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Rafael Devers

Giants rout Sultanes de Monterrey 10-2 in penultimate preseason tuneup

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Photo credit: SF Bay News Lab

By Vince Cestone

The San Francisco Giants defeated the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League 10-2 on Monday night in their second-to-last spring training game at Oracle Park.

Even though the Giants were playing a non-major league team, it’s important for them to play good baseball–and that they did.

The Giants opened the scoring in the third inning with three runs against Sultanes starting pitcher Stephen Tarpley. Tarpley was most-recently in the Mets organization in 2021. Giants first baseman Casey Schmitt, who went 2-for-3 on Monday night, started the inning with a single. After catcher Patrick Bailey hit a ground ball base hit in between first and second, Schmitt advanced to third.

Then came up roster hopeful Jared Oliva, who came into the game hitting .375 for the spring. Oliva executed a an RBI bunt single to give the Giants their first run. The Giants scored after the very next batter Luis Arraez grounded into a fielder’s choice, but a throwing error by Sultanes shortstop Coco Montes allowed the second run to come in. The Giants got their third run later in the inning after right fielder Jung Hoo Lee hit a ground ball double just inside first.

The Giants tacked on another run in the fifth inning with the help of another throwing error by Montes off the bat of Matt Chapman.

The Sultanes scored their only two runs in the fifth inning on an RBI single by designated hitter Ramiro Pena and another RBI single by Josh Lester.

Then, the Giants played home run derby. Shortstop Willy Adames led off the sixth with a home run off of Sultanes pitcher Jake Higginbotham. But an encouraging sign came off the bat of Giants top prospect Bryce Eldridge, who launched a booming, opposite-field three-run homer to make the score 8-2 in the eighth inning. Eldridge had recently been sent down to the minor leagues and will start the season in Triple-A Sacramento. Tyler Fitzgerald followed with a two-run home run two batters later.

On the pitching side, nine Giants pitchers threw one inning each. All San Francisco pitchers threw scoreless innings, except for Carson Seymour, who gave up two runs and four hits in his inning of work. Spencer Bivens, who started the game, Tristan Beck, and Marques Johnson each had two strikeouts and no walks in their innings. Caleb Killian, who is opening eyes in spring training, pitched a perfect fifth inning. In 9 1/3 innings pitched in spring training, Killian came into the game with a 0.96 ERA and 11 strikeouts.

Up next, the Giants will conclude their Cactus League schedule on Tuesday night against the Sultanes once again. First pitch is at 6:45 p.m. The Giants will open the regular season on Wednesday night against the New York Yankees at Oracle Park. Game time will be 5:05 p.m.

Barracuda cool off Firebirds in 5-1 rout

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The San Jose Barracuda had no problem taking the down the Coachella Valley Firebirds in a 5-1 win at Tech CU Arena on Wednesday MAR 18, 2026. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The San Jose Barracuda gave the school kids a lot to cheer about on a Wednesday morning.

San Jose scored five unanswered from five different goal scorers as they dominated the Coachella Valley Firebirds in a 5-1 victory during the annual Cuda Classroom Day at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose snapped its two-game losing streak after not earning a point in Tucson this past weekend. Coachella Valley had its four-game winning streak stopped.

The Barracuda jumped out to a quick start with a power play goal early in the first period. Egor Afansyev scored his 12th goal of the season at the 3:36 mark. Oliver Wahlstrom and Quentin Musty recorded assists.

Colin White scored San Jose’s second power play goal of the game to start the second period. Wahlstrom picked up his second help on White’s 13th goal of the season at the 2:52 mark. Luca Cagnoni received the secondary assist.

Kasper Halttunen helped give the Cuda a nice cushion right before intermission when he scored his 12th goal of the season at the 17:31 mark. Patrick Giles and Donovon Houle picked up helpers on the play.

San Jose put the game away with two goals in the first six minutes of the third period. Some fourth line magic opened up the period with an even strength goal. Brendan Hoffmann scored his third goal of the season at the 2:59 mark. Anthony Vincent and Lucas Vanroboys helped set up Hoffmann’s goal.

