release Kolb on March 15 in a move that came before they were set to pay the player a $2 million roster bonus and saved the team about $7 million in salary cap space.
CB Brent Grimes signs
with Miami Dolphins
MIAMI — Cornerback Brent Grimes, who missed almost all of last season with an Achilles tendon injury, signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.
Grimes started 28 games for the Atlanta Falcons in 2010-11 but was hurt in their opener last year. He declined to predict whether he’ll be able to take part in offseason practices beginning in May.
“I don’t have any restrictions right now,” he said. “I am running and everything. It’s just building up your strength and everything. That’s part of the process, but I have plenty of time. With the offseason workouts and getting everything in shape, I will be great.”
Hawks center Pachulia
out for season
ATLANTA — Hawks center Zaza Pachulia will undergo surgery on his sore right Achilles and miss the rest of the season, the team announced Saturday.
The 29-year-old Pachulia is scheduled for surgery Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C. The expected recovery time is approximately six months, meaning the Hawks will be without another valuable member of their bench heading into the playoffs. The team already lost guard Lou Williams to a season-ending knee injury.
Alvarado wins rematch
over Rios by decision
LAS VEGAS — The action was much the same, only this time the result was different. Mike Alvarado boxed and punched his way to a narrow but unanimous 12-round decision Saturday night over Brandon Rios in the rematch of their slugfest from five months ago.
Alvarado won 115-113 on two scorecards and 114-113 on the other to avenge his seventh-round loss to Rios in October.
It wasn’t as dramatic as the first fight, when Rios stopped Alvarado after being rocked himself a round earlier. But the fight was still thrilling at times, fought at a high level between two game warriors.
When the two finally got done hitting each other and the bell rang to end the last round, the crowd of 5,418 was on its feet cheering. And the decision had barely been announced when both fighters said they were ready to do it again.
From wire sources
