Sports briefs
Pens’ Guentzel out
Jake Guentzel’s scorching start for the Pittsburgh Penguins has come to an abrupt halt.
The team said Wednesday that the star forward is “week to week” with an upper-body injury. Coach Mike Sullivan did not go into detail about how or when Guentzel was hurt. Guentzel left the ice briefly in the first period of a victory over Seattle on Monday night, though he returned and finished with two goals and an assist.
Guentzel has been among the most productive players in the NHL over the opening two months of the season. He has a 13-game points streak, a span that includes 11 goals – with a hat trick against Vancouver last week – and seven assists. The 27-year-old has 15 goals and 12 assists in 24 games for the Penguins, who are in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division.
Kasperi Kapanen will likely get the first crack at replacing Guentzel on the top line alongside center Sidney Crosby and Evan Rodrigues, who is filling in for an injured Bryan Rust.
In the NFL
Justin Fields is set to return to the Chicago Bears’ lineup.
Coach Matt Nagy said Wednesday the prized rookie quarterback will start when the team visits the Green Bay Packers this week after missing the past two games because of broken ribs.
- Outside linebacker Zach Cunningham was waived by the Houston Texans following his second suspension for violating team rules this season.
Cunningham was a second-round pick in 2017 and has been one of the team’s most consistent performers. The Texans signed him to a four-year, $58 million contract extension before last season.
- Jamal Adams’ second season with the Seahawks is coming to an early end, raising even more concerns about the price Seattle paid to acquire the safety in the first place.
Adams will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
In college football
Fresno State is bringing back Jeff Tedford for a second stint as coach after Kalen DeBoer left to take over at Washington.
Tedford returns after coaching the Bulldogs from 2017-19. Tedford had a 26-14 record at his alma mater before stepping down for health reasons.
In the NHL
Chicago Blackhawks forward Jujhar Khaira spent the night in a hospital after he was leveled by Jacob Trouba during a 6-2 loss to the New York Rangers.
Team physician Michael Terry said Khaira was released Wednesday morning after undergoing “extensive testing.”
The Blackhawks cited the NHL’s concussion protocol when they placed Khaira on injured reserve later in the day.