Then Vanroboys scored the fifth unanswered goal for the Cuda at the 6:00 minute mark with his second goal of the year. Giles picked up his second assist of the game while Jet Woo recorded his first point in a Barracuda uniform receiving the secondary assist.

J.R Avon spoiled Cuda goalie Gabriel Carriere’s shutout bid late in the period when he scored his seventh goal of the season a the 12:54 mark.

Carriere finished the game stopping 29 of the 30 shots he faced to earn the win. Firebirds goalie Nikke Kokko made 32 saves on 37 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 2-for-4 on the power play. Coachella Vally went 0-for-5.

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) White 2) Vanroboys 3) Giles.

UP NEXT: San Jose opens a two-game weekend series with the Abbotsford Canucks on Saturday at 6:00pm at Tech CU Arena.

Earthquakes suffer first goal against in first loss of the season to Seattle 1-0

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Seattle Sounders midfielder Paul Rothrock (#14) celebrates his first half goal against the San Jose Earthquakes with his teammate Nouhou (#5) at PayPal Park on Sunday MAR 15, 2026. (Seattle Sounders)

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — All good things must come to an end.

The Seattle Sounders were dominated on the stat sheet by the San Jose Earthquakes but won on the stat that matter the most, the goal stat, in a 1-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at PayPal Park.

San Jose had its three-game winning streak snapped. Seattle has won three out of its first four matches.

Seattle (3-1) finally ended Quakes goalkeeper Daniel’s shutout streak to start the season when they drew first blood in the 20th minute. Jesús Ferreira sent a long ball down the right wing from midfield. Paul Rothrock stayed onside as he raced down the pitch and dribbled into the box before beating Daniel with a right footed shot for his team leading second goal of the season.

San Jose (3-1) had chances early on and towards the end of the opening 45 minutes. Niko Tsakiris had back-to-back chances inside the Seattle box, but the Sounders defenders collapsed down low and blocked both attempts. Beau Leroux also had a shot attempt that was also blocked and away from the net.

The Quakes best scoring chance in the first half came at the 44th minute when Preston Judd was fouled just outside the D by Antonio Lopez. Tsakiris’ free kick just missed the far corner of the net as Sounder goalkeeper Andrew Thomas made a diving attempt at it.

San Jose controlled the pace of play and possession in the second half as they created quality scoring chances only to have Thomas and his backline thwart off any balls crossed into the middle of the box.

The Earthquakes came within inches of scoring the equalizer in the 74th minute. Judd chased down a long ball and was able to chip the ball over Thomas as the ball was heading for the far corner of the net. However, Lopez chased it down before it could cross the goal line and kicked it out of danger for Seattle.

The Sounders thought they iced the game in the 86th minute when Cody Baker scored his first goal of the season. Osaze De Rosario centered the ball to Baker who beat Daniel with a low right footed shot to the far corner. However, after a VAR review it was determined the play was ruled offsides.

Thomas made seven saves to earn his third victory of the year. Daniel made three saves on four shots to suffer his first loss of the year.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished with 17 corner kicks. Seattle had zero.

UP NEXT: San Jose travels north of the border to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday March 21 at 7:30pm at BC Place.

DeRozan’s 39 Not Enough as Kings Fall to Hornets 117-109

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Kon Knueppel #7 of the Charlotte Hornets is guarded by DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Sacramento Kings during the first half at Golden 1 Center on March 11, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Kings welcomed the Charlotte Hornets to Golden 1 Center on Wednesday night as the Kings played their second game in two nights, this one tipping off at 7 p.m. PST.

The Kings were without a full lineup of players as Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, Dylan Cardwell, Russell Westbrook, and Malik Monk were all unavailable going into the action. The Kings elected to go with a starting lineup that featured DeMar DeRozan, Precious Achiuwa, Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, and Killian Hayes. With so many of the veteran players for the Kings out, the focus was certainly on the younger guys and the minutes they provided for Doug Christie.

The Kings couldn’t extend their winning streak on Wednesday as they fell to the Charlotte Hornets 117-109.

