Barracuda fall 6-4 to Tucson Roadrunners, Huntington 2 goal game

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San Jose Barracuda vs Tucson Roadrunners on Friday October 9th at Tech Cu Arena (via sjbarracuda/flickr)

By Madison Montez

SAN JOSE–Another tough loss for the San Jose Barracuda on Friday night losing to the visiting Tucson Roadrunners 6-4 at Tech CU. The loss was San Jose’s second in their last three games.

San Jose opened up the scoring when Captain Jimmy Huntington. Filip Bystedt recording the lone assist. Tucson tied the game at 1-1 when Zac Jones scored his first AHL goal. Joshua Roy recorded the primary assist while Gabe Smith recorded the secondary assist. Roadrunners’s Cameron Hebig scored his first goal of the season to make it 2-1 Tucson.

Tucson kept the foot on the gas making it 3-1 to make it their third player scoring their first goal of the season, Caleb Desnoyers. T.J Iginla recorded the lone assist. Cutting the Roadrunners’s lead down to 3-2, Filip Bystedt, who assisted on the Huntington goal, scored to make it a one goal game.

The dedicated Tucson Roadrunners kept the scoring up early in the second period. Just six minutes into the second period, Ben McCartney scored the first powerplay goal of the game. Vadim Moroz recorded the primary assist and Gabe Smith recorded his second assist of the night.

The Birthday Boy Brendan Hoffman scored his first goal of the season to make it a one goal game, again. This time 4-3. Phillip Sinn recorded the primary assist while Anthony Vincent recorded the secondary assist. Two minutes later, the Tech CU crowd erupted when Jimmy Huntington scored his second goal of the night to tie the game at 4-4.

Ethan Cardwell recorded the primary assist while Eric Pohlkamp recorded the secondary assist. Tucson quickly regained their lead to make it 5-4 when Vadim Moroz scored his second goal of the season. Gabe Smith recorded the primary assist while Ben McCartney recorded the secondary assist.

The gritty Tucson Roadrunners kept shooting and made it a 6-4 game when Artem Duda shot from the blue line and scored. Gabe Smith recorded the primary assist while Cameron Hebig recorded the secondary assist. Kevin Rooney sealed the win for Tucson when he scored an empty netter.

After the first period, San Jose outshot Tucson 12-10. After the second period, shots were 12 a piece. After the third period, San Jose outshot Tucson 12-9.

Two games into the season, San Jose ranks third on the powerplay and ninth shorthanded in the Pacific Division. On the other side, the Tucson Roadrunners ranked last on the powerplay and third shorthanded. Friday night, San Jose went 2/5 and Tucson went 2/3.

The starting goaltender matchup Friday night was Eric Comrie for San Jose vs Michael Hrabal for Tucson. Recording Friday night’s win, Hrabal made 32 saves on 36 shots. Recording tonight’s loss, Comrie made 24 saves on 30 shots.

THREE STARS OF THE GAME:

  1. Gabe Smith
  2. Jimmy Huntington
  3. Cameron Hebig

The San Jose Barracuda will be back in action Saturday at 6:00pm PDT against this same Tucson Roadrunners team. The goalie matchup looks like it’ll be.for Tucson Michael Hrabal and for San Jose Eric Comrie at Tech CU.

WNBA semi finals: Aces Get Swept Losing Game Three To Golden State 87-77

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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) who did most of the heavy lifting for the Aces couldn’t do it alone gets defended by the Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thompson (right) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas in game 3 round 2 of the WNBA semi finals on Fri Oct 9, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

Friday evening the Las Vegas Aces faced their biggest challenge of the season. Trailing 2-0 in their semi-final matchup with the Golden State Valkyries Friday night’s game is a win or go home scenario.

In the first two games of this series, they struggled defensively not playing their best ball by any stretch of the imagination. This series. began at Chase Center in games one and two and Friday night’s game was on the Aces home court, Michelob ULTRA Arena.

The Valkyries won it in game three for a three game sweep in the best of five series with a 87-77 victory to advance to the WNBA Finals.

The Aces had the lead after the first quarter 19-16 their first lead of this series. They went on to extend their lead 45-36 at the half outscoring the Valkyries 26-20 in a hotly contested first half of basketball.

Golden State began to turn this game around in the third quarter taking their first lead of the game 53-52 in this high stakes contest. Going into the all-important fourth quarter the Aces needed to prevail or face the end of their season. They would be fighting to stay alive in this series.

