Author: Sports Radio Service

WNBA Finals: Aces Bench On Fire – Leads Las Vegas to Win Over Mercury 89-86 In Game One

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Phoenix Mercury forward Aylssa Thomas (25) drives on the Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) in the first half at ULTRA Michelob Arena in Las Vegas on Fri Oct 3, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (1-0) trailed for much of this game but remained within striking distance for most of it ultimately beating the surging Phoenix Mercury (0-1) 89-86. The Aces bench was amazing with Dana Evans hitting 21 points.

She was 5 of 6 from downtown and 8 of 13 from the field. It was a fight from start to finish with Las Vegas closing out the game in the final seconds. Game two promises more of the same.

Game recap: The opening quarter was all Phoenix to start taking a 15-8 lead in the early minutes of the quarter. It was exactly the start that Phoenix was looking for. At the three minute mark the Aces begin to pick away at the Mercury lead.

With 50 seconds left on the clock the Aces tied up the game at 21 and as the opening quarter came to an end the tie remained.

The score remained close in the second quarter. with both teams trading leads. The Mercury began to take a bit of a lead in the latter minutes of the quarter and with 1:19 left in the half had a 50-42 lead over Las Vegas.

Kahleah Copper was having an amazing game hitting 5 of 6 from downtown shooting for 19 points in the first half. Phoenix had a 50-45 lead at the half outscoring the Aces 29-24 in the second quarter.

25 of the Aces points scored in the first half came from some stellar play off the bench. Jewell Loyd hit 13 points and Dana Evans had ten.

Wilson finished the half with nine points and Young had eight. They would be looking for more in the second half. They would need to really step it up to keep up with the surging Mercury. Wilson, Young and Gray had to push their limits in the third and fourth quarters.

The third quarter got underway and in a flash, the Aces scored the first six points of the quarter and Las Vegas had a 51-50 lead. The Mercury responded with a 7-0 run taking a 57-51 lead. Both of these teams were shooting around 50% from the field and the Aces had only turned the ball over four times.

The Mercury were also shooting at 50% from beyond the arc most of those shots coming from Copper who also had shot well from the field hitting 7 of 9. Gray took a hard hit in the quarter when she collided with Copper who received a flagrant foul type 1.

Gray who fouled while attempting a three successfully hit all three free throws tying up the game at 57. Gray would go to the locker room after the successful free throws and would return with her leg taped.

The Mercury took a 66-57 lead with under four minutes left in the quarter. Phoenix’s Sami Whitcomb took a terrible hit that sent her to the locker room for evaluation. She was able to reach the locker room with help.

The Aces were getting close throughout the quarter but were unable to take the lead . Every time they threatened the Mercury pushed right back continuing to hang onto the lead. Going into the fourth quarter, Phoenix had a 71-67 advantage.

The fourth quarter got underway hot and heavy with each team hitting a three but Phoenix continued to lead 74-70. Dana Evans hit the Aces seventh three of the game and Las Vegas trailed by a single point 76-75.

With 4:21 left in the game it was all tied up at 82. With 3:37 left on the clock Dana Evans hit her 5th three of the game giving the Aces an 85-82 lead. She had been spectacular all game. With seconds left in the game the Aces had a one-point lead 87-86.

Young was fouled with 13.6 seconds left in the game and made both free throws giving the Aces an 89-86 lead which turned out to be the final. The Aces had won an unbelievable opening act in this series.

The Las Vegas bench was outstanding collectively scoring 41 points. Evans had the high on the bench with 21 points. Wilson also had 21 points and ten assists. Loyd finished the game with 18 points. Young chipped in ten points in this hard-fought win in game one. The Aces protected the ball well in the game with only seven turnovers.

The high for the Mercury was Copper who scored 21 points. She scored 19 of those points in the first half was only able to hit one basket in the entire second half. The Mercury played an amazing game but were unable to close out the game at the end.

Game notes: Friday evening the Las Vegas Aces began their most important series of the 2025 season taking on the Phoenix Mercury in game one of the WNBA finals. The Aces will be looking for a third championship in the past four years. The Mercury are in the finals for the first time since 2021 and after upsetting the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the semi-final series will be looking to pull off another upset and take home the title.

The Aces have a far different vision with the amazing Wilson leading the charge and Young, Gray and Lloyd along for the ride. This game has all the makings of an amazing championship series between two of the best teams the WNBA has to offer.

With the series getting underway at Michelob ULTRA Arena the Aces start the series with the first two games at home. They will had the support of their fans and it was enough to really spark them to a win in this first game of the series.