In the first quarter, the Sacramento Kings got off to a quick start against the Charlotte Hornets. The Kings outscored the Hornets 34-30 as DeMar DeRozan got going early in the first quarter with eight points to take the quick lead. The Hornets, led by 13 first-quarter points from LaMelo Ball, held their own on the offensive end of the floor while their defense struggled to contain the Kings. Killian Hayes and Doug McDermott also started off hot, scoring seven and six points, respectively, in the first.

In the second quarter, the Hornets managed to flip the script and outscore the Kings 29-28 in the quarter to trim the Kings’ lead to three points heading into halftime, 62-59. DeMar DeRozan continued with his hot hand on the offensive side of the ball, dropping 14 points in the second quarter and bringing his first-half total to 22 points heading into halftime. Both the Kings and the Hornets played solid defense in the second quarter, but there was no containing DeMar for the Kings. LaMelo Ball did his best to counter DeMar as he added another seven points in the second quarter to bring his first-half total to 20 points. Miles Bridges was the second-leading scorer for the Hornets as he scored 11 points in the first half, while Kings guard Nique Clifford scored eight first-half points.

Coming out of halftime with the three-point lead, the Kings tried to maintain their intensity to remain in the lead. However, as shots failed to fall for the Kings and the Hornets began to catch a rhythm, the Kings were outscored 31-23 by the Hornets in the third. Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges did the lion’s share of the damage against the Kings in the third as they scored 10 and nine points, respectively, for Charlotte. On the other hand, DeMar DeRozan continued to punish the Hornets as he dropped an additional nine points in the third, keeping the Kings in the game and driving his game total to 31 points at that point in the contest. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Kings trailed 90-85 but were well within striking distance as they went for their third straight win.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings and Hornets traded baskets, but that wasn’t enough for the Kings to cut the deficit and win the game. The Kings were defeated by the Hornets 117-109 and were outscored in the fourth quarter 27-24 as they fell to LaMelo Ball and his 30-point performance. In addition to Ball, the Hornets had three other 20-plus-point performances as Brandon Miller scored 20, Kon Knueppel had 24, and Miles Bridges dropped 26 on the Kings. In defeat, the Kings were led by DeMar DeRozan, who had 39 points. Nique Clifford impressed yet again for the Kings as he scored 18 points to go along with seven assists.

Nique Clifford spoke with the media after the game and was asked a series of questions on his confidence at this point in the season.

“I’m very confident in myself and my capabilities to help the team,” Clifford said. “I feel like I bring a lot of versatility in different aspects. I’m still trying to find that consistency, like we were talking about Deebo, and what I can do on a night-to-night basis, but I’m slowly figuring that out. But just trying to impact the game in many different ways.”

Speaking of DeMar, the 39 points for the 36-year-old was a vintage DeRozan game.

Lost in all the chaos this season, DeMar has been professionally and diligently going about his work on a nightly basis, not something all vet players can say on a losing team at this point of the season.

“Everybody who has a job every day, every year you go to work, everything isn’t just great,” DeMar told me after the game. “It just doesn’t work out like that. You are going to go through your ups and downs, and you are going to enjoy it. When things aren’t great, you really are going to be tested and see who you really are.”

The Kings will head out on the road to take on the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. PST.

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. 

Barracuda shoot down Gulls in 4-1 win

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San Jose forward Anthony Vincent (#76) is mobbed by his teammates after his first period goal that led to a 4-1 win over the San Diego Gulls at Tech CU Arena on Wednesday MAR 11, 2026. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The San Jose Barracuda continued its dominance over the San Diego Gull as they defeated their Pacific Division rival in a 4-1 victory on Wednesday evening at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose has won four games in a row and has tied the Colorado Eagles for second place in the Pacific Division with 74 points. They are 5-2 against the Gulls this season. San Diego has lost four games in a row/snapped its three-game losing streak.

Barracuda defenseman Jet Woo made his debut for San Jose. Woo was acquired back on March 5th, a day before the NHL Trade Deadline when the San Jose Sharks traded fellow defenseman Jack Thompson to the Vancouver Canucks. Woo drew a holding penalty on Yegorov Sidorov early in the first period.