The Aces barely outscored Golden State 19-18 in the fourth quarter and as the clock ran out on regulation this game was tied at 71.

Las Vegas stumbled through the overtime losing the game and the series. It had been a real struggle for the Aces in these semi-finals. The Valkyries are headed to the WNBA finals taking on the Atlanta Dream who also swept their series with the New York Liberty Friday.

GAME RECAP

The Las Vegas Aces faced their biggest challenge of the season taking on the second-seeded Golden State Valkyries facing elimination. They came out with a lot of energy playing at home their sixth player of sorts.

The Arena was bursting at the seams as fans watched the Aces as they took their first lead after a first quarter in this series 19-16. The Aces came out strong realizing they were on the edge of a precipice and had to win this game pushing the series into a game four.

They outscored the Valkyries in the second quarter 26-20 and led at the half 45-36. They were dictating the game with a lot of pace in the first half and would be looking to push that even further in the second half of the game.

There would be changes in the second half for Golden State looking to turn the game around and the Aces would need to defend those changes.

The Aces largest led of the game had been the nine points. The Valkyries had scored more points in the paint than Las Vegas although the Aces were shooting at 54% to the Golden State’s 40%. Las Vegas was looking more like themselves in game three. They would be looking to limit the turnovers in the second half.

A’Ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray were the only two players in double digits in the first half for both teams. Wilson had 11 and Gray with 15.

In the early minutes of the third quarter, the Aces took their first double digit lead of the game 47-36. The Valkyries fought back and with just over three minutes left on the clock it was a one-point game Golden State taking a 48-47 lead their first of the night.

The Valkyries continued to extend their lead and when the quarter came to an end they had a slim one-point lead 53-52. The Aces offense was faltering and the Valkyries were really heating up. Golden State had outscored the Aces in the quarter 17-7 and Las Vegas had to turn that around.

So far in this game, the Valkyries Gabby Williams had been held to only 6 points. Mid-way through the fourth quarter the Aces had taken a 62-57 lead. This would be a photo-finish. It had been a relatively low-scoring game for the Aces big three, Wilson, Young and Gray despite leading. The Las Vegas Aces bench had also been quiet.

The Valkyries started to match the Aces point for point and with three minutes left in the game; it was up for grabs. The Aces were hanging onto a 69-63 lead with just under three left on the clock.

The Las Vegas “big three” would have to step up like never before. A Wilson turnover resulted in a Golden State basket that tied up this game at 69 with under two minutes left in the game.

Las Vegas continued to sputter offensively. The Valkyries took a 71-69 lead with 32.8 seconds left in this game. The next Las Vegas possession would be critical and they could ill-afford any more misses.

Jackie Young tied up the game at 71 with 26 ticks left in this game. With 3.9 left on the clock the Aces had the final possession of regulation. Las Vegas was not able to cash in and this game went into overtime; five more minutes of basketball.

The Valkyries turned it into another gear in the overtime taking a 79-73 lead. Mistakes at the end of the game turned it all in the Valkyries favor. With under a minute left in the game, Gabby Williams hit the clincher giving Golden State an 81-73 lead. The final was 87-77 and the Valkyries had swept the defending champs and were headed into the WNBA finals.

GAME NOTES

The Las Vegas Aces got off to a strong start with A’Ja Wilson leading the way. This was a close game particularly in the second half with Golden State staying within striking distance. Some Aces misses late in the game allowed the Valkyries to take the lead and start taking control.

The biggest reason for the Aces loss was that Golden State was able to keep the pressure on Las Vegas and finish the game stronger.

It was especially disappointing for Las Vegas being the defending champs and needed this win to keep their championship hopes alive. The Golden State Defense made it difficult for A’Ja Wilson.

They used their length and physical defense to force Wilson to work really hard for her shots. Former Ace Kiah Stokes knew Las Vegas’s offensive patterns and helped to make life pretty miserable for Wilson. She had an amazing series. The Valkyries had more scoring help; their bench outscored the Aces off the bench 34-14.

The Aces just plain struggled to put together a complete game. They came so very close in game two and had a nice first half in this game but could not close it out. They had a fall behind and try to catch pattern that put so much pressure on their offense. A’Ja Wilson was 3 of 14 in the second half. The Valkyries put a lot of pressure on Wilson who finished with 21 points, Young with18 and Gray with 17.

It has been a great season for the Las Vegas Aces that ended in a most unexpected way. The Aces all look forward to another winning season in 2027. We as always appreciate having the opportunity to cover this amazing team.

