San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez: Sharks look to power play and penalty kill in game plan against Canucks

San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg (3) and Vegas Golden Knights Mitch Marner (93) fight for the puck at the T Mobile Center in Las Vegas Tue Dec 23, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 Can Macklin Celebrini continue his recent scoring pace and be the X-factor for the Sharks in Vancouver?

#2 How will goaltending matchups influence the outcome — can Sharks’ Yaroslav Askarov steal a game on the road?

#3 Will the Sharks’ depth forwards like William Eklund and Collin Graf make a difference against Vancouver’s penalty kill?

#4 Can San Jose slow down Vancouver’s dominant defense and transition game, especially on the power play?

#5 What impact will special teams (power play and penalty kill) have in this matchup between the Sharks and Canucks?

San Jose Sharks podcast with Lincoln Juarez is heard Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose Sharks podcast Len Shapiro: Sharks looking to bounce back from three game skid ; Faceoff with Vancouver Saturday

The Vegas Golden Knights right winger Mark Stone (61) and the Knights had San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedelijkovic (33) reaching for pucks all night long at T Mobile Center in Las Vegas on Tue Dec 23, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Jose Sharks podcast Len Shapiro:

#1 The Sharks’ star forward Macklin Celebrini has been a key part of San Jose’s scoring attack this season — how will he match up against the Canucks’ defense and can he find space to generate offense in this road game?

#2 William Eklund has been one of San Jose’s top creators. How effective will he be at setting up scoring chances against a Canucks team that has shown strong defensive performances recently?

#3 How will goaltending by Yaroslav Askarov impact San Jose’s chances? Askarov made a big number of saves in the previous matchup with Vancouver — can he keep the Sharks competitive again in Vancouver and withstand the Canucks’ offensive presence.

#4 With Macklin Celebrini leading San Jose’s scoring this season and showing dynamic playmaking and finishing ability, how will he impact the Sharks’ offense against a Anaheim Ducks team that has given up goals in stretches — and can he set the tone early on offense?

#5 Askarov in goal and William Eklund as a top creator are key to San Jose’s prospects — will Askarov’s saves keep the Sharks close if Anaheim presses the pace, and can Eklund generate sustained scoring chances to support Celebrini?

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


Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: How Stanford stacks up against Cal Northridge Saturday

Stanford Cardinal forward Chisom Okpara (10) and the Cardinal prepare to meet the Cal State Northridge Matadors Sat Dec 27, 2025 (photo by Stanford Cardinal)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson Thu Dec 25, 2025:

#1 How will Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie control the paint against Northridge’s forwards, and can the Matadors limit his rebounding and scoring impact?

#2 Can guard Benny Gealer’s scoring and perimeter shooting provide the offensive spark Stanford needs if Northridge clogs the lane?

#3 What role will forward Chisom Okpara’s play in orchestrating the Cardinal’s offense, and how effectively can he distribute the ball against a tough CSUN defense?

#4 Will AJ Rohosy’s contributions on both ends of the floor (scoring, defense, rebounding) be a factor in Stanford controlling the tempo early in this matchup?

#5 With bench scoring from players like Chisom Okpara and Benny Gealer, can Stanford maintain offensive balance if its starters struggle to find rhythm against Cal State Northridge?

Join Michael Roberson for the Cardinal podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL podcast Jessica Kwong: Islanders Pelech gets gamer to defeat New Jersey; Rangers clobber Capitals 7-3; plus more NHL news

New York Islanders Adam Pelech scores a second period goal against the Washington Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont NY on Tue Dec 23, 2025 (AP News photo)

NHL podcast Jessica Kwong:

#1 How did Adam Pelech’s late game-winning goal lift the New York Islanders over the New Jersey Devils, and what role did David Rittich play in the victory?

#2 What sparked the New York Rangers’ offensive explosion in the third period against the Capitals, and how did Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin contribute to the win?

#3 In the Panthers’ comeback against the Hurricanes, how did Sam Reinhart’s playmaking and contributions from Anton Lundell and Sergei Bobrovsky fuel the turnaround?

#4 What impact did Steven Stamkos’ overtime goal have for the Nashville Predators in their 3-2 win over the Wild, and how did Roman Josi and Ryan O’Reilly factor into the game?