An entertaining first period featured quality scoring chances by both teams, but no goals on the scoreboard as both Cuda goalie Laurent Brossoit Gulls goalie Calle Clang kept the puck from crossing the goal line. Clang stopped Jimmy Huntington on a breakaway opportunity at the 12:40 mark. Then Brossoit stopped Justin Bailey on a breakaway attempt at the 16:33 mark as both shooters tried to beat the goaltender through the five-hole.

Brossoit received some help from his defenseman Luca Cagnoni late in the opening frame when a one-timer from Tyson Hinds at the 17:43 mark trickled behind Brossoit in the crease only to have Cagnoni sweep it away out of danger.

San Jose (35-16-2-2-74 points) had a slight edge in shots in the opening 20 minutes out shooting San Diego (25-19-8-4-62 points) 15-13.

The Cuda drew first blood early in the second period. Cagnoni found Anthony Vincent in the neutral zone. Vincent skated in from the left wing into the middle of the ice before beating Clang with a wrist shot for his eighth goal of the season at the 3:49 mark. Patrick Giles, who provided a nice screen in front of the crease, received the secondary assist.

San Jose doubled its lead exactly two minutes later. Filip Bystedt’s wrist shot from the between the faceoff circles was initially stopped by Clang. Oliver Wahlstrom putted home the rebound reaching behind Clang with a backhander for his team leading 22nd goal of the season.

San Diego responded 58 seconds later. Ryan Carpentar found Tristen Luneau up at the right point. Luneau blasted a slapshot past Brossoit for his sixth goal of the season at the 6:47 mark. Luneau extended his point streak to four games.

The Barracuda regained their two-goal lead with a short-handed goal late in the middle frame. Anthony Vincent led a counterattack up the ice. Vincent skated in as he tried to outwait Clang, but Clang stopped Vincent’s wrist shot only to have Huntington clean up the rebound into an open net for his 13th goal of the season at the 14:20 mark.

Bystedt completed the scoring with an empty net goal, his 16th of the season, when he banked the puck off the boards inside his own zone. The puck ended up making it all the way into the back of the net despite the desperate sliding effort of Stian Solberg trying to swipe the puck away at the last second.

Brossoit (14-5-1) stopped 33 of the 34 shots he faced to earn his 14th win of the season. Clang (14-5-6-2) made 28 saves on 31 shots in the losing effort.

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

The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Vincent 2) Wahlstrom 3) Brossoit.

UP NEXT: San Jose travels back on the road for a two-game weekend series with the Tucson Roadrunners on Saturday March 14th at 6:00pm at Tucson Convention Center Arena.

Westbrook’s Triple-Double, Youth Movement Power Kings Past Bulls 126-110

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Russell Westbrook #18 of the Sacramento Kings looks on in the first half against the Chicago Bulls at Golden 1 Center on March 08, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Don Collier/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Sunday night in Sacramento as they took on the Chicago Bulls. The Kings defeated the Bulls 126-110 during a sparsely attended matchup at 6 p.m. PST.

During the win over the Bulls, the youth development was on full display for the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings went with a young lineup on Sunday with the exception of Russell Westbrook. Daeqwon Plowden, Precious Achiuwa, Maxime Raynaud, and Nique Clifford filled out the lineup as Doug Christie elected to go with the youth movement to start the game.

In the first quarter, the Kings got off to a quick start against the Bulls. The Kings outscored the Bulls 30-25 to open the game and take the quick five-point lead. In the absence of DeMar DeRozan, the Kings offense seemed to be flowing with a higher pace in the first quarter. While incredibly talented in his own right, DeMar’s more isolation-heavy style of basketball doesn’t tend to lend itself to a high-pace offensive scheme. Malik Monk scored seven points in the first quarter in a quick outburst that has become commonplace for him this season. Collin Sexton paced all scorers with eight points in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Kings continued to pressure the Bulls and expand on their early first-quarter margin. The Kings outscored the Bulls 35-26 in the second quarter to build a double-digit, 65-51 lead over the Bulls heading into halftime. Maxime Raynaud led the Kings with a big second quarter where he scored 14 points and had 18 points for the game heading into halftime. The Bulls had very little answer for the Kings big in the second quarter as Malik Monk added another seven points to bring his game total to 14 in the first half.