San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez: Sharks hang on in OT edge Blues 3-2 without Celebrini

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San Jose Sharks’ Barclay Goodrow (23) looks to pass as St. Louis Blues’ Brandon Carlo (25) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 Darnell Nurse’s overtime heroics how important was Nurse’s game winning goal at 1:03 of overtime that was assisted by Ivar Stenberg, in securing San Jose’s 3-2 comeback win.

#2 Tyler Toffoli’s offensive performance. How did Toffoli’s goal and assist help the Sharks stay competitive after falling behind 1-0 in the first period.

#3 Collin Graf’s third period equalizer what did Graf’s goal at 6:05 of the third period demonstrate about San Jose resilience after Dillon Dube gave St Louis 2-1 lead with a shorthanded goal.

#4 Alex Nedeljkovic’s performance in goal. How sigificant were Nedeljkovic’s 24 saves in his season debut, particularly as the Sharks played without captain Macklin Celebrini for the second consecutive game?

#5 San Jose defensive effort. How crucial was Keifer Sherwood’s late shot block against Robert Thomas in preventing a potential Blues game winning goal and allowing the Sharks to reach overtime?

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

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Kings Bus back to Burbank Airport singing “Say Goodbye to Hollywood”; Lakers take exhibition game 114-110 over Kings

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Sacramento Kings Nique Clifford (10) reaches up to block the basketball against Los Angeles Lakers Bronny James (9) in exhibition play at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thu Oct 8, 2026 (AP News photo)

Kings’ Fourth-Quarter Comeback Falls Short in L.A.

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Kings turned a 16-point deficit into a four-point finish Thursday night, but their fourth-quarter comeback fell short as the Los Angeles Lakers held on for a 114-110 victory. Sacramento’s late surge gave Los Angeles plenty to worry about, especially after the Kings struggled to find their offensive rhythm during the first half.

Luka Dončić led the Lakers with 23 points, while Sandro Mamukelashvili contributed 19 and Jake LaRavia added 17. Precious Achiuwa paced Sacramento with 18 points, followed by Daeqwon Plowden with 15 and Maxime Raynaud with 13.

The Kings opened with a systematic surge around the basket. Achiuwa scored twice on second-chance opportunities, while Raynaud contributed a jumper and a dunk to give Sacramento a 10-7 advantage midway through the first quarter. However, Dončić quickly answered, and Los Angeles regained control behind a three-pointer from LaRavia.

Sacramento’s bench provided some late energy. E. Sharp connected on consecutive three-pointers, including a 29-footer that brought the Kings within one at 17-16. Jonathan Mogbo added a layup with four seconds remaining, leaving Sacramento trailing just 21-20 after the opening period.

The second quarter saw the Lakers swarm with no forgiveness.

Los Angeles opened the period with a 19-5 scoring advantage over the first 5:49, stretching its lead to 40-25 following a three-pointer from Matisse Thybulle. Dončić connected from 31 feet, while Quentin Grimes and Mamukelashvili also contributed from beyond the arc.

Sacramento struggled with turnovers and missed opportunities, particularly from long distance. Raynaud provided activity on the glass, but the Kings repeatedly surrendered possessions before establishing an offensive rhythm.

Zach LaVine helped steady the offense with a pair of dunks and a driving reverse layup. Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. then supplied eight points during the final 1:09 of the half, including consecutive three-pointers and his own blink or you’ll miss it, layup.

Still, the Lakers carried a 57-43 advantage into halftime, with Dončić accounting for 17 points.

Sacramento showed renewed determination after intermission. De’Andre Hunter converted a three-point play, LaVine added two free throws, and Achiuwa continued his attack. The Kings gradually reduced the deficit, with Achiuwa scoring 12 points during the third quarter.

A layup from L. Black brought Sacramento within eight at 68-60, and Achiuwa later trimmed the margin to five with another layup that made it 74-69 with 2:20 remaining.

Just when Sacramento appeared ready to complete its comeback, Los Angeles responded.

Mamukelashvili buried consecutive three-pointers during the final 35 seconds of the quarter, both assisted by Bronny James. The Lakers closed the period with a 12-1 run, restoring a commanding 86-70 advantage entering the fourth.

Plowden then provided an immediate spark for Sacramento with two three-pointers early in the final period, while Raynaud continued producing inside. The Kings eventually found another gear behind their reserves, particularly Plowden, Mogbo and Alex Karaban.