#5 The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3, how did William Nylander and Sidney Crosby influence the game for their respective teams?

Join Jessica Kwong for the NHL podcasts everyother Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor: McCaffrey and Purdy could give Bears fits all day Sunday

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw for five touchdown passes against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football Dec 22, 2025 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis (AP News photo)

San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor:

#1 Christian McCaffrey has been a central part of San Francisco’s offense, posting over 1,000 rushing yards and contributing heavily as a receiver, making him a dual-threat that defenses must plan around. How will the Bears’ defense handle 49ers star RB McCaffrey?

#2 Can Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ passing attack overcome Chicago’s pass rush and ball hawking defense?

#3 49ers tight end Goerge Kittle has been a key offensive weapon for San Francisco, and his status or performance could shape how the 49ers attack against the Chicago defense. What impact will 49ers Kittle’s health have on the game?

David Zizmor does the San Francisco 49ers podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Pistons’ First-Half Onslaught Too Much as Kings Fall 136-127

DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons on December 23, 2025 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings were back in action for their final game before Christmas on Tuesday night at Golden 1 Center. The Kings welcomed the best team in the Eastern Conference of the NBA to town as Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons took on the Kings. The Pistons have taken the league by storm the last two seasons and held the best record in the East at 23-6 heading into the contest. The Kings, fresh off their win against the Houston Rockets on Sunday, looked to make it a winning streak on Tuesday as the game tipped off at 7 p.m. PST.

The Pistons defeated the Kings 136-127 in front of a good crowd on Christmas Eve Eve.

In the first quarter, the Kings struggled mightily to contain the Pistons in the paint and in transition. The Pistons scored 24 points in the paint compared to the Kings’ 12 points and had 11 fast-break points in comparison to the Kings’ two. The Kings were dominated on both ends of the floor by a team playing on the second night of a back-to-back. The Pistons outscored the Kings 37-24 to take the early 13-point lead as Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 10 first-quarter points. DeMar DeRozan was cooking early for the Kings with 11 points, but it was proving too little.

In the second quarter, the Kings kept a better pace with the Pistons, but the Pistons continued to build their lead. The Pistons outscored the Kings 38-34 in the second to take the 75-58 lead into halftime. DeMar DeRozan was doing his best to keep the Kings in the game as he scored 23 points in the first half, which led all scorers. In the first half, the Pistons outscored the Kings in the paint 44-24 and on fast-break points 21-4.

During the second quarter, it appeared as if Keegan Murray injured his right calf as he landed awkwardly after a block. He did not come out of the locker room to start the third quarter, and shortly thereafter the Kings ruled him out for the rest of the game with a right calf injury.

In the third quarter, the Pistons continued the offensive onslaught, outscoring the Kings 40-39 in the quarter. Through three quarters, the Pistons had scored 115 points on the Kings and were in firm control with an 18-point, 115-97 lead going into the fourth.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings showed some fight and battled until the end with the Pistons. In the end, the Pistons defeated the Kings 136-127, but only after the Kings outscored the Pistons 30-21 in the fourth in an attempt to battle back into the game.

Doug Christie was pleased with his team’s effort in the second half on Tuesday, and how some of his interior changes may be leading to some success.

“If you just look at the last three games from the very first Portland game, we went big with Keegan at the three, and I think that those big guys on the interior, they help with confidence… anything that comes off of that backboard is ours. Anything that drives down the lane is going to be contested. And when you as a perimeter player have that behind you, it’s just a confidence that I can be a little bit more aggressive.”

DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with a valiant 37-point effort in the Kings’ loss as Russell Westbrook added 27 points. Tobias Harris led the scoring for the Pistons, dropping 24 in 29 minutes of action.

Up next: The Kings will stay home for the Christmas holiday and then take on the Dallas Mavericks on December 27 at 2 p.m. PST in Sacramento.

