James Leo

Examples of game notes I wrote for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

THEME Transformed Our System Message We have made bold decisions and have aggressively transformed our minor league system that has started to impact our big league club Our farm system…

Written for Pirates Miracle League Fantasy Camp.

The UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh's Dream Big Studio, where patients create the content themselves as part of Creative and Expressive Arts Therapy, got a visit from a few special guests on Thursday afternoon. Penguins players Kris Letang,…

WHAT HAPPENED The Penguins earned their fourth straight win with a 1-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday. Brock McGinn scored the game's lone goal, while Casey DeSmith made 33 saves to earn his first shutout of the…

The Penguins haven't forgotten how their first meeting of the season with the Capitals back on Nov. 14 went. Entering the game, hopes were high. Sidney Crosby, Brian Dumoulin and Mike Sullivan returned to the team after clearing the final stage of…

Cindy Marlowe has attended just about every Penguins home game since becoming a season ticket holder in 1988. At first, the most difficult part of attending so many games was the distance, as the arena is about an hour away from Marlowe's home in…

The DICK'S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program has helped grow the local youth hockey scene tremendously over the years from both the boys' and girls' sides of the game, sending several players to the NCAA Division I level. "I came from…

When the Penguins and Sabres teamed up for the NHL's first-ever joint Pride Game back in April, it was nothing short of historic. The game, which took place at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, was just the first step in a concerted effort to fight against…

Here are the updates from the Penguins' Wednesday practice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex following a 3-2 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. 1. Pettersson and Ruhwedel return to practice A COVID-depleted defensive unit got a…

If anyone was due for a breakout game, it was Kasperi Kapanen. Heading into Saturday's matchup vs. Minnesota, Kapanen was still searching for his first goal of the season. The chances had certainly been there for the 25-year-old winger - he entered…

Bryan Rust was a full participant in Penguins practice on Friday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, and will be a game-time decision for Saturday vs. Minnesota. "Today was a big day for him, to be able to go through a full-contact practice," said…

The Penguins entered tonight's game against Philadelphia with four players already in COVID protocol - Sidney Crosby, Brian Dumoulin, Chad Ruhwedel and Marcus Pettersson - and are still without Bryan Rust (lower body) and Evgeni Malkin (knee…

Here are the updates from the Penguins' Monday practice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex following a day off on Sunday. 1. Letang confirmed positive for COVID Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said that defenseman Kris Letang had confirmed positive for…

Through four games, Kasperi Kapanen is still looking for his first goal of the season. But both he and Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan are confident that the chances will start to fall. "I think Kappy's a real good player," Sullivan said. "I…

Sidney Crosby. Evgeni Malkin. And now, Jeff Carter. When healthy, they are the Penguins' top three centers. Now, they are also three of just seven active players to reach 400 career goals in the NHL. Carter added his name to that exclusive list with…

Heading into his first "normal" training camp with the Penguins, Drew O'Connor was looking forward to the chance to show more of what he could do after appearing in 10 games for Pittsburgh last season. "Camp last year was a little short, so I think…

Heading into his first "normal" training camp with the Penguins, Drew O'Connor was looking forward to the chance to show more of what he could do after appearing in 10 games for Pittsburgh last season. "Camp last year was a little short, so I think…

When Danton Heinen arrived at Penguins training camp after signing with the team as a free agent this summer, he was given opportunities to skate alongside some of the team's higher-end forwards. The 26-year-old showed he was more than capable of…

This past summer, Louis Domingue's mental health and motivation had reached a low point. After a career year in 2018-19 with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where the goaltender went 21-5-0, Domingue's career seemed like it could only get better. However,…