Could the Kings keep up the positive momentum and avoid a third-quarter collapse that has become normal this season?

Yes.

The Kings continued to play at a high level in the third quarter to maintain their advantage they had going into halftime. The Kings outscored the Bulls 39-38 in the third quarter as they grew their lead ever so slightly heading into the final quarter. Granted, the Bulls did challenge the Kings defense in the quarter, but the Kings offense was able to pick up the slack and maintain their advantage. Daeqwon Plowden shined for the Kings as he scored 10 points in the third quarter to pace the Kings offense. Collin Sexton led the Bulls in the third quarter with 12 points as he did his best to keep them in the game but with little success as the Kings took a 104-98 lead into the final quarter of action.

In the fourth quarter, both teams took a step back scoring the ball, but the Kings still managed to outscore the Bulls 22-21. Russell Westbrook managed to record the 208th triple-double of his career in the fourth quarter as he led the Kings to victory. Malik Monk and Maxime Raynaud led the Kings in scoring as they scored 30 and 26 points respectively along with Westbrook’s 23 points. Daeqwon Plowden also played well for the Kings on Sunday scoring 16 points in his just over 34 minutes of game action.

The Kings 126-110 win over the Bulls was their first win at home since January 16th and improved their record to 15-50 for the 2025-2026 season.

The Kings will stay home to take on the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday at 7 p.m. PST inside the Golden 1 Center.

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. 

Islanders snatched a crucial victory in heartbreaking fashion in OT 2-1 over Sharks

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Macklin Celebrini (71) in action during the first period against the New York Islanders (San Jose Sharks Media)

By: Fernando Abarca

SAN JOSE, CA– It could have been a good night for Bay Area sports this Saturday night. The San Jose Sharks (30-25-6) added another point in end of regulation after a beautiful goal by the New York Islanders (36-23-5) Bo Harvat. San Jose just couldn’t hold on in overtime losing to New York 2-1 on Saturday night.

With the regular season entering its decisive stretch, the Sharks face one last test in front of their home crowd before beginning a challenging road trip. Every point matters as San Jose continues its pursuit of a potential wild-card berth in the tightly contested Pacific division standings.

The Sharks came into the game looking to bounce back after a frustrating loss to the St. Louis Blues the night before. San Jose managed to strike in the third period and briefly showed signs of momentum, but when the decisive moment arrived, the team was unable to capitalize, letting a crucial opportunity slip away.

The visitors came in to score first with a poor defensive effort by the Sharks, allowing an assist by C. Ritchie, and Tony DeAngelo netting the 1-0 for the Islanders. The entire period would remain scoreless for the men in Teal.

In the second period, the San Jose Sharks quickly erased the deficit, tying the game just 45 seconds into the frame. Macklin Celebrini scored his 32nd goal of the season, finishing a play set up by John Klingberg and Will Smith.

San Jose controlled much of the period, displaying puck movement and sustained possession in the offensive zone. The Sharks generated several quality opportunities and outshot the New York Islanders with 11 shots on goal but they were repeatedly denied by standout goaltending from Ilya Sorokin, who kept the Islanders level despite the Sharks’ offensive pressure.

The third period remained tightly contested as both teams battled to break the deadlock. The New York Islanders came out with greater urgency, increasing their pressure with more shots on goal and sustained offensive-zone time while limiting the San Jose Sharks from creating clean scoring opportunities. Despite the Islanders’ push, goaltender Yaroslav Askarov delivered an impressive performance between the pipes, making several key saves to keep San Jose in the game and force overtime.

In the extra frame, however, the Islanders capitalized on their opportunity. Bo Horvat broke past Macklin Celebrini after a well-timed setup and finished the play to seal a 2–1 overtime victory for New York, handing the Sharks another tough loss where the Teal could not keep up.