The Aces will now try to take a two-game lead before going back to Phoenix for game three. Game two is scheduled to get underway this Sunday with tipoff at 12:00 PM in Vegas. Game two can be seen on ABC TV.

Mammoth Stomps Kings in Delta Center Preseason Home Opener; Lawson Crouse scores goal and assist in beating L.A. 2-1

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Mammoth Stomps Kings in Delta Center Preseason Home Opener Lawson Crouse scored a goal and an assist to beat L.A. 2-1

Delta Center Arena scoreboard shows the Los Angeles Kings at Utah Mammoth before the first pre season home game on Thu Oct 2, 2025 (photo by author Tom Walker)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–The Utah Mammoth made their first appearance of the preseason at Delta Center on Thursday night edging the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. Construction crews seemingly worked around the clock to clear away the debris from major offseason reconstruction of the lower bowl of the arena which improved sight lines and brought fans closer to the action. Utah entered the game looking for their first preseason win having lost all five previous contests.

Mammoth forward Kevin Stenlund gave Utah the first lead of the game at 15:12 of the first period with a tip in goal, assisted by Lawson Crouse and Kailer Yamamoto. Newly acquired goaltender Vítek Vaněček turned away all nine Kings shots in the frame.

Kings forward Alex Turcotte tied things up at 3:09 of the second period with a snap shot, assisted by Samuel Helenius. Lawson Crouse regained the Mammoth lead three minutes later with a snap shot of his own, assisted by John Marino and Mikhail Sergachev.

Vaněček went on to shut down the Kings the rest of the way, stopping 32 of 33 shots overall for the 2-1 victory.

For the sake of practice, the two teams participated in a seven-round shootout. Kevin Stenlund gave Utah the early lead, but Kings netminder Anton Forsberg turned away the remaining six Mammoth shooters. Kevin Fiala and Warren Foegele each scored for Los Angeles to give them the 2-1 edge in the exhibition.

Following the game, Lawson Crouse addressed the team’s overall performance. “Yeah, just urgency. I think being comfortable with the lead, five minutes left. I think just the maturity of the group. Obviously, they put some pressure on us, but we believed in each other and got the job done.” When asked if the victory helped bring confidence, Crouse added, “Yeah, it’s preseason, but at this point, everyone is just trying to round out their game and get into the best position they can for opening night. Now we got one more [preseason game] and whatever you have to do to get there, we’re going to do it.”

Vítek Vaněček was asked about his first game inside Delta Center. “I mean, it was great. The people are loud and I think it’ll be even better when we play the first game.” Commenting on his teammates blocking shots early in the game, the Czech goalie added, “I mean, the couple shots in the first period always help and then, you’re feeling better after that. The guys helped me and blocked the shots and then cleaned the pack, so that is a big help for me.”

Head Coach André Tourigny wrapped up the postgame comments with his thoughts. “Great job by Vanny. I think he was rock solid. Gave us the opportunity to win. I like the way we played on the PK. I like the way we’re matured at the end of the game. Obviously, there’s still some stuff to clean up, especially on our breakout. I felt our slot was a little bit too open, but for the rest, we’re happy.” Tourigny went on to talk about the impact of Kevin Stenlund. “He’s a guy who you can count on in a big moment. He was on the ice in game seven of the Stanley Cup when they were protecting a lead and were short a man. You play him against Kopitar all night long. He goes out there, and just produced, and he played really well defensively. He is a stabilizing force for us.”

The Mammoth will wrap up their preseason schedule on Saturday at home against the San Jose Sharks with a 7:00pm PT face off.

San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor: 49ers Pineiro punches one through in OT for 26-23 win over Rams

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San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddy Pineiro (18) puts one up through the uprights for a 41 yard field goal with 5:51 left in overtime to defeat the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Thu Oct 2, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor:

#1 David, talk about how valuable kicker Eddy Pinerio is for the San Francisco 49ers (4-1) hitting that 41 yarder to get them the three point lead at 5:51 against what was a true rivalry in beating the Los Angeles Rams (3-2) in overtime on Thursday Night Football?

#2 San Francisco quarterback Mac Jones kept things as close as he could under center throwing 33-49, 342 yards, and two touchdowns. Jones looks like he could start somewhere in the NFL if he gets that opportunity?

#3 Next up for San Francisco the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa Bay on Sun Oct 12. The Bucs played a close game against the Philadelphia Eagles losing 31-25. The Bucs with a respectable record at 3-1. How do you see that contest?

