Author: Sports Radio Service

Kings Crush Hornets; Get Back On Track Winning 125-102

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Charlotte Hornets Miles Bridges (10) brings the ball up court against the Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (left) in the first half on Fri Apr 4, 2025 at the Spectrum Arena in Charlotte (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (37-40) put an end to a lengthy losing road streak beating the Charlotte Hornets (19-58) Friday night 125-102. They did it with their stars shining; Zach LaVine the leading scorer with 25 points, Domantas Sabonis with 24 and DeMar DeRozan with 22. Their bench put up good numbers scoring 46 points collectively.

The Kings continue to hang onto tenth place in the Western Conference. Their position became a little brighter today with the Suns losing to the Boston Celtics and dropping two full games behind the Kings.

Game recap: The first quarter of this game was all DeMar DeRozan who finished the opening quarter with 13 points. He is genius when it comes to drawing the foul and he successfully shot from the line throughout the first 12 minutes. Sacramento took a 26-18 lead into the second quarter.

The second quarter was lift-off for the Kings offensively taking as much as a 19 points lead. Sabonis, DeRozan and LaVine all had double digits as the quarter came to an end. Malik Monk also had 15 points off the bench as Sacramento went into the locker room at the half with a 68-49 lead. Monk was three of six from beyond the arc and Sabonis finished the half with 18 points. The Kings outscored the Hornets 42-31 in the second quarter.

The Kings continued to extend their lead in the third quarter leading going into the fourth quarter 98-72. They outscored the Hornets 30-23 in the quarter. Sabonis had a double double with 11 rebounds and 24 points very obviously back in top form after several injuries recently kept him sidelined for quite a few games.

The fourth quarter was a tough one for bench player Devon Carter. He played 14 minutes before fouling out having a lot of trouble guarding without fouling. Bench player Trey Lyles realized double digits mid-way through the final quarter and the Kings had total control in this game setting the pace from the second quarter on. The Hornets outscored the Kings in the fourth quarter 30-27 as the Kings starters sat for the final minutes of the game. The final was 125-102.

This was a great team effort for the Sacramento Kings. Zach LaVine had the game high with 25 points and 10 rebounds for the teams second double double. Domantas Sabonis had another double double with 11 rebounds and 24 points and DeMar DeRozan finished with 22. Malik Monk had a far improved game finishing with 17 points coming on strong after missing a number of game due to illness. Both he and Sabonis seemed to have gotten back into their stride.

Game notes: After a discouraging loss to the Washington Wizards Wednesday night, the Kings took it to the Hornets to end a miserable road game losing streak. The Kings won a game that they were highly favored to win.

After the loss Wednesday, all bets are off and the Kings need to put that game in their rear view and get down to the business of winning. With the starting roster that the Kings have and Jonas Valanciunas and Malik Monk off the bench, this team was able to put this game away before they head into some very challenging games which include the Cavaliers, the Nuggets, the Clippers and the Suns to finish off the season.

The Kings will finish the season with three home games the final game against the Phoenix Suns which could prove to be the most important game of the year for Sacramento depending on where the standings are in that last game.

Phoenix is one game behind the Kings right now and the win for Sacramento could go a long way towards a play-in spot. The Suns played the Celtics Friday night and Phoenix lost to the Celtics 123-103 which gives the Kings a two-game lead over the Suns. Where the Kings finish this season could be determined in their final season game.

The Sacramento Kings now have five games left in their season, two more on the road and their final three season games at Golden One. Next up for the Kings is a whopper playing the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday with tipoff scheduled for 3:00 PM. The Kings beat the Cavs in their first season game last month 123-119.

San Jose Sharks podcast Mary Lisa: Sharks try to put an end to 4 game loss streak Saturday against Seattle

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Edmonton Oilers left wing Zach Hyman (18) dives after the puck next to San Jose Sharks defenseman Henry Thrun (3) during the second period at SAP Center in San Jose on Thu Apr 3, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Jose Sharks podcast Mary Lisa:

#1 The Edmonton Oilers Jeff Skinner scored on a tip that broke a 2-2 deadlock against the San Jose Sharks in the latter part of the second period that eventually got the Oilers the 3-2 win.

