NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast with Matt Harrington: Vegas-San Jose match on hold feels like a vacation; waiting for completion of five playoff series

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@SanJoseSharks photo: San Jose Sharks Eric Fehr speaks with the media after the morning skate on Fri Apr 20th at SAP Center in preparation of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Knights have the home ice through the second round.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast with Matt Harrington:

#1 The San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights are awaiting the completion of the first round teams as five series four in the Eastern Conference and one in the Western Conference are still going as of Saturday morning. The Knights and Sharks had swept each of their series.

#2 Nashville and Colorado their series is still alive with Nashville still in the lead at 3-2. Colorado got a huge win on Friday edging out the Predators 2-1 to stay alive in the series

#3 Tampa Bay looks like they have a pretty good grip in their series with New Jersey up 3-1. They face off against each other today in Tampa Bay for game five and the Lighting could very well put it away today.

#4 The Boston Bruins a team your all too familiar with has a shot at finishing their first round of the playoffs they face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Bruins up 3-1.

#5 Washington and the Columbus Blue Jackets are all knotted up 2-2 and looking at the scores in this series three of the four games had a one goal difference.

#6 The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers have been going back and forth in this series with the Pens winning game one, Flyers win game two, Pens win games three and four and the Flyers keeping alive with a win in game five.

Matt Harrington does the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast each Saturday for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Samardzija and Williamson make memorable season debuts as Giants down Angels 8-1

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By Jeremy Kahn

What a season debut for Jeff Samardzija after beginning the season on the disabled list with a pectoral strain.

Samardzija went five innings, allowing just two hits, walking four and striking out four, as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Los Angeles Angels 8-1 at Angel Stadium Friday night.

Mac Williamson, who was tearing up the Pacific Coast League was recalled earlier in the day after Hunter Pence went on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained thumb made the most of his season debut.

After striking out in his first at-bat, Williamson hit a towering two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning to help the Giants in the opener of their three-game series in a rematch of the 2002 World Series that the Angels came from a 5-0 deficit to win Game Six and won their only World Championship the next evening with a 4-1 victory.

Nick Hundley got the night started, as he hit his first home run of the season in the top of the second inning. Hundley drove in another run in the top of the eighth inning, as he hit a double off the left field wall.

Andrew McCutchen hit his second three-run home run of the season in the fifth inning, as the Giants broke the game wide-open, as they scored six runs in the inning. Austin Jackson also added a run-scoring in the frame.

Todd Heaney was cruising into the top of the fifth inning, despite the Hundley home run in the top of the second inning.

Heaney let the first five batters get to him, as Williamson hit a two-run home run and his night was done, when McCutchen launched that three-run home run.

Shohei Otani picked two of the five Angels hits, including the first hit of the game off of Samardzija in the bottom of the second inning.

Albert Pujols doubled off the left-center field wall for his 2,991sthit, leaving him just nine shy of the magical 3,000 hit club. The double by Pujols was his 623rdof his career, tying him for 11thplace in Major League history with Hank Aaron.

Mike Trout broke up the shutout in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he hit his seventh home run of the season off of Pierce Johnson.

NOTES: Derek Holland will try again for his first win of the season on Saturday night, as he takes the mound for the Giants, while Garrett Richards will make his first ever start against the Giants.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Angels will face each other in Game 2 Saturday night at 6:07 pm PT.

Moreland’s Grand Slam Continues Graveman’s Not-So-Grand 2018, A’s Fall to Red-Hot Red Sox 7-3

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By Matthew Harrington

OAKLAND, Calif. — Kendall Graveman’s woes continued Friday night at the Coliseum. The Oakland A’s opening day starter failed to record an out deeper than the fifth inning for the fifth time in as many 2018 starts. Graveman gave up six runs to the Majors’ best offense, the Boston Red Sox, in a 7-3 A’s loss. The Red Sox (17-2) continue to hold the best record in baseball.

The A’s (9-11) took a three-run lead off former Athletic Drew Pomeranz, who was making his 2018 debut in the first inning, but the Red Sox rode a three-run Jackie Bradley Jr. homer and a Mitch Moreland grand slam to continue an eight-game win streak. Jed Lowrie went 4-5, adding to his American League lead in RBIs with 22.