David Zizmor does the San Francisco 49ers podcasts after every home and away game at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez: Sharks have let down in loss to Anaheim on Wednesday

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Michael Misa #77 of the San Jose Sharks takes a face off in the first period of a game against the Anaheim Ducks during a preseason game at SAP Center on Oct. 1, 2025 (Photo by Panayiota Good/SAP Center)

San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 Which Ducks players made the biggest impression in this game, possibly securing a spot in the regular‑season roster? The Sharks took a tough pre season loss 5-2 at SAP Center in San Jose.

#2 How did the Sharks’ goaltender Yaroslav Askarov perform, especially under pressure in the 2nd and 3rd periods?

#3 What was the impact of special teams (power play / penalty kill) for both teams in this match?

#4 Did any defensive breakdowns or turnovers lead directly to goals, and which players were involved?

#5 Did line chemistry change during the game line shuffling, and did any newly formed lines show unexpected chemistry?

Lincoln Juarez does the San Jose Sharks podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips: Sagapolutele’s success leads Cal to wins

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The Cal Bears celebrate after Luke Ferrelli’s game-clinching interception against the Boston College Eagles on Sat Sep 27, 2025 (Cal Bears photo)

Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips:

#1 What was the turning point or decisive play that ultimately decided the game? The 51‑yard touchdown pass by Cal’s QB Jaron‑Keawe Sagapolutele late in the game. Cal came away with a 28-24 win.

#2 How did each team’s strengths and weaknesses compare heading into the matchup, and how did that affect the outcome? Boston College’s strong passing offense vs. Cal’s run defense; Cal’s red zone vulnerabilities vs. BC’s red zone defense.

#3 Which individual performance stood out for either side — positively or negatively — and how did those impact the game? Turbo Richard’s 171 rushing yards for BC, Sagapolutele’s composure after early mistakes, or key interceptions.

#4 What role did turnovers, penalties, or special teams play in the flow and final result of the game?

#5 What does this result mean for each team going forward — in terms of momentum, conference implications, or expectations for the rest of the season?

Join Morris Phillips for the Cal Bears podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson: Christie working on conditioning, defense and pace in Kings camp

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Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie is working with the players on conditioning, pace and defense in camp (photo from Newsweek)

Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 How is Dennis Schröder adjusting to his new role with the Kings, and how is the coaching staff integrating him with the existing core?

#2 Which players will be competing for the final roster spots, especially among the fringe and Exhibit 10 signees, and what traits are coaches focusing on?

#3 With Devin Carter how will the team handle depth at guard/forward early in camp?

#4 What identity or style changes is new Head Coach Doug Christie trying to instill conditioning, defense, pace.

#5 How much roster movement still appears possible trades, additional signings during training camp, and how might that impact team chemistry?

Jeremiah Salmonson does the Sacramento Kings podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sharks lose third straight preseason game 5-2 to Ducks

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Traffic in front of the net the Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov (98), the San Jose Sharks forward Alexander Wennberg (21), forward Tyler Toffoli (73), and Ducks goaltender Calle Clang (31) Photo Credit: Dean Tait/Sport Shots

By Lincoln Juarez

SAN JOSE, CA – The Anaheim Ducks beat the San Jose Sharks defense and Yaraslov Askarov three times in the second period to come away with another preseason win against the Sharks 5-2. San Jose was still testing certain pieces and line combinations Wednesday night as the preseason winds down. 

The Sharks took to the ice Wednesday night at SAP Center in their third-to-last preseason game. On the back end of a home-and-home with the Anaheim Ducks, some more Sharks rookies looked to put their skills on display. 

The Sharks lost their second game of the preseason Monday night in Anaheim by a score of 3-2. Pavol Regenda and Adam Gaudette scored Monday night for San Jose which was exciting to see, two new Sharks getting on the score sheet during the preseason. Regenda’s goal came on a deflection on the powerplay giving the Sharks momentum on the man advantage that they took to Wednesday’s tilt. 

Although team teal went just 1-5 on the powerplay, there were a lot of quality scoring opportunities on five tries. The powerplay goal came from William Eklund from Tyler Toffoli and Will Smith 50 seconds into the third period. 

That put the Sharks within two of the Ducks as they held a 3-0 lead going into the third period. The Ducks scored three goals on broken down defensive plays by San Jose leaving Yaraslov Askarov helpless in the net. 