#2 Skinner’s goal came after Leon Draisatil left the game with an undisclosed injury. Draisaitl never returned and head coach Kris Knoblauch that he had no update to Draisaitl’s injury.

#3 The Oilers Connor Brown and Viktor Arvdisson scored to give the Oilers their third straight win. Goaltender Calvin Pickard save 27 shots.

#4 The Sharks are on a four game loss streak and are in dead last place in the Western Conference and have lost the first of three games against the Oilers with two weeks left in the season.

#5 The Sharks host the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. Seattle are 32-38, they are seventh in the Pacific Division and have been playing .500 hockey losing four of their last ten games. Face off Saturday at 7:30pm PDT. How do you see this match up.

Mary Lisa does the San Jose Sharks podcasts each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL podcast with Len Shapiro Fri Apr 4, 2025: Caps Ovechkin 3 goals away to catch the Great One: Canadiens push to make post season since 2021 win 3rd straight game; Senators Ullmark saves 31 shots in 3-1 win over Lightning; plus more news

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Montreal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovsky (20) and the Boston Bruins defenceman Ian Mitchell (14) push each other as linesman Jonathan Deschamps (80) intervenes in the first period at the Belle Centre in Montreal on Thu Apr 3, 2025 (Canadian Press via AP photo)

NHL podcast with Len Shapiro Fri Apr 4, 2025

#1 It’s been a long time coming for the Montreal Canadiens as their push for a Stanley Cup Playoff birth continues. The last time the Habs were in the post season was in 2021. The Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins 4-1 for their third straight win at the Belle Centre on Thursday night. Brendan Gallagher and Nick Suzuki scored a goal a piece and an assist. Sam Montembeault had 18 saves. The win gives Montreal a two point lead over the New York Rangers for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.

#2  Linus Ullmark stopped 31 shots for the Ottawa Senators and put an end to the Tampa Bay Lightning’s four game win streak. The Senators came up with a 3-1 win on Thursday night at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Lightning’s Brandon Hagel tried to score on a short handed break away but Ullmark stopped the shot at 5:58 in the third period to keep the score at the time to 2-1.

#3  Cale Makar had himself an evening for the Colorado Avalanche scoring his 30th goal and picking up two assists in a 7-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena in Columbus Thursday. Makar became the ninth defenseman to score 30 goals in a season since the Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green had 31 in 2008-09.

#4  The red hot St Louis Blues tied a franchise record with their 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Enterprise Center on Thursday night. Robert Thomas scored at 2:12 in the overtime stanza for the winning goal. The win ties the Blues with the Stanley Cup Champions Blues who won 11 in a row between Jan 23-Feb 19 2019.

#5 The Dallas Stars Wyatt Johnson got a goal in his sixth game in a row and the Stars won their seventh game in a row with a 5-1 win over the Nashville Predators at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Thursday. In the NHL Johnson’s streak is the longest active run. The Stars Jake Oettinger saved 28 shots in the win.

Join Len Shapiro for the NHL podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson Fri Apr 4, 2025: Kings try to end 3 game skid tonight against Hornets

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

All the Sacramento Kings defense can do is watch is awe as the Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr shoots over Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) in the first half at the Capital Center in DC on Wed Apr 2, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Sacramento Kings lost a brutal game against one of the NBA’s worst teams the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night in DC 116-111. The Wizards Jordan Poole scored 23 points and the two teams wound up splitting the season series.

#2 The Kings lost to one of two teams with the fewest wins in the NBA at 16 the Utah Jazz being the other team.

#3 The Wizards Bub Carrington and AJ Johnson each scored 19 points. Tristan Vukcevic scored 17 and Anthony Gill had ten points.

#4 The Kings DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points for the night and had 20 points scored in the fourth quarter. The Kings came back from behind down 14 points outscoring the Wizards 34-25 but couldn’t catch them losing in the final minute and losing by four points.

#5 The Kings get another chance to get back in the win column as they take on the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte Friday at 4:00pm PDT. The Hornets who are in 14th place in the Eastern Conference at 19-57, the are another struggling team who have lost eight of their last ten games. Jeremiah how do you see the Kings chances in this one?