Despite the defeat, San Jose showed resilience throughout the night, matching the Islanders’ intensity and generating multiple scoring chances, but the combination of timely defense and strong goaltending from Ilya Sorokin ultimately made the difference, as expected in this stage of the game. The Sharks need to take away the mistakes done tonight to continue the push for a playoff spot.

The Sharks will now begin their road trip as they prepare to face the Buffalo Sabres in their next matchup.

Kiefer Sherwood’s first goal as a Shark is a game-winner in San Jose’s 7-5 Tuesday night thriller

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Referees try and separate Montreal Canadiens right winger Josh Anderson (middle left), center Phillip Denault (24) from left wing Kiefer Sherwood (middle right) in the third period Tue Mar 4, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Lincoln Juarez

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Sharks picked up their 30th win of the year for the first time since the 2021-22 season. Kiefer Sherwood’s presence was felt on the ice and the score sheet, tallying five hits, an assist, and the game-winning goal(his first two points as a Shark). Macklin Celebrini scored his 30th goal of the season while earning three assists in a big four-point night that pushed the Sharks past the Canadiens, 7-5

A sea of red invaded the Shark Tank Tuesday night with reason to cheer early on as Oliver Kapanen wristed a shot that beat Yaroslav Askarov above the blocker to put the Canadiens ahead at 6:18 of the first period.

It took about 10 minutes for the Sharks to get their legs under them as San Jose’s first shot on goal came nine minutes and 34 seconds into the game. A grade-A scoring chance by Collin Graf from Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini was denied by Montreal netminder Jakub Dobes.

The Sharks’ first line kept applying the pressure resulting in Montreal’s Nick Suzuki being sent to the penalty box for interference. On the ensuing power-play, the Sharks only managed to get two pucks to the net in a scoreless man-advantage.

Yaroslav Askarov stood strong in the net while the Canadiens continued to attack, giving the Sharks a chance to tie the game. San Jose’s top line took advantage, on another great passing play where this time Graf found the back of the net.

Graf(16), from Smith and Celebrini at 15:32 of the first to even the score.

Play picked up in the second period from both sides with the score still tied at one. The fast pace brought chances in both ends, testing the goaltenders who both held their ground through the first five minutes. However, the Sharks got caught chasing the puck which broke down their defensive structure. A shot from the point was tipped through traffic by Phillip Danault and snuck by Askarov to give the Canadiens their lead back.

That wound up as the last Montreal goal of the period as Yaroslav Askarov made a few spectacular cross-crease saves to rob the Canadiens of any more. Five minutes and 19 seconds later, the Sharks finally had an answer. Michael Misa darted for a loose puck in front of the net and beat goaltender Jakub Dobes on his glove side. It was Misa’s third goal in as many games, Eklund and Toffoli tallied the assists.

With time winding down in the second period, a bouncing puck along the boards was tipped to Macklin Celebrini by Collin Graf. Macklin made a sweet toe-drag move past two Montreal defenders and rushed up the wing firing a wicked wrister through the pads of Dobes to put the Sharks ahead. The SAP Center crowd erupted for Celebrini’s 30th goal of the season, his first 30-goal campaign in year two of his career.

Riding that momentum just 25 seconds later, Kiefer Sherwood won a battle for the puck on the forecheck and fed a pass to the front of the net where Alex Wennberg roofed one to put the Sharks ahead by two. Sherwood’s first point as a Shark was just the beginning of what turned out to be a Kiefer Sherwood style game that he was right in the middle of.

Physicality ruled the third period which saw the Sharks obtain a three-goal lead just for it to vanish. Will Smith was the recipient of a Macklin Celebrini shot pass that he tapped in for a power-play goal, the first of two for the team teal.

Not even two minutes later, Ivan Demidov netted his 13th of the year and 18 seconds after that Alex Newhook found the back of the net to make it a one goal game, 5-4.

Montreal’s third goal in under six minutes came from Newhook again, as the Canadiens rallied all the way back to tie the game at five.

Scrum after scrum didn’t result in any late-game penalties, although a too many men call against the Habs put San Jose on their third power play of the night. It felt like a 3-on-3 overtime period in a playoff game with how many high percentage chances, odd man rushes, and scrambles around the net there were in the third, and this power play was no different.