Graveman (0-4, 10.07 ERA) entered play with a 9.87 ERA, more than a run an inning, and somehow managed to see it rise to 10.07. He lasted longer Friday night than he had in his previous two starts. The sinkerballer went four innings in a 10-8 loss to the Mariners April 14th and lasted just 3 1/3 innings in a 6-1 defeat to the Angels on April 8th. He departed the game Friday with the bases loaded after coughing up four straight hits with no outs in the 6th after retiring 11 straight batters to enter the inning.

Manager Bob Melvin called for reliever Emilio Pagan with the score tied 3-3 and Graveman responsible for the three runners on base. It didn’t take long for Graveman to learn his fate on the night, with Pagan grooving an 83 miles per hour slider that Mitch Moreland crushed to the right field bleachers for a 7-3 Red Sox lead. The Red Sox lead the majors with five grand slams after hitting zero in 2017.

The Red Sox found it easy to string together hits off Graveman, using a trio of hits in consecutive bats to erase their early 3-0 deficit. After Graveman got Mitch Moreland out on strikes to open the second, Rafael Devers and Eduardo Nunez hit back-to-back singles. Bradley Jr. then squared up on a 2-2 cutter, taking the righty to right field for his second long ball of the year.

The A’s had Pomeranz on the ropes early, with the lefty looking like he wasn’t going to last more than an inning in his first start after returning from a mild flexor strain that sidelined him since mid-Spring Training. Stephen Piscotty scored on Jed Lowrie’s RBI double, Matt Chapman knocked in Lowrie with a single and Mark Canha singled home Chapman for a 3-0 lead.

Pomeranz returned to form too late to factor into the outcome, finishing the game with 3 2/3 innings in the books and seven strikeouts. He gave way to eventual winner Hector Velazquez (3-0, 2.70), the Red Sox starter turned long man. Oakland wouldn’t score again the rest of the game despite loading the bases in the seventh inning off the right hander from Mexico. Matt Barnes came in to the inning with two outs, striking out pinch-hitter Matt Joyce to end the threat. The A’s wouldn’t pose a threat the rest of the night.

Oakland’s best shot at taking a piece out of the league’s best team standings-wise comes Saturday night at the Coliseum. Lefty Sean Manaea takes the bump for the Green and Gold. The Throwin’ Samoan enters play with a scant 1.63 ERA after a brilliant start to the year and an early delivery on the promise that made him the center piece of the Ben Zobrist trade. He’ll draw up against early Cy Young contender Chris Sale. Sale has a 1-0 record and a 1.23 ERA.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs podcast with Joe Lami: Bruins go up 3-1 with win over Leafs; Caps tie series with CBJs; Who will be the favorite between Vegas and San Jose?

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On the NHL podcast with Joe:

#1 The Boston Bruins go up three games to one over the Toronto Maple Leages with a 3-1 win Thursday night at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Bruins goals were scored by Jake DeBrusk, Tony Krug, Brad Machand

#2 Washington and Columbus series is tied at two as the Caps got a convincing win past the CBJs 4-1 Thursday night. The Caps got goals from Evgeny Kurznetsov, Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, and TJ Oshie.

#3 The Western Conference playoff matchup says Minnesota is at Winnipeg for Game 5 as the Jets have a 3-1 lead over the Wild.

#4 The Nashville Predators lead the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 in their series’ Game 5 is tonight in Nashville. The Predators could advance tonight.

#5 The San Jose Sharks and Las Vegas Golden Knights are both coming off sweeps and face each other once the NHL first round games are decided. Joe tells who he likes in this match.

Joe Lami does the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: No hitting, no offense for Giants in loss to Diamondbacks

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On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 The San Francisco Giants continue to flounder on offense as they lose to the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 on Thursday night at Chase Field.

#2 Up and down, the San Francisco line up the hitters. You expect to connect have struggled against Arizona pitching namely Thursday starter Zach Greinke, who went seven innings, three hits and gave up a run kept the Giants’ lineup off balance.

#3 Pitcher Jeff Samardzija is scheduled to come back and pitch his first game of the season. Manager Bruce Bochy says Samardzija is on schedule and his rehab has been going smoothly.

#4 Madison Bumgarner had three pins removed for his pinky finger, which was fractured four weeks ago in spring training. Doctors say Bumgarner could be throwing in two weeks.

#5 Giants outfielder Hunter Pence said his thumb injury is preventing him from getting some good swings at the plate and holding him back. Pence has only one hit and 12 strikeouts in his last 20 at-bats.

Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Belt homers, but Giants fall to Diamondbacks 3-1

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By Jeremy Harness

Brandon Belt picked up where he left off on Thursday. Unfortunately, the rest of his teammates did not.

The San Francisco Giants could not follow up on their dramatic extra-innings win from the night before, and the Arizona Diamondbacks came back to claim the three-game series with a 3-1 win over the Giants inside of Chase Field Thursday night.

The solo home run that Belt hit in the top of the second inning would be the only real mistake that Arizona starter Zack Greinke made. The right-hander gave up only that one on three hits over seven solid innings.

Meanwhile, Ty Blach had a solid outing himself, but it was not enough to offset Greinke’s. The lefty went six innings and surrendered a pair of run on six runs, walking three and striking out four.

The Diamondbacks tied the game when Davis Peralta’s single scored Jeff Mathis in the third, and then they took the lead for good three innings later, when A.J. Pollock launched a solo homer into the stands in left-center off Blach.

After Blach exited the game, Ketel Marte took reliever Reyes Moronta deep with a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh.

The Giants’ bullpen was otherwise solid, as Moronta and Sam Dyson combined to give up only that one hit over two innings. Unfortunately, the G9iants could not come through at the plate, as Arizona’s bullpen picked up where Greinke left off.

Two Diamondbacks relievers gave up only a pair of hits over the last two innings and struck out four hitters.

The Giants begin a new three-game set Friday night. Game 1 between the Giants and Angels is scheduled for 7:07 pm PT.

Roadrunners’ late goal upends Barracuda 4-2 in Game 1 of AHL playoffs

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By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — A heartbreaking ending wasn’t what the San Jose Barracuda (0-1) deserved on a night where they were the more aggressive team, yet that was their fate as the Tuscon Roadrunners (1-0) received the game-winning goal from Lane Pederson late in the third period to defeat San Jose 4-2 in Game 1 of the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs on Thursday evening at the SAP Center.

Michael Bunting came into the left slot and fed a pass over to Pederson, who was able snap home a shot between the five-hole of Cuda goalie Antoine Bibeau (0-1) with just 1:15 to play in the third period.

San Jose would control the first 10 minutes of the first period as they had quality scoring chances from captain John McCarthy on a wraparound attempt and Alexander True’s point blank chance from the right face off circle, both stymied by Roadrunners goalie Adin Hill (1-0).

“You can’t be disappointed in the effort,” said head coach Roy Sommer. “We had 14 grade A’s (scoring chances) in the second (period). I’m disappointed in the loss, but there was a lot more good than bad in that game.”

Tuscon would be the one to draw first blood at the 11:04 mark of the first period. Dakota Memis took a cross-ice feed from Carter Camper on an odd-man rush. Memis skated in from the right slot and snapped home a shot top-shelf past Bibeau for a 1-0 lead.

The Cuda had a chance early on in the second period to tie up the game when they had a 4-on-3 power play opportunity. Hill was under siege from a barrage of shot attempts by San Jose, but survived it, thanks to a combination of blocked shots by his penalty kill and some good glove work by the Tuscon netminder.

True continued to stay red hot for the Cuda. With Camper in the sin bin for tripping, Tim Heed fired a shot from the point that deflected off Hill onto the stick of a crashing True and he poked home the rebound past Hill for a power play goal at the 9:33 mark of the second period. It was True’s third goal in the past two games. Helewka received the secondary assist.

“Good play by Helewka on the half wall getting the puck off to Heeder (Tim Heed),” said True about his first goal in the playoffs. “I saw that he had a good lane and he made a perfect shot. The rebound just happened to land on my stick, a pretty easy tap in.”

The Roadrunners needed only 23 seconds to regain the lead. Joel Hanley fed Ryan MacInnis a pass in the neutral zone. MacInnis drove the down the right side of the boards and skated into the middle of the crease, where he slid a backhander past Bibeau at the 9:56 mark.

Despite outshooting the Roadrunners 22-6 and outchancing them in the second period, San Jose would head into the second intermission down by a goal.

“It’s a little frustrating because I think we played a complete game,” said McCarthy. “They (Tuscon) buried their chances and we had a lot of chances we didn’t bury. That’s something we gotta look to going forward (for game two). But as far as the compete level and being positionally sound, I thought we did a good job.”

