The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their top forwards following a car accident. Before the team’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team announced that winger Michael Bunting was involved in a car accident and would miss the upcoming contest.

The Penguins shared the news just prior to the team’s face-off with the Lightning. Penguins Head Coach Mike Sullivan provided the update. He told NHL.com writer Wes Crosby that despite Bunting missing the next game, he is okay following the accident. The organization’s PR team also sent out an update via their X account.

The injury comes less than 24 hours after Bunting was at the center of a very scrappy affair between the Penguins and the Ottawa Senators. He and Senators forward Nick Cousins were sparring partners throughout the contest and Bunting finished the game with six penalty minutes.

Bunting has been one of the best forwards in Pittsburgh this season and has been crucial to the team’s revival in the second half of the season. Over 43 games, he has 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points. He’s been red-hot over his last 10 games specifically, registering six goals and nine points in that span. His tenacious attitude on the ice comes through on every shift and it’s been a huge boost to the Penguins and their at-times lackluster forward group.

The good news for the Penguins is they are set to have a forward return to the lineup while Bunting exits. Winger Philip Tomasino, who has missed the past few games, was activated off of the Injured Reserve in advance of their game against the Lightning. Tomasino has been excellent since the team acquired him from the Nashville Predators, and now he’ll be immediately called upon to produce with the team’s hottest forward out of the lineup.

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Associated Press

SMU Mustangs (10-6, 2-2 ACC) at Pittsburgh Panthers (8-9, 0-4 ACC)

Pittsburgh; Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: SMU visits Pittsburgh after Nya Robertson scored 28 points in SMU’s 72-71 victory over the Syracuse Orange.

The Panthers have gone 6-3 in home games. Pittsburgh has a 1-0 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Mustangs are 2-2 against ACC opponents. SMU averages 69.8 points while outscoring opponents by 4.7 points per game.

Pittsburgh’s average of 6.2 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.1 fewer made shots on average than the 6.3 per game SMU gives up. SMU averages 5.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.3 fewer made shots on average than the 7.8 per game Pittsburgh gives up.

The matchup Sunday is the first meeting of the season for the two teams in conference play.

TOP PERFORMERS: Khadija Faye is averaging 17.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 2.3 blocks for the Panthers.

Jessica Peterson is averaging 10.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Mustangs.

LAST 10 GAMES: Panthers: 3-7, averaging 61.1 points, 28.9 rebounds, 12.1 assists, 8.6 steals and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 38.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.3 points per game.

Mustangs: 7-3, averaging 71.2 points, 39.7 rebounds, 13.4 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 40.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 65.5 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Super Wild Card Weekend is here! The second game on today’s two game lineup features the 3rd and 6th seeds from the AFC. The Pittsburgh Steelers are visiting the Baltimore Ravens in their third game of the season. They are 1-1 in the series, with the Ravens winning their last matchup 34-17 two weeks ago. The Steelers are the biggest underdogs of the weekend and have lost their last four games. Russell Wilson might get pulled by halftime.

Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) at Baltimore Ravens (12-5)

Location: M&T Bank Stadium | Baltimore, MD

Date/Time: January 13, 2023, 8:15 p.m.

TELEVISION: Amazon Prime Video

Baltimore: WMAR 2(ABC)

Pittsburgh: WPXI-TV 11(NBC)

Al Michaels (play-by-play)

Kirk Herbstreit (game analyst)

Kaylee Hartung (sideline reporter)

RADIO: Sirius XM NFL

Pittsburgh: XM/SXM 226, Internet 826

Baltimore: XM/SXM 227, Internet 802

National: 88

Español: XM/SXM 228, Internet 832

Live Streaming: Amazon Prime Video, NFL+, fuboTV, NFL.com Game Pass, Sling TV

Odds: Ravens -9.5, 43 1/2 O/U

Pittsburgh: +420

Baltimore: -560

Prediction: Ravens 27 – Steelers 13

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