Join Jeremiah Salmonson for the Kings podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservicce.com

Utah Hockey Club game wrap: Los Angeles Kings Rule 4-2 Over Utah HC With Wild Card Slipping Away

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Los Angeles Kings right winger Adrian Kempe (9) fights with Utah Hockey Club’s center Logan Cooley (92) in the second period at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Thu Apr 3, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–The Kings scored twice in a 44-second span in the third period to take control of a tight game which they would go on to win 4-2.

Utah HC entered Thursday night’s tilt against the Los Angeles Kings nine points out of the final Western Conference Wild Card slot with seven games to go in the regular season. Mathematically it isn’t impossible for Utah to make the playoffs, but they are running out of race track. The Kings had all but officially punched their ticket to the postseason, entering the matchup in second place in the Pacific Division behind the Vegas Golden Knights.

The two squads kept each other off the scoresheet in the first period, with Karel Vejmelka turning away all three shots which got past his defensemen, and Darcy Kuemper fending off 16 shots from the Utah offense. Vejmelka made his 19th consecutive start in front of the net for Utah, extending his career high.

At 6:56 of the second period, Los Angeles forward Andrei Kuzmenko shot the puck at the Utah net as Logan Cooley pushed Adrian Kempe into Vejmelka, deflecting the puck over the goal line to give L.A. a 1-0 lead.

At 12:21 of the frame, Utah forward Lawson Crouse found an impossibly small gap between Kuemper’s shoulder and the upper corner of the net for his 11th goal of the season, assisted by Josh Doan and Jack McBain to even things up at 1-1.

Early in the third period, Utah defenseman John Marino gave the puck away in front of the Utah net to Kevin Fiala who knocked it past Vejmelka unassisted for his 29th of the season. In frustration, Marino swung his stick at the goal post, his stick blade joining the puck in the back of the net.

44 seconds later, Trevor Moore took advantage of a Utah miscue in their offensive zone and raced across the length of the ice to put the Kings up 3-1 with his 18th of the season, assisted by Quinton Byfield. With Vejmelka pulled for an extra attacker, veteran L.A. defenseman Drew Doughty scored into an empty net at 18:10 to put the game out of reach.

As fans headed for the exits, Utah went on the power play when Brandt Clarke was whistled for tripping against Alexander Kerfoot with 27 seconds remaining. Utah controlled the faceoff and Jack McBain cut the deficit in half with 20 seconds left on the clock with his 13th goal of the season, assisted by Kailer Yamamoto and Sean Durzi, but it wouldn’t be enough to change the outcome.

With the loss, Utah remains nine points out of the Wild Card picture with just six games remaining.

In the locker room, Lawson Crouse spoke about his team’s effort. “Yeah, frustrating. … We were in the driver’s seat for the first two periods, and unfortunately, what happened on the four on four and they capitalized on two chances. That’s how quick the game can get away from you, and we were playing catch up from there.”

Forward Dylan Guenther, who played with a transparent cage after breaking his nose in the previous game, commented, “I honestly thought we played pretty well. Maybe get inside a little bit more and try to create more secondary chances. I think we know that they were pretty good in the neutral zone. They had more speed, but we just need to find a way to score more goals.” When asked what the team is learning at this point of the season, Guenther added, “I think how every play matters. Every shift, no matter what happens, all you can do is go out there and try to win your shift so just take it a step at a time.”

Head coach André Tourigny said, “I think we played a really solid game, I think there’s a few broken plays which made the difference in the game, but I think the guys were ready and we were really structured. We didn’t give up much. Unfortunately, a few breakdowns made the difference.” With regard to Guenther’s broken nose, Tourigny commented, “there’s not many guys in any locker room in the NHL at this point of the year who don’t have something wrong. You know that’s for sure. When you have a cage and a bubble and you have a broken nose and everybody sees it, but there’s a lot of it… it’s a tough sport, and there are tough players and they go through a lot, and they demand a lot from their bodies. It’s 82 games, and that’s the way it is. And I think I have tons of respect for all of them who battle through and manage their life 24/7 to make sure they’re capable of keeping playing at the elite level. So Gunner and others, tons of respect.”

