NEWARK, N.J. — Three days before the 2022 trade deadline, the Lightning sent a package that included two first-round draft picks to the Blackhawks for left wing Brandon Hagel. At the time, Hagel was a budding 23-year-old with a team-friendly contract that made him an attractive trade target around the NHL.Nearly two years later, Hagel has blossomed into one of the Lightning’s most valuable players. Though his growth has been overshadowed this season by right wing Nikita Kucherov’s Hart Trophy-caliber play, Hagel has stood out in a locker room full of stars.After a goal, two assists, and a...…NEWARK, N.J. — Three days before the 2022 trade deadline, the Lightning sent a package that included two first-round draft picks to the Blackhawks for left wing Brandon Hagel. At the time, Hagel was a budding 23-year-old with a team-friendly contract that made him an attractive trade target around the NHL.Nearly two years later, Hagel has blossomed into one of the Lightning’s most valuable players. Though his growth has been overshadowed this season by right wing Nikita Kucherov’s Hart Trophy-caliber play, Hagel has stood out in a locker room full of stars.After a goal, two assists, and a...WW…

Protests continued in Clearwater, Tampa and St. Petersburg on Friday.UPDATE 11 P.M.: Protests ended Friday night peacefully and without incident across Tampa Bay.A quiet evening in Downtown Tampa where a TV reporter finished a standup in front of a mostly empty Curtis Hixon Park and a couple police vehicles remained outside City Hall. — Divya Kumar (@divyadivyadivya)“Another successful night,” said Terron Gland, one of the leaders as the march wrapped up. “No one got hurt, no one went to jail. The police left us alone, they finally did their job, finally. This is getting better, little by...…Protests continued in Clearwater, Tampa and St. Petersburg on Friday.UPDATE 11 P.M.: Protests ended Friday night peacefully and without incident across Tampa Bay.A quiet evening in Downtown Tampa where a TV reporter finished a standup in front of a mostly empty Curtis Hixon Park and a couple police vehicles remained outside City Hall. — Divya Kumar (@divyadivyadivya)“Another successful night,” said Terron Gland, one of the leaders as the march wrapped up. “No one got hurt, no one went to jail. The police left us alone, they finally did their job, finally. This is getting better, little by...WW…

/The second-round pick likely won't be practicing with the second-team defense for long.TAMPA — Bucs rookie safety Antoine Winfield Jr. opened Monday’s first training camp practice in pads working with the second-team defense, but showed quickly why it might not be long until he starts getting regular reps with the starters.The Bucs took Winfield in the second round of April’s draft out of Minnesota because of his versatility. He can line up anywhere — deep at safety, in the slot or alone wide. And his ability to flock to the ball, whether it’s in coverage, against the run or chasing the...…/The second-round pick likely won't be practicing with the second-team defense for long.TAMPA — Bucs rookie safety Antoine Winfield Jr. opened Monday’s first training camp practice in pads working with the second-team defense, but showed quickly why it might not be long until he starts getting regular reps with the starters.The Bucs took Winfield in the second round of April’s draft out of Minnesota because of his versatility. He can line up anywhere — deep at safety, in the slot or alone wide. And his ability to flock to the ball, whether it’s in coverage, against the run or chasing the...WW…

/The Lightning and Raptors hope to play games in front of limited capacity crowds in mid-March, but only if coronavirus numbers continue to trend downward.TAMPA — Amalie Arena will begin to open up to a few hundred select fans for Lightning and Raptors games beginning next week, but the general public likely won’t be able to attend games in person until next month.Starting with the Raptors’ home game Sunday and the Lightning’s game Monday at Amalie Arena, a limited number of family and friends will be allowed inside the building for games. The plan is for that to continue through March 2...…/The Lightning and Raptors hope to play games in front of limited capacity crowds in mid-March, but only if coronavirus numbers continue to trend downward.TAMPA — Amalie Arena will begin to open up to a few hundred select fans for Lightning and Raptors games beginning next week, but the general public likely won’t be able to attend games in person until next month.Starting with the Raptors’ home game Sunday and the Lightning’s game Monday at Amalie Arena, a limited number of family and friends will be allowed inside the building for games. The plan is for that to continue through March 2...WW…

/Tickets for the first 12 home games scheduled to be played at Amalie Arena will go on sale Thursday. TAMPA — Fans will be permitted to attend Toronto Raptors games played at Amalie Arena this season.Tampa’s temporary NBA team will allow a limited number of spectators to attend its first 12 home games as the franchise opens the 2020-21 season locally due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions in Canada.Tickets for home games through the end of January, including Friday’s exhibition game against the Miami Heat and the Dec. 23 regular-season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans, will go...…/Tickets for the first 12 home games scheduled to be played at Amalie Arena will go on sale Thursday. TAMPA — Fans will be permitted to attend Toronto Raptors games played at Amalie Arena this season.Tampa’s temporary NBA team will allow a limited number of spectators to attend its first 12 home games as the franchise opens the 2020-21 season locally due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions in Canada.Tickets for home games through the end of January, including Friday’s exhibition game against the Miami Heat and the Dec. 23 regular-season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans, will go...WW…

/When the NBA team needed a home with the new season fast approaching, the city worked quickly to help. TAMPA — Roughly three weeks ago, Tampa sports organizers first heard from the Toronto Raptors about temporarily relocating the team to the bay area for the beginning of the NBA season.They entered the conversations with open ears and minds, realizing the delicacy of the situation. The Raptors needed a home, and it seemed an intensifying second wave of the coronavirus pandemic might prevent them from starting their season in Toronto next month.The Raptors hadn’t played a home game at their...…/When the NBA team needed a home with the new season fast approaching, the city worked quickly to help. TAMPA — Roughly three weeks ago, Tampa sports organizers first heard from the Toronto Raptors about temporarily relocating the team to the bay area for the beginning of the NBA season.They entered the conversations with open ears and minds, realizing the delicacy of the situation. The Raptors needed a home, and it seemed an intensifying second wave of the coronavirus pandemic might prevent them from starting their season in Toronto next month.The Raptors hadn’t played a home game at their...WW…

AdvertisementBy Baltimore SunApr 29, 2016 at 7:00 amOne year ago today, the Orioles hosted the first Major League Baseball game played with no fans in attendance, and the sight of an empty Camden Yards drew national attention in part because of the rarity of the moment and the extreme tension that forced it.Outside the locked gates of Camden Yards, the unrest throughout the city stemming from the death of turned Baltimore on its head and had already forced the postponement of the first two games of the Orioles' series against the Chicago White Sox, rescheduled to be played as a doubleheader...…AdvertisementBy Baltimore SunApr 29, 2016 at 7:00 amOne year ago today, the Orioles hosted the first Major League Baseball game played with no fans in attendance, and the sight of an empty Camden Yards drew national attention in part because of the rarity of the moment and the extreme tension that forced it.Outside the locked gates of Camden Yards, the unrest throughout the city stemming from the death of turned Baltimore on its head and had already forced the postponement of the first two games of the Orioles' series against the Chicago White Sox, rescheduled to be played as a doubleheader...WW…