Coach Ryan Warsofsky confirmed that Askarov was not the Sharks’ problem in the second. Tyler Toffoli added that there were too many turnovers leading to breakaways and eventually the goals against. 

The Sharks got one more in the third to get within one, off the stick of Jeff Skinner. Skinner golfed a one-time pass from Philipp Kurashev into the back of the net which ended up being the last goal the Sharks scored. Anaheim netted two empty netters late in the third and came away with their second straight preseason win against San Jose. 

The Sharks hit the road and take on Vegas and Utah on back-to-backs starting Friday night at T-Mobile Arena to wrap up the preseason. 

Puck drop at 7:00pm Friday night in Vegas.

Utah Hockey Club’s Mammoth Summer

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Utah Hockey Club’s practice facility Wed Oct 1, 2025 (photo by Tom Walker)

By Tom Walker

Utah Hockey Club’s Mammoth Summer

SALT LAKE CITY–From a new name and logo to the fourth pick in the NHL Draft to roster moves to stadium renovation to a new practice facility, Utah has had an active offseason.

It has been nearly five months since the Utah Hockey Club celebrated its NHL Draft Lottery win which catapulted them to the fourth overall pick from the 14th slot. Two days later the team announced the results of fan voting for naming the franchise, with Mammoth the clear winner over the Outlaws or retaining the Utah Hockey Club moniker, the popular Yeti option having been eliminated due to a trademark conflict with the Yeti coolers company.

No sooner did the NHL and NBA regular seasons draw to a close, Smith Entertainment Group embarked upon a major Delta Center renovation to the lower bowl area of the arena in order to improve sight lines for hockey. More on that later.

Six Utah Mammoth players represented their nations in the 2025 IIHF World Championship tournament which took place in May, with captain Clayton Keller and forward Logan Cooley leading Team USA to its first gold medal in 92 years. Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan also represented the Americans while Barrett Hayton skated for Team Canada and Karel Vejmelka handled netminding duties for Czechia.

On June 25, Utah made a splash in the trade market, sending Kesselring and Doan to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for JJ Peterka. The 23-year-old German forward who had been a restricted free agent immediately signed a five year contract extension worth $7.7 million/year.

Peterka has already scored 30 goals twice in his NHL career and is expected to provide added punch to a young lineup which already features Keller, Cooley, and sniper Dylan Guenther.

On June 27, the Mammoth selected center Caleb Desnoyers of the QMJHL Moncton Wildcats with the fourth overall pick in the NHL draft. The Wildcats won the 2025 QMJHL championship with Desnoyers picking up the Guy Lafleur trophy as playoff MVP, having scored 30 points in the playoffs.

Anticipating which players might be selected in the top thre, Utah covertly brought Desnoyers to Salt Lake City as he was en route to Los Angeles for the draft, hosting a dinner for him at the home of General Manager Bill Armstrong together with the team’s scouting staff. In August, Desnoyers underwent an expected wrist surgery which should keep him out of action through December.

On September 10, the Mammoth unveiled its new world class practice facility in Sandy, Utah, located about 20 minutes drive south of Salt Lake City. Though construction is not 100% completed, the facility was sufficiently ready for rookie camp and will be the envy of the league.

In January it will open to the public and be used for community hockey and other ice sports. Brogan Houston of the Deseret News described it as “basically a private rec center.” Houston wrote, “It’s got two ice sheets, an 8,000-square-foot gym, a pool, hot tub, cold tub, sauna, steam room and a top-of-the-line recovery/therapy room.”

The assembled local sports media experienced conflicting emotions while covering the new rink and rookie camp as reports of the shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University just 24 miles away began to spread like wildfire.

On a personal note, I take the University Parkway onramp to northbound Interstate 15 when driving to the Mammoth practice facility and Delta Center, and that morning observed a very large police presence at UVU as I entered the freeway.

At the time I assumed it was just crowd control for the Turning Point USA event which was hosted at the university. Tragically it was something far worse as we came to learn while covering rookie camp. The next day local residents placed 92 American flags all along both sides of the University Parkway overpass in a touching display of community.

On Tuesday this week, local media were invited to a sneak preview of Mammoth and Jazz gear for the new NHL and NBA seasons, and to taste a sampling of the 38 new food items which will make their debut on Thursday as fans attend the first pre-season game at the renovated Delta Center versus the Los Angeles Kings.