Utah returns to the ice for the third game of the homestand on Saturday afternoon against the division leading Winnipeg Jets.

Sharks fall 3-2 in Romanov’s 3rd NHL start, Walman’s return

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Jose Sharks vs Edmonton Oilers on Thursday April 3rd at SAP Center (via sanjosesharks)

By Madison Montez

SAN JOSE- The San Jose Sharks dropped their fourth game in a row to the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 who got out to an early start at 6:20 of the first. Connor Brown with his ninth of the season, Jake Walman with the secondary assist in his first time back at SAP Center since the trade. San Jose quickly answered back two minutes later when Jack Thompson scored his fourth of the season.

Taking advantage of their first power-play opportunity of the game, the seventh ranked power play team retook their lead. Viktor Arvidsson scored his 13th goal of the season. In his second game back from injury, Draisaitl recorded the secondary assist.

San Jose tied the game again when Tyler Toffoli scored his 28th. Mario Ferraro registered the secondary assist, recording an assist on both San Jose goals. Edmonton extended their lead late at 14:57 when Jeff Skinner scored, deflecting the puck, his second point of the night.

For San Jose, Mario Ferraro excelled the most, assisting on both of San Jose’s goals. One primary and one secondary, adding up to a total of two points. For Edmonton, Jeff Skinner excelled the most, registering a goal and an assist, adding up to a total of two points.

Both teams excelled at staying out of the penalty box. San Jose took two penalties while Edmonton only took one. San Jose went zero for one on the power-play and Edmonton went one for two on the power-play.

Calvin Pickard was in the net for Edmonton, recording his 20th win this season. Pickard recorded the win, recording 27 saves on 29 shots. In between the pipes for San Jose was Georgi Romanov. Romanov with his 3rd start of the season, recorded 35 saves on 38 shots.

THREE STARS OF THE GAME:

  • 1. Jeff Skinner, 1G 1A
  • 2. Tyler Toffoli, 1G
  • 3. Jack Thompson, 1G

The Sharks will be back in action on Saturday April 5th, hosting the Seattle Kraken. The last time these two teams faced off was on January 30th where San Jose fell 6-2. Carl Grundstrom and Tyler Toffoli both scoring in the loss.

NBA podcast Michael Roberson Thu Apr 3, 2025: Finger gun pointing has NBA calling for an investigation on Grizzlies Morant; Sixers Embiid expected out 6 weeks; plus more news

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Memphis Grizzlies Jo Morant (middle) watches the game against the Utah Jazz in the first half at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Tue Mar 25, 2025. The NBA is investigating Morant for making a finger gun gesture toward the Golden State Warriors bench on Tue Apr 1, 2025 in Memphis (AP News photo)

NBA podcast Michael Roberson Thu Apr 3, 2025:

#1 Michael, the NBA had called for an investigation into Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant who used his hands to mimic shooting a gun at the Golden State Warriors bench on Tuesday night. The league also is investigating a report that the Warriors Buddy Hield gestured before Morant’s finger guns. NBA officials said they spoke to Morant and Hield on Wednesday.

#2 The Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is prepared to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. The 76ers say they will reevaluate Embiid’s knee in six weeks and will make a determination if he has fully recovered. Embiid for the last few weeks has been trying to solve his knee problems that has been hampering him for more than one year.

#3 Carmelo Anthony has been elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for the class of 2025. Anthony was a six time All NBA selection and broke in when he was the third overall 2003 draft choice by the Denver Nuggets. That draft also saw LeBron James going to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dwayne Wade getting picked fifth for the Miami Heat.

#4 Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx owner Glen Taylor has agreed to Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez having 100% ownership of the NBA And WNBA teams at the cost of $1.5 billion. Taylor and the Lore-Rodriguez groups had agreed on the price back in 2021. The agreement entails that Taylor would not appeal an arbitrators ruling that favored Lore-Rodriguez on the sale of the team contract.

#5 The amazing turn around of the Warriors Stephen Curry who scored 52 points against the Grizzlies on Tuesday night after Curry suffered a pelvic contusion. Watching Curry you would have never know he had suffered such an injury?

