SPORTS digest

Penguins’ Malkin out for 6-to-8 weeks

PITTSBURGH

The Pittsburgh Penguins will have to make their push for a playoff spot without star center Evgeni Malkin.

General manager Jim Rutherford announced Saturday that Malkin will miss six to eight weeks with an undisclosed injury. Malkin left Friday night’s 3-2 victory over Columbus following a collision with Blue Jackets defenseman Dalton Prout and headed back to Pittsburgh for further examination while the rest of the team traveled to New York to prepare for Sunday’s game against the Rangers.

Malkin is second on the team with 27 goals and 31 assists in 57 games for the Penguins, who occupy the top wild-card spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. Malkin missed 10 games earlier this season with an undisclosed injury. The team went 5-4-1 in his absence.

Youngstown umpires to host meetings

The Youngstown Metro Umpire Association will hold OHSAA baseball and softball meetings today at the Saxon Club on 710 S. Meridian Road in Youngstown.

This year, baseball and softball meetings will be held separately per the OHSAA. The baseball meeting will begin at 1 p.m., followed by softball at 2:15 p.m.

Umpires must attend four meetings to meet state requirements.

For more information, call John Mang at (330) 502-6665.

Bowling coach to speak to curbstone coaches

Youngstown State women’s bowling coach Chelsea Gilliam will be the guest speaker on Monday at The Curbstone Coaches luncheon at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township. The event begins at noon and is open to the public.

Poland’s Rodriguez advances to state

POLAND

Santino “Sonny” Rodriguez is state bound for his second year in a row in the second annual Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship to be held at Bishop Ready High School in Columbus on Saturday.

He is the champion at the local, district and regional levels. He is an eighth grade student at Holy Family School. He is the son of Nancy Balog Cuba and Dan Rodriguez and has three older sisters Ashley, Brittany, and Danielle. He has been training with Joe Votino for four years.

WADA calls for more doping investigations

MOSCOW

The World Anti-Doping Agency athletes’ commission is calling for new investigations into allegations of systematic doping into more sports in Russia and elsewhere.

The model would be the WADA report into Russian athletics in November that found evidence of widespread drug use and cover-ups, leading to Russia’s suspension from international track and field.

Athletes’ commission chair Beckie Scott says “the response to date —to such an evidence-based, incriminating report — has been unsatisfactory.”

In a letter on the WADA website, Scott called for an investigation into doping in other Russian sports and in other countries that featured in the first report. No specific countries or sports are specified.

WADA president Craig Reedie said Wednesday he was open to more investigations but they would require strong evidence and extra funding.

Ware restructures deal to stay with Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, COLO.

DeMarcus Ware has restructured his contract to stay with the Denver Broncos, who have lost several key players to free agency.

Ware had been scheduled to earn a $3 million bonus and $7 million next season in the final year of the $30 million contract he signed in 2014.

Ware finished second on the team behind Von Miller with 71/2 sacks last season despite missing five games and parts of two others with a bad back.

Staff/wire report