Golden Knights Rout the Sharks, Win 7-2; Celebrini, Graf Extend Point Streaks, Loss streak hits

San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg (3) and Vegas Golden Knights Mitch Marner (93) fight for the puck at the T Mobile Center in Las Vegas Tue Dec 23, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

LAS VEGAS- The San Jose Sharks were defeated 7-2 by the Vegas Golden Knights Tuesday. Bret Howden, Mitch Marner, Colton Sissons, Tomas Hertl, Mark Stone and Reilly Smith scored for the Golden Knights (17-8-10). Carter Hart made 21 saves for the win. Macklin Celebrini and Collin Graf scored for the San Jose Sharks (17-17-3). Yaroslav Askarov started the game for San Jose and made 12 saves on 16 shots. Alex Nedeljkovic made seven saves on ten shots in the 7-2 loss at the T Mobile Center.

The loss was the third in a row for the Sharks, and the lopsided score was more reminiscent of last season than this one. “When you’re chasing a game down five nothing, after the first against a team like that, it’s tough sledding,” said Ryan Reaves after the game. He described the Sharks’ game as “Doing everything the exact opposite of what we talked about before the game.”

Bret Howden started the scoring at 1:49. Skating into the zone, Howden passed the puck to Braeden Bowman, who passed it right back for Howden’s snap shot. An assist also went to Reilly Smith.

Next up was Mitch Marner with a power play goal at 9:07. From the hash marks, Marner sent the puck to the net and it went off of SJ21’s skate. Assists went to Noah Hanifin and Pavel Dorofeyev.

At 11:37, Colton Sissons made it 3-0. Skating into the zone two-on-one with Keegan Kolesar, trading passes, Sissons scored with a wrist shot from close in. An assist also went to Brandon Saad.

Tomas Hertl scored with a snap shot at 14:57 from the edge of the faceoff circle. An assist went to Dorofeyev.

The Sharks pulled Askarov out after that goal and sent in Nedeljkovic. On the first shot Nedeljkovic faced, Mark Stone scored with a backhand. Assists went to Ivan Barbashev and Kaeden Korczak.

At the end of the first period, The Sharks had just five shots on goal to Vegas’s 17. The Sharks toook two penalties and Vegas took one.

Macklin Celebrini trimmed the Vegas lead by one at 6:49 of the second period. Celebrini caught a pass in the slot and took his shot. That pass came from Tyler Toffoli.

Reilly Smith restored the five-goal lead at 18:50 with a slap shot off a pass from Korczak. An assist also went to Bowman.

In the second period, the Sharks had even fewer shots on goal, only four. Vegas had just five. The Sharks took the only penalty in the second.

Mitch Marner scored his second of the game at 5:22 of the third. Marner skated into the zone with Stone and Barbashev three-on-two. Marner, in the middle, caught a pass from Stone and scored with a wrist shot.

Collin Graf scored his tenth of the season at 8:04. Graf scored on a rebound from Toffoli’s shot. An assist also went to Alexander Wennberg.

The shots in the third were 14-4 San Jose.

The Sharks next play on Saturday in Vancouver at 7:00 PM PT against the Canucks.

San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor: 49ers leave little doubt in crushing the Colts on Monday Night Football 48-27

San Francisco 49ers tight end Christian McCaffrey (23) bolts past the Indianapolis Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu (97) and and defensive tackle Grover Steward (90) in the first half at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis (AP News photo)

San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor:

#1 The San Francisco 49ers (11-4) left little doubt and left it all on the Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis with a crushing 48-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts (8-7) on Monday Night Football.

#2 San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy had the hot hand and lots of protection throwing for five touchdown passes in getting the win against the Colts.

#3 Next up for the 49ers the Chicago Bears (11-4) at Levi Stadium on Sunday Night Football Dec 28th at 5:25pm PT. The Bears have won seven of their last eight games could this be a game that could go right down to the wire?

David Zizmor does the San Francisco 49ers podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Abracadabra: The Golden State Warriors Beat The Orlando Magic, 120-97

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 makes a reverse layup in the first quarter of their NBA game against the Orlando Magic at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (Photo Credits to Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – The Golden State Warriors defeated the Orlando Magic 120-97 on Tuesday night at Chase Center, pulling away in the fourth quarter for a major home victory on City Edition Night.

The Golden State was wearing Nike NBA City Edition uniforms, which pay tribute to the team’s Oakland history. The jerseys feature Oakland’s iconic tree, which represents strength and growth, while the shorts reflect the Bay Bridge’s suspension cables, highlighting both the team’s history and its present.