Michael Roberson does the NBA podcasts Thursday nights at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast Morris Phillips: Giants off to a hitting start; SF home opener Friday at Oracle

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants Heliot Ramos (17) is thrilled about hitting a double off the Houston Astros in the top of the second inning at Daikin Park in Houston on Wed Apr 2, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Morris Phillips:

#1 San Francisco Giants Wilmer Flores, Luis Matos and LaMonte Wade Jr all hit home runs as the Giants defeated the Houston Astros 6-3 at Daikin Park in Houston on Wednesday. The win help complete a three game sweep.

#2 This is the fourth time that Flores has hit a homer this season and has hit only four last season in 71 games. Flores is tied with a pretty good circle of hitters for home runs Aaron Judge, Kyle Tucker, and Seiya Suzuki for second most home runs in MLB.

#3 Flores didn’t waste anytime getting things started in the first inning with his home run in the top of the first putting the ball in the left field seats off Astros starter Framber Valdez. The Matos home run was a blast to center field and made it 3-0.

#4 The Giants Heliot Ramos hit a double with an out and now has a six game extra base streak going that started this season. Ramos tied former Giant Felipe (1963). Ramos’ double scored two runs to make it 5-0.

#5 The Giants return from their road trip to host the Seattle Mariners at Oracle Park in San Francisco for a 1:35pm PDT first pitch. Starter for the Mariners Bryce Miller 0-1 ERA 4.76 for the Giants Justin Verlander 0-0 ERA 3.60.

Join Morris for the Giants podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Minor League action: SJ Giants best Ballers 5-2 at Municipal Stadium Wednesday

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Battle of the Bay promotional image hangs on the fence at Municipal Park in San Jose before Wed Apr 2, 2025 game between the Oakland Ballers and San Jose Giants (San Jose Giants X photo)

Oakland Ballers—2 San José Giants—5

Time: 2:22

Attendance 2,843

April 2, 2025

By Lewis Rubman

SAN JOSE’–Baseball has a long tradition of in-season exhibition games, complimenting the pre-season variety. In the days before teams travelled by plane, the two major leagues would travel by overnight train between games in their informal eastern and western divisions, based respectively in the Eastern and Central Time zones.

These big league teams would stop off in the afternoon and play, often against their local farm clubs. Even after those whistle stop exhibitions, for which the players weren’t paid, ended, midseason contests between local major league teams remained popular.

New York had its Mayor’s Cup Series, in which the Dodgers and Giants vied alternatively against the Yankees and in which bonus babies like Sandy Koufax, who otherwise would have languished on the bench, got a chance to see some big league action.

(In the early 1950s, a player who received a signing bonus north of $4,000 had to remain on his team’s 25 man roster for two full seasons or be placed on waivers). The bonus baby rule was dropped after the 1957 season, just before the Dodgers and Giants moved west.

Locally, after the A’s moved into The Town in 1968, we had our Battle of the Bay, in which fans of the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants took mid-season time off from the pennant races to give often literal meaning to that moniker. Those days seemed to be gone forever.

But in a stroke of marketing genius, the Giants’ low single A California League farm team in San José and Oakland’s unaffiliated Ballers of the MLB’s partner Pioneer League, faced each other this evening in an exhibition match in which the Giants easily crushed the visitor’s from the east bay, 5-2, The score belies the game’s one sidedness.

The home team’s play was crisp; the visitors’ wan’t. No Baller hurler lasted more than an inning; the team was behind once Walker Martin blasted a solo home run to right in the bottom of the first. . Tyler Lozano’s solo shot to left knotted the score briefly in the top of the second, but the Giants forged ahead in the home fourth, and the closest Oakland came to scoring after that came when they left the bases loaded in the top of the ninth. The image that perhaps best represents the Ballers’ unreadiness for prime time is the two runners who fell gratuitously to the basepaths, one early, the other late in the game.

It was a lively crowd for what was publicized as an historic occasion. That might have been an exaggeration. But this first meeting between an affiliated minor league baseball club and a member of what’s called a partner league may prove to be a turning point in the relationship between the MLB, MiLB combine—what used to be called Organized Baseball—and its grass roots.

