Pioneers defeat ASU, advance to NCHC final

The No. 6-ranked University of Denver hockey team secured its spot in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship Game with a 4-2 victory against the No. 12 Arizona State Sun Devils in the conference semifinals on Friday afternoon at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.

DU will face No. 1-seed Western Michigan in Saturday’s championship (6:30 p.m., CBSSN). The Broncos defeated No. 5-seed North Dakota 4-2 in Friday’s late semifinal.

Junior forward Aidan Thompson scored the go-ahead goal at 10:08 of the second period on a 2-on-1 rush with senior forward Carter King. Fellow linemate Jack Devine created the play by forcing a turnover at DU’s blue line before sending a stretch pass through the neutral zone to create the odd-man chance.

Rodgers meets with the Pittsburgh Steelers and leaves without signing

Aaron Rodgers might still want to play football. He might even do it in Pittsburgh.

The four-time NFL MVP met with the Steelers on Friday, a person with knowledge of the visit told The Associated Press. Rodgers spent several hours in the team’s facility gathering information but left without signing a contract.

Pittsburgh currently has an opening at quarterback. Justin Fields, who along with Russell Wilson led the Steelers to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth last season, signed with the Jets last week. Wilson is a free agent but does not appear to be part of Pittsburgh’s plans for 2025.

Giants and quarterback Jameis Winston agree to 2-year, $8 million deal,

Jameis Winston is ready to take a bite out of the Big Apple. And maybe eat some wins for the New York Giants, too.

The 31-year-old quarterback agreed to terms with the Giants on a two-year, $8 million contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Friday night.

Skenes baseball card sells for $1.11 million via auction

A one-of-a-kind Paul Skenes baseball card has been sold for $1.11 million after a two-week auction.

There was a total of 64 bids on Skenes’ debut patch card, which is autographed and contains a patch that was on the pitcher’s jersey for his heralded major league debut in May.

The final price announced by Fanatics Collect late Thursday night included a 20% buyer’s premium. The buyer was not identified. Fanatics Collect plans to donate its proceeds from the sale to the LA Fire Relief Fund.

Pitcher Urías suspended through the All-Star break

NEW YORK >> Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was suspended through the All-Star break by Major League Baseball on Friday under its domestic violence policy with the players’ association.

Urías had pleaded no contest last May to one count of misdemeanor domestic battery. The penalty was the second for Urías under the policy following a 20-game suspension in 2019. MLB said he will be reinstated from the restricted list on July 17 and as a free agent can sign with any team.

Dodgers-Cubs opener averages more than 25 million viewers in Japan

NEW YORK >> Tuesday’s first game of the Tokyo Series averaged more than 25 million viewers in Japan according to Major League Baseball, making it the most-watched MLB game in the country’s history.