Trailing 103-87 with 5:06 remaining, Sacramento assembled an 11-0 run. Karaban connected from beyond the arc, Mogbo scored inside, and Sharp followed with a three-pointer. Plowden then buried another long-distance attempt, reducing the deficit to 103-98 with 2:55 left.

The Lakers answered with a free throw from Jaden Hardy, but Mogbo converted an alley-oop layup to make it 104-100 with exactly two minutes remaining.

Los Angeles regained some breathing room through a dunk from W. Kyle and a putback by Jarred Vanderbilt. Sacramento continued battling, with Plowden scoring twice inside during the final minute.

However, Los Angeles protected its advantage at the free-throw line. Bronny James converted two attempts with 34 seconds remaining, while Hardy and Cole Swider added points from the stripe in the closing seconds.

Plowden scored at the buzzer to establish the final pair of points.

Despite the defeat, Sacramento’s reserves demonstrated their ability to generate offense under pressure. Mogbo finished with 12 points, while Clifford distributed six assists and Plowden scored all 15 of his points during the fourth quarter.

For the Kings, the late comeback offered encouragement, but their second-quarter struggles and Los Angeles’ closing burst in the third ultimately left too much ground to recover.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

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. 

NHL podcast Len Shapiro: Canes Stankoven’s hat trick helps put away Canucks 7-2; Sharks Nurse gets game winner in OT over Blues; plus more news

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Carolina Hurricanes Sean Walker (26) congratulates Logan Stankoven (22) after scoring a second period goal against the Vancouver Canucks at Lenovo Center in Raleigh NC on Thu Oct 8, 2026 (AP News photo)

NHL podcast Len Shapiro:

#1 What is the small sample sizes and early surprises so far?

#2 Logan Stankoven scored an NHL first career hat trick and helped the Carolina Hurricanes defeat the Vancouver Canucks 7-2 at Lenovo Center on Thursday.

#3 San Jose Sharks Darrell Nurse scored the winning overtime to give the Sharks a lift over the St Louis Blues 3-2 without Macklin Celebrini.

#4 The New York Islanders Bo Horvat scored two goals to help defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 on Thursday night. Isles goaltender Ilya Sorokin stopped 22 shots as the Isles picked up their second win in three games.

#5 The Boston Bruins David Pastrnak picked up his first two goals for the 26-27 season with two assists as the Bruins crushed the Utah Mammoth 6-1 at Boston Garden on Thursday night. Matthew Poitras, Casey Mittelstadt, Mason Lohrei, and Morgan Geekie all scored for Boston.

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

Sharks Beat Blues 3-2 in OT, Nurse Scores GWG

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San Jose Sharks Darrell Nurse (25) scores the game winning goal past St Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer (30) and Robert Thomas (18) during the overtime stanza at Enterprise Arena in St Louis on Thu Oct 8, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks defeated the St. Louis Blues Thursday, 3-2 in overtime. Tyler Toffoli, Collin Graf and Darnell Nurse scored for the Sharks. Nurse’s overtime winner was also his first goal as a Shark. Alex Nedeljkovic made 24 saves for the win.

Connor McMichael and Dillon Dube scored for the Blues. Joel Hofer made 24 saves in the loss. This was the second game in a row that the Sharks played without their captain Macklin Celebrini. He again skated with the team before the game but was not deemed ready to play.

Connor McMichael scored the lone first period goal at 3:52, giving the Blues a 1-0 lead. McMichael carried the puck into the zone before passing it back to Mason McTavish. McTavish sent the puck back to the net, where McMichael tipped it in. Assists went to McTavish and Jonatan Berggren.

At the end of the first, the shots were 11-3 St. Louis. Each team took one penalty. The Sharks had one shot on their power play and the Blues had none.

Tyler Toffoli scored the only second period goal, tying the game at 8:48. From the right side of the net, Toffoli shot his own rebound into the net. Assists went to Michael Misa and Jacob Trouba.

The middle frame was littered with penalties, with three to the Blues and one to the Sharks. The Sharks only managed two shots over those three power plays. The Blues took two shots in their one power play and three short-handed shots. The second period shot count was 12-12. The goaltenders were busy.

The Sharks started the third period with almost two minutes of power play time. Instead of taking the lead, they gave up a short-handed goal to Dillon Dube at 1:39.

It took the Sharks a few minutes to recover from that. Collin Graf tied the game at 6:05 with a snap shot from the slot, off a pass from Sam Dickinson. An assist also went to Tyler Toffoli.

The third period shots reflected a strong push from the Sharks, 11-3 San Jose.