Both squads entered the game with momentum after breaking their losing streaks two days prior, and their sense of urgency to keep winning was evident. The Warriors began the game with a starting lineup of Moses Moody, Quinten Post, Jimmy Butler III, Draymond Green, and Stephen Curry.

Curry added another milestone to his remarkable career, extending his streak of 70 consecutive games with a made three-point field goal, the NBA’s longest active streak, after hitting a three in the first half.

Despite the historic moment, the Golden State struggled to shoot from beyond the arc early on. In the first half, the Warriors shot 3-of-18 (16.7%) from three-point range and committed five turnovers, matching their turnover total at halfway the previous game. However, Golden State took a small 58-57 lead into halftime, relying on defensive tenacity and interior scoring. Moses Moody led the Warriors at halftime with 11 points, going 4-for-6 from the floor, including 2-for-4 from three.

Golden State regained its flow after halftime thanks to Stephen Curry’s third-quarter eruption. Curry scored 15 points in the third, helping the Warriors gain momentum and take an 84-81 lead with little over two minutes left in the quarter.

The game was physical throughout, with both teams constantly attacking the paint. Each team finished with more than 40 points in the paint, as hustle plays, loose balls, and contested possessions defined the night. Every basket felt earned, with early holiday-level passion on both sides of the court.

The Warriors blew up the game early in the fourth quarter. Orlando was scoreless for the first three minutes, while Golden State went on a 10-0 run to increase their lead. Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody gave energy and crucial scoring down the line, as Orlando missed its final eight attempts.

Golden State’s confidence grew as the quarter went on. Four Warriors scored in double digits, and the squad forced 17 Orlando turnovers before the halfway point of the fourth quarter. With perimeter shooting still poor, Golden State focused on the interior, scoring 60 points in the paint in the final two minutes of play.

It was pretty clear Golden State won when the score hit 113-94. The Warriors relied on hustling, ball movement, and key bench performances to capitalize on their minutes and stay focused until the final buzzer.

Golden State won 120-97, improving to 9-4 at home. The Warriors’ mentality was based on resilience and toughness in the paint, and they delivered, limiting the Orlando Magic to 14 points in the final quarter. Stephen Curry led Golden State with 26 points, going 10-for-23 from the floor and adding six assists and three rebounds. With the victory, the Warriors returned to .500 for the first time since December 12th, extending their winning run to two games.

Golden State will now focus on a big game on Christmas Day, when the Warriors face the Dallas Mavericks at 2 p.m., live on ABC/ESPN. The game will be the Warriors’ first look at No. 1 overall draft pick Cooper Flagg, who came in averaging 18.8 points per game, and former Golden State, 4-time NBA Champion, Klay Thompson returns to the Bay.

San Jose Barracuda podcast Marko Ukalovic: The battle continues between the Reign and Barrcuda Saturday at Tech CU

San Jose Barrcuda host the Ontario Reign at Tech Cu on Sat Dec 27, 2025 (San Jose Barracuda photo)

San Jose Barracuda podast with Marko Ukalovic:

#1 The San Jose Barracuda were in command with a three goal with a win over the Ontario Reign 6-3 Sunday at the Toyota Center.

#2 The Barracuda with the win improve to 17-9-1-1 second in the AHL Pacific Division behind the first place Colorado Eagles. The Barracuda are only three points behind the Eagles for that coveted first place spot.

#3 Marko, the Barracuda got goals in the first period from Jimmy Hunington for his fifth goal, Kasper Halttunen scored his sixth goal, and Shane Bowers picked up his first goal of the season what’s your impression of these scorers and that opening period.

#4 The Barracuda would add three more insurance goals with Filip Bystedt scoring his eighth goal in the second period. In the third period the Barracuda scored twice with Patrick Giles with his fifth goal, Pavol Regenda scored his fourth goal for the Barracuda’s sixth goal of the game.

#5 Two days after Christmas the Barracuda are at it again on Sat Dec 27th against the Ontario Reign at Tech CU. You’ve had a chance to see these two teams match up how do you see this match this Saturday?

Join Marko Mondays for the San Jose Barracuda podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com