A loose puck found Philipp Kurashev in front of the net with the whole arena thinking he was going to shoot. Instead, he passed through flying bodies to Kiefer Sherwood who banked it into a wide open net for his first goal as a Shark and the game-winner.

There never seemed to be a doubt in anyone’s mind in the building that the Sharks would come out on top, it was only a matter of time. It seemed as though general manager Mike Grier brought Sherwood in just for games like this… one of the most physical, back and forth matches of the season.

Adam Gaudette, who was also in the mix of a few scrums, capped off the night with an empty netter adding a third line contributing to the Sharks scoring. After a five game skid, the Sharks have bounced back with three thrilling wins in a row to set them three points behind the Seattle Kraken for the last Wild Card spot in the West.

Game five of the six game homestand takes place Friday night at SAP Center with a 7pm puck drop against the St. Louis Blues.

Werner’s debut sparks Earthquakes to 2-0 shutout win over Atlanta United

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San Jose Earthquakes forward Preston Judd celebrates his first half goal among the Earthquakes super fan group The Ultras against Atlanta United at PayPal Park on Saturday FEB 28, 2026. (San Jose Earthquakes)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The San Jose Earthquakes have jumped out to a quick start to the 2026 season. They defeated Atlanta United FC 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at PayPal Park.

San Jose has started 2-0 for the second consecutive year in a row. Atlanta United has started the season 0-2 and has lost both matches by a 2-0 score.

The match featured the San Jose debut of German international striker Timo Werner who came as a substitute for Preston Judd in the 61st minute. The Quakes acquired from Bundesliga club RB Leipzig back in late January. He’s recorded 153 goal and 86assits in nearly 450 appearances across stints with German Bundesliga sides VFB Stuttgart and RB Leipzig, as well as English Premier League teams Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

Werner has been capped 57 times by his country and lifted seven trophies for club and country, including the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup with Chelsea.

San Jose (2-0-0) drew first blood in the 24th minute. Jamar Ricketts intercepted a free kick off of the foot of Atlanta United goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos. Ricketts raced down the left wing before chipping the ball into the center of the box where an unmarked Judd headed the ball into the far corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

Judd has scored in back-to-back games as head coach Bruce Arena has made Judd his starting striker to open up the 2026 season with the subtractions of Chico Arango, Cristian Espinoza and Josef Martinez.

Atlanta (0-2-0) spent the majority of the opening 45 minutes inside its own zone defending San Jose’s offensive attack. The Quakes had the pitch tilted on the United’s as they had eight total shots to just three for Atlanta in the first half.

The Earthquakes thought they had doubled their lead in the 70th minute when Ricketts centered a ball into the middle of the box and Niko Tsakiris tapped home the ball into an open net. However, the sideline official ruled the play offsides and negated what would’ve been Tsakiris’ first goal of the season.

San Jose did eventually double its lead in the 79th minute. Werner ran down a long pass down the right wing. Werner then crossed the ball into the middle where a sliding Ousseni Bouda one-timed the ball with a right footed shot top shelf for his first goal of the season.

It was the type of play on why Arena wanted Werner in a Quakes kit as his speed and playmaking ability will make Werner a catalyst of San Jose’s offensive attack.

Quakes goalkeeper Daniel (2-0) recorded his second straight clean sheet having to make only one save during the match. He wasn’t tested much in the second half but came up with his lone save in the 89th minute was a sliding save on a shot attempt from Miguel Almirón. It was Atlanta’s best chance of the match.

Hoyos (0-2) made four saves on six shots on target in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished with seven corner kicks. Atlanta United had four.

UP NEXT: San Jose travels out to Philadelphia for its first road match of the season against the Union on Saturday March 7th at 4:30pm at Subaru Park.

Jung Hoo Lee AP photo

Giants report: SF off to 4-0 start in spring training, pitching well

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San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee, of South Korea, works out during spring training baseball on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Scottsdale Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

By Vince Cestone

The San Francisco Giants are off to a hot start in spring training, going 4-0 to start the Cactus League campaign. But what has really shined for the Giants so far–their pitching.