Darnell Nurse ended the game in the Sharks’ favor with the only shot of overtime, 1:03 in. Ivar Stenberg and Alexander Wennberg got the assists.

The Sharks next play on Saturday at 1:00 PM PT against the Edmonton Oilers in San Jose.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Commissioner proposes 154 Games Season

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Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is proposing a reduced regular season schedule from 162 games to 154 games starting in 2029 (AP News file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

Commissioner’s Proposal The 154-game schedule allows for a standard weekly off-day (primarily Mondays) to benefit player health. Starting in the 2029 season. It creates a new national broadcast window to showcase top teams and players.

A shorter regular season improves October baseball with fewer weekday afternoon games, a longer best-of-seven Division Series (expanded from best-of-five), and more prime-time viewing. Allowing top seeds to pick their opponents in the first two rounds creates compelling storylines and intensifies rivalries.

Players Union Statement Players stated they are reviewing the scheduling and playoff format proposals and will respond at the bargaining table. The union criticized the league for making all its proposals contingent on a salary cap, which it views as a system that “guts player rights and compensation,” along with other anti-player measures.

An owners lockout looms, but at least the Commissioner made a proposal, which gives fans some hope. How much? We will soon find out.

NOTE: The longest work stoppage in Major League Baseball (MLB) history was the 1994–1995 MLB strike, which lasted 232 days (from August 12, 1994, to April 2, 1995)

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

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. 

Sacramento Kings podcast Bridget Mulcahy: Kings tip off with Lakers Thursday night at Crypto.com

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Sacramento Kings guard Darius Acuff Jr (5) drives on the Los Angeles Lakers. Acuff ended up with 19 points at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Mon Oct 5, 2026 (Sacramento Kings X photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Bridget Mulcahy:

#1 What went wrong for Sacramento after the Kings led early, and how did the Lakers take control?

#2 How would you evaluate Darius Acuff Jr.’s performance, particularly his team-high 19 points?

#3 What did Zach LaVine show in his preseason matchup with the Lakers, and what could the Kings need from him going forward?

#4 How did Nique Clifford and Daeqwon Plowden contribute when Sacramento tried to make a second-half comeback?

#5 What can the Kings learn from the 127–103 loss, especially regarding turnovers, defense, and their ability to contain the Lakers’ three-point shooting?

Bridget Mulcahy does the Sacramento Kings podcasts Wednesdays 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. 

Valkyries 1 Win away from WNBA Finals, beating Aces in Game 2, 83-81

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Golden State Valkryies Veronica Burton (22) takes the ball up the floor against the Las Vegas Aces in game 2 round 2 of the WNBA semi finals at Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Oct 7, 2026

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – The Golden State Valkyries take Game 2 of the WNBA Semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces, 83-81. After winning games 1 and 2, the series is now 2-0, and the Valkyries are one win away from their first trip to the WNBA Finals in franchise history. The Valkyries held a 17-point lead, but the Aces didn’t back down and were in Ballhalla. However, in the final minutes, the Valkyries were able to hang on and get the win, 83-81.

Las Vegas added a new face to their starting lineup with A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Brianna Turner, and Stephanie Talbot. After missing Game 1, Stephanie Talbot has been listed as active. Talbot has been out since August 27th due to a left leg injury. However, Talbot was cleared and ready to play.

As for Golden State, they didn’t change their starters and went with Kayla Thornton, Veronica Burton, Cecilia Zandalasini, Kiah Stokes, and Gabby Williams. Williams led the team with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Valkyries dominated the rebound game in their Game 1 victory; Golden State finished with 52 total rebounds over Las Vegas’ 25.

Valkyries Kayla Thornton gets the game going with a deep three-pointer, having Golden State strike first in Game 2 of the Semifinals. Golden State would hold Las Vegas scoreless for the first two minutes until Chelsea Gray made a three-pointer and gave the Aces their first points of the night. Valkyries Kayla Thornton would get another three-pointer to go in, her second one in the first five minutes of the game. The score halfway through the first quarter would be 10-5.

By the end of the first quarter, Golden State is up and holding the lead at 19-11. The Valkyries are still winning the rebound battle over the Aces; Golden State has 8 rebounds compared to Las Vegas’ 4. Also, Valkyries Kayla Thornton still hasn’t missed a shot from beyond the arc, going 2-of-2. Chelsea Gray and A’ja Wilson were the only players to score for the Aces.