The game was played under California League rules, eliminating the confusion caused by those of the Pioneer circuit, which include a complex system of ball and strike calls and allowing re-entry to players temporarily removed from action.

A true amalgam, this was both a pre- and an in-season set to. For the teams on the field, it occurred at the end of spring training for one and at its very start for the otherl San José opens its regular season this coming Friday in Modesto, Oakland’s spring training starts in about a month. Its regular season opener won’t take place May 20. That probably explains the qualitative difference in their performances.MLB began official play on March 18 in Tokyo and on the 27th state side.

As of this writing, no official box score has been released. By my reckoning, the Ballers used nine pitchers, with Mac Lardner taking the loss. Since Charlie McDaniel, San José’s starter, was on the pitcher of record when the Giants went ahead for the last time, but didn’t pitch after that, the winner would have to be the scorer’s decision. To the best of my knowledge, that decision is TBA.

Reign edge Barracuda 3-2 in tightly knit contest

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Jose Barracuda forward Ethan Cardwell (#56) crashes the net trying to score on Ontario Reign goalie Phoenix while Thomas Bordeleau (#17) watches from the crease at Tech CU Arena on Wednesday ARP 2, 2025. (Joey Cascarano/Sport Shots)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — Aatu Jamsen scored the eventual game winning goal in the second period as the Ontario Reign defeated the San Jose Barracuda 3-2 despite getting outplayed for the majority of the game on Wednesday evening at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose has lost four games in a row and are tied for the fifth spot with the Calgary Wranglers in the Pacific Division after the Wranglers 4-3 win over the Tucson Roadrunners tonight. Ontario has won three games in a row and clinched a playoff berth as they are four points behind the Colorado Eagles for the top spot in the division.

Ontario (39-22-3-1-82 points) scored two goals in the opening 32 seconds of the first period. Both goals were a result of turnovers inside the Barracuda zone. First Samuel Fagemo intercepted a clearing attempt by Cuda goaltender Gabriel Carriere and found Andre Lee out in the slot and Lee buried a wrist shot top shelf for his fifth goal of the season at the :20 mark.

Then 12 seconds later a giveaway by Danil Gushchin led to Glen Gawdin feeding Martin Chromiak who fired a one-timer past Carriere for his 14th goal of the season. It could not have a been a worse start for San Jose.

San Jose (32-24-5-4-73 points) cut the lead in half with a short-handed goal just under five minutes later. Patrick Giles, who made his Cuda debut, intercepted a pass from Caleb Jones in the neutral zone. Giles skated in and beat Reign goaltender Phoenix Copley Cuda with a wrist shot to the stick side for his sixth goal of the season and first in a Barracuda sweater.

Carriere made a huge save at the 7:02 mark when Charles Hudon came in on a breakaway attempt after i intercepting a pass at the Cuda blueline. Hudon dropped the puck back Chromiak, but Carriere stopped the point-blank chance.

The Barracuda evened the game late in the opening frame with its second special team’s goal. While on the power play, a clearing attempt by Ontario’s Taylor Ward caromed off of the referee. Luca Cagnoni picked up the puck from behind the net and tucked home the puck with a wraparound for an unassisted goal, his 14th of the season at the 15:34 mark. Cagnoni has 10 power play goals and leads the league with 32 power play points.

Ontario regained the lead with an even strength goal in the second period. Aatu Jamsen’s initial shot down low near the crease was stopped by Carriere’s skate but Jamsen cleaned up his own rebound to the short side for his seventh goal of the season at the 8:21 mark. Francesco Pinelli and Reilly Walsh were credited with assists.

Copley finished the game stopping 36 of the 38 shots he faced to earn his 22nd win of the season. Carriere made 16 saves on 19 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 1-for-5 on the power play. Ontario went 0-for-2.

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Copley 2) Jamsen (1G,0A) 3) Cagnoni (1G, 0A).

UP NEXT: San Jose begins a three-game road trip when they take on the Colorado Eagles on Friday April 4th at 6:05pm at Blue FCU Arena.