In their four wins, the Giants held their opponents to just 10 runs, no small feat in the thin, dry Arizona air. And five of those runs came in the first inning of the Cactus League opener where bullpen hopeful Hayden Birdsong struggled with his command. He’ll hope to bounce back in his next spring training appearance.

In the Cactus League opener on Saturday against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria, the Giants bounced back from Birdsong’s horrible outing and won the game 10-5 after being down 5-0 in the first. In his start, he was only able to get one out and gave up five runs, on three walks, while walking two. The knockout punch came when Mariners third baseman Miles Mastrobuoni hit a grand slam, to make the score 5-0.

The Giants bullpen, which used nine relievers, took over and pitched a scoreless 8 2/3 innings. Right hander Blake Tidwell headlined the impressive bullpen performance by striking out the side in his one inning of work. Tidwell was lighting up the radar gun in the high 90s and could make the team as a solid relief option in the late innings. The Giants acquired Tidwell in the Tyler Rogers trade last season.

On the offensive side, the Giants exploded for 10 runs. New Giants outfielder Harrison Bader smashed a 2-RBI double in the second inning, and designated hitter hopeful Bryce Eldridge also had an RBI double in the third inning.

In Game 2 against the Chicago Cubs, the Giants’ pitching shined in their 4-2 win at Scottsdale Stadium. Starting pitcher Robbie Ray wiggled his way out of trouble after giving up a hit and two walks in the first.

This is how Ray survived–with a triple play to get out of the inning.

Carson Seymour chimed in with a one-hit scoreless second inning. He’s also hoping to make the Giants bullpen once they break north for camp. Tristan Beck and Spencer Bivens, who were part of the Giants bullpen last year, also pitched scoreless innings.

On offense, new Giants second baseman Luis Arraez hit a single in the game in three tries. Third baseman Matt Chapman went 2-for-2 with a double. Will Brennan, who the Giants recently signed for outfield depth, contributed with an RBI single in the second inning. Through some small ball, the Giants scratched across four runs and beat the Cubs 4-2.

In the third game of spring training against the Athletics, the Giants again only gave up two runs, but this time added their first home run of the spring.

In the eighth inning, designated hitter Victor Bericoto hit a home run to right field, making the score 6-2 Giants. Bericoto also had an RBI-single in the sixth inning. This Giants prospect converted from catcher to the outfield in 2024. Bericoto signed with the Giants in 2018 as an international free agent.

On the pitching side, in the first inning, JT Brubaker gave up the only two runs the Giants allowed. Trevor McDonald, who made three appearances for the Giants last season, pitched a perfect second inning, striking out two. Marques Johnson was impressive, striking out the side in the sixth inning.

Arraez went 2-or-3 in the game, with a double, single, and 2 RBIs. Outfielder Jung Hoo Lee had a single in the game, going 1-for-3, and Luis Matos had an RBI single. The Giants defeated the A’s in dominant fashion, a rarity in the Cactus League, where the A’s have traditionally had the Giants’ number.

And on Tuesday, in the Giants’ fourth game of the spring, their pitching was better yet. The Giants beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4-1, as ace Logan Webb shined in his two innings of work.

In those two perfect innings, Webb had four strikeouts. Landon Roupp followed with a strong scoreless third inning, allowing just one walk but striking out two. Matt Gage followed in the fourth inning with a perfect frame. In the fifth inning, embattled Giants closer Ryan Walker gave up one hit, but struck out two in his scoreless inning. Walker is vying for the closer role after the Giants decided not to sign one in the free agent market. Walker will be someone to watch this spring.

With the bats, the Giants only had four hits in the game but made the most of them. Lee went 1-for-3 with an RBI single, which opened the scoring in the second inning. The Giants scored the next three and final runs on sacrifice flies, including one from catcher Patrick Bailey. Bailey will look to improve things with the bat in 2026.

The Giants will next play on Wednesday afternoon against the Milwaukee Brewers. Game time is 12:10 p.m. from American Family Fields of Phoenix. You can listen to the game on MLB.com.