Tiffany Hayes for Golden State started the second quarter scoring 5 straight points for them. Hayes ‘ 5-point eruption pushed the Valkyries’ lead to 13 points, 26-13. Hayes wasn’t showing any signs of slowing down; she would have 10 points in 3 minutes. At the midpoint of the second quarter, Valkyries still held a 13-point lead, 34-21.

Two back-to-back shooting fouls on Golden State, which Las Vegas quickly took advantage of. The Aces brought the lead down to single digits, a 9-point lead, 39-30. However, Thornton would strike again and make her third three-pointer of the night, and she remains shooting perfectly from deep. At the end of the first half, Valkyries held the lead by 11 points, 42-31.

Starting the third quarter, the Aces would come out ready and score 5 points in their first two possessions. They were able to bring the lead back within single digits, but the Valkyries’ shooting woke up. Valkyries Gabby Williams would make a 27-foot three-pointer to push the lead back to double digits for Golden State, 52-39.

Four minutes left of the third, Tiffany Hayes subs back in, and within 30 seconds of her playing, she would drop 4 points in that time span. Hayes would have 16 points and 2 steals with twelve minutes of game time left. On a positive note for the Aces, A’ja Wilson would drop 14 points in the third quarter, trying all her efforts to get Las Vegas back in the game. However, Golden State has led the entire time of this game.

Going into the final quarter of Game 2, the score was 66-55; the Valkyries were holding an 11-point lead on the Aces. Aces Jackie Young would get it going with a three-pointer, but the Valkyries responded with Kaitlyn Chen getting back-to-back layups to go in. Golden State would have a hard time containing Wilson down in the post, and she was able to get some shots to go in for her and the Aces. She would be able to cut the lead to 6 points, 70-64.

In the final four minutes of the game, each possession deeply mattered for both of these teams. The Aces were down as much as 17 and were now down by 5 points, 73-68. Then, with two minutes left, Las Vegas would make back-to-back three-pointers and tie the game, 74-74. Right after, Aces took their first lead of the night with A’ja Wilson getting a layup to go in, but Valkyries Williams responded with a midrange jumper.

One minute left, tied basketball game, 76-76. Valkyries Veronica Burton would make a big three-pointer to give Golden State their lead back, 79-76. That was the team’s 10th three-pointer of the night. Now, with nine seconds left on the clock, the Aces are down by three with the ball. Gray gets fouled, and since Las Vegas is in the bonus, Gray is sent to the free-throw line and makes both of her shots.

Gray brought the score 79-78, Valkyries holding a 1 point lead. The Aces had no choice but to foul the Valkyries; Kayla Thornton would shoot both of the free throws and make them. The score is now 81-78, so Las Vegas called their final timeout with one last shot to tie the game. Valkyries Burton would foul Aces Jackie Young, sending Young to the free-throw line, and Young made both of them, bringing the score to 81-80.

In the final possession of the game, Aces Jackie Young got sent to the free-throw line. Young would make the first one, but miss the second one. Her missing the second free-throw shot gave Las Vegas one more chance to tip it back in on the miss. However, the Valkyries were able to hang on and secure the rebound on Young’s miss and win the game.

Golden State Valkyries Tiffany Hayes had 21 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in their win. Games 3 and 4 will head to Las Vegas, Nevada, as the Valkyries will take on the Aces in their home. Game 3 will be on Friday, October 9th, at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on Peacock and NBCSN.

NFL podcast Jessica Kwong: Eagles OL Lane Johnson retires; Ravens Jackson day to day for Sun’s game; plus more news

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Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (88) celebrates his touchdown catch with teammate Lane Johnson (65) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

NFL podcast Jessica Kwong:

• Lane Johnson Announces Retirement: Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro offensive lineman Lane Johnson officially announced his retirement from the NFL after 14 seasons, citing shifting personal and family priorities.

• Lamar Jackson Ankle Injury: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered a left high-ankle sprain during Sunday’s 28-14 win over the Tennessee Titans. Though he is considered day-to-day, his status heading into Week 5 remains highly monitored.

• NFL Officiating Suspensions: The NFL issued rare mid-season disciplinary action against its own officiating crews, suspending referee Adrian Hill (one game) and line judge Jeff Seeman (two games) for inappropriate conduct and profane flare-ups during Week 4 matchups.

• Eagles Backfield Crisis: Following a tough loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Philadelphia Eagles are facing a severe running back shortage. Tank Bigsby is headed to injured reserve for core muscle surgery, while starter Saquon Barkley is sidelined with a hamstring injury, leaving Will Shipley as the lone healthy back on the active roster.

Join Jessica Kwong does the NFL podcast every other Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com