The Mammoth pretzel with cheese sauce is amazing! The San Diablo Churro Banana Split is divine! Unfortunately the Thor’s Hammer hickory smoked beef shank was for display only but looked tantalizing. The media toured the ongoing construction inside the arena where the floor has been raised two feet and new modular seating has been constructed in the lower bowl which will be configured differently for hockey and basketball. Somehow or another we were assured that everything will be ready to drop the puck on Thursday night. Continuing modifications to Delta Center will take place next offseason.

Summer has come and gone. The Mammoth are ready to stampede into the 2025-2026 NHL season.

Utah Mammoth Offseason Transactions

April 29 – Jaxson Stauber (G) signed to a 2-year contract

May 28 – Dmitri Simashev (D) signed to a 3-year contract

May 28 – Daniil But (D) signed to a 3-year contract

May 29 – Nick DeSimone (D) signed to a 1-year contract

May 30 – Gabe Smith (C) signed to a 3-year contract

June 11 – Ben McCartney (LW) signed to a 2-year contract

June 25 – Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan traded to Buffalo Sabres for JJ Peterka (C)

June 25 – JJ Peterka (C) signed to a 5-year contract extension

June 30 – Matias Maccelli (LW) traded to Toronto Maple Leafs for a conditional 2027 3rd round pick.

June 30 – Montana Onyebuchi (D) signed to a 2-year contract July 1 – Kailer Yamamoto (RW) signed to a 1-year contract

July 1 – Scott Perunovich (D) signed to a 1-year contract

July 1 – Brandon Tanev (LW) signed to a 3-year contract

July 1 – Nate Schmidt (D) signed to a 3-year contract

July 1 – Vitek Vanecek (G) signed to a 1-year contract

July 7 – Jack McBain (C) signed to a 5-year contract

July 7 – Michael Carcone (C) signed to a 1-year contract

July 16 – Cameron Hebig (C) signed to a 2-year contract

September 25 – Kevin Connauton (D) placed on waivers

September 25 – Connor Ingram (G) placed on waivers

October 1 – Connor Ingram (G) traded to Edmonton Oilers for future considerations.

October 1 – Jaxson Stauber (G) placed on waivers

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Stanford looking for second straight win take on SMU Saturday

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Myles Jackson (3) flips the ball back to the official in a game against the San Jose State University Spartans at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto on Sat Sep 27, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 How significant is the “Bill Walsh Legacy” branding for this game in terms of recruiting, alumni engagement, and the rivalry’s narrative between the two programs at SJSU and Stanford?

#2 What happened to SJSU’s defense it didn’t stop or disrupt Stanford’s offense, given Stanford’s struggles in yardage and scoring so far this season?

#3 Which quarterback — Walker Eget for the Spartans or Ben Gulbranson for the Cardinal — had the edge in this matchup, especially in clutch moments (third downs, red zone, late drives)?

#4 How did both teams handle special teams and kicking — did Stanford or SJSU gain an edge via field goals, punts, or kickoff returns?

#5 What adjustments will the coaching staff make as the Cardinal take on the SMU Mustangs (2-2) in Dallas this Sat Oct 11 for a 9:00AM PT kick off. The Mustangs lost to the TCU Frog Horns (3-0) in their last game 35-24 on Sat Sep 20 dropping their record to 2-2. How do you see Stanford matching up with SMU this Saturday?

Michael Roberson is a Stanford Cardinal beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose Sharks podcast Len Shapiro: Sharks cut down roster and who is on target to stay with the big club?

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The Ducks’ Cutter Gauthier, left, skates with the puck as the San Jose Sharks’ Timothy Liljegren defends during the second period of a preseason game on Monday night at Honda Center. The Ducks won, 3-2. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

San Jose Sharks podcast Len Shapiro:

#1 Which prospects or fringe players for the San Jose Sharks did they use in Saturday’s preseason game to make a strong case for a roster spot, and how might the coaches deploy them in key moments?

#2 How much were the Sharks’ defensive pairings (especially younger defensemen were tested by Anaheim’s speed and transition game, and which matchups proved decisive?

#3 Sharks goaltender Jakub Sharek saved 13 out of 16 shots and allowed three goals. The Sharks Gabriel Carriere was perfect stopping all 14 shots he faced.

#4 Did special teams (power play / penalty kill) play a focal point for either side, and did one team gain an advantage during man‑advantage situations?

#5 Since this was a preseason contest, how did the strategies differ from regular season — more experimentation, looser play, quicker line changes — and which team adapts better to that style?

Join Len Shapiro for the San Jose Sharks podcasts Wednesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com