The Cuda would get the equalizer when Heed sent in a shot on goal that rebounded back out to the end of the right faceoff circle. Helewka spun around and fired it back toward the net where it hit off Sasha Chmelevski’s chest into the net for the tying goal at the 5:16 mark of the third period. It was Helewka’s second assist on the night.

“It just hit me in the chest,” said Chmelevski. “When you go hard to the net, sometimes you get those fortunate bounces. It was obviously a huge goal (at the time), but unfortunately we couldn’t get the win today.”

Dylan Strome completed the scoring with an empty-net goal with 13 seconds left in the game.

Hill, who was the best player for the Roadrunners, made 36 saves on 38 shots for the victory. Bibeau made 20 saves on 23 shots in suffering the tough luck loss.

“I think we definitely have confidence going into the next game, knowing that we can definitely dominate the game,” said Chmelevski.

GAME NOTES: San Jose went 1/4 on the power play. Tuscon was 0/2.

McCarthy re-signed a one-year extension deal with the Barracuda before the game.

Rourke Chartier suffered an upper-body injury when he was high-sticked in the face with under two minutes remaining in the second period.

San Jose was 5-2-0-1 against Tuscon during the regular season.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda look to earn a split in the series in Game 2 of the first Round of the Calder Cup Playoffs on Saturday, April 21 at 7 pm PT at SAP Center.

Warriors take 3-0 series lead with 110-97 rout of Spurs

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By: Eric He

Behind lockdown defense and 26 points from Kevin Durant, the Warriors beat the Spurs 110-97 on Thursday night to take a 3-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series. They are one win away from a sweep and a trip to the second round.

The Warriors used a stellar third quarter to take control of the game, making a run out of halftime to go up by double digits and take a 12-point lead into the fourth. Klay Thompson’s shooting helped close the deal. His deep three off an offensive rebound kept the Warriors ahead by double digits, and he finished with 19 points.

The two teams were fairly even in the first half as both sides struggled offensively. The Warriors could not buy a 3-pointer early, but came alive from distance in these second half.

Meanwhile, the Warriors held the Spurs to just 43 percent shooting and 21 percent from 3-point range. They clamped down on LaMarcus Aldridge and the Kawhi Leonard-less Spurs, who did not have the firepower to match the Warriors’ second half spurt.

They held their breaths late when both Durant and Shaun Livingston rolled their ankles, but both were able to walk away without assistance.Game 4 will be Sunday in San Antonio as the Warriors eye a sweep.

Dr. Harry Edwards gets named to CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame

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By: Ana Kieu

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Dr. Harry Edwards, the world-renowned sports sociologist and a San Jose State college record-setting two-sport student-athlete, is one of four inductees named to the 2018 class of the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-America Hall of Fame.

“I hold the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall Of Fame Award in extraordinary esteem because it recognizes the highest ideals and aspirations of the collegiate student-athlete: excellence in academic achievement, in athletic performance, and in community service and commitment,” said Dr. Edwards, a three-season starting center and co-captain of the 1964 SJSU basketball team and a school record-setting discus thrower in track and field.

“I am truly honored to have this recognition as part of my career legacy and as a model and example for all of those young people–particularly in places such as my hometown of East St. Louis, Illinois–who are seeking paths both to personal development and to lifetime service toward the betterment of this society and this nation.”

Washington State University and Detroit Lions placekicker Jason Hanson; Florida International University baseball infielder Mike Lowell, a three-time World Series champion in a 13-season MLB career; and University of Tennessee and two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Peyton Manning are joining Dr. Edwards as this year’s Academic All-America Hall of Fame inductees.

The induction ceremony is set for Thursday, June 28, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., during the annual CoSIDA Convention.

“On behalf of San Jose State University and our entire athletics department, we congratulate Dr. Edwards on this extraordinary recognition of his life’s work and accomplishments. He was an accomplished two-sport student-athlete; however, his true accomplishments are reflected in this award,” said SJSU director of athletics Marie Tuite.

“Today, he is an engaged participant on our campus as he shares his wisdom and knowledge with our University and, in particular, with our men’s and women’s athletics teams. His powerful comments address important issues that affect the lives of our student-athletes.”

Activism through sport, race and society
The 1964 SJSU graduate has an unparalleled professional career of activism centered on sport, race and society. He’s acknowledged as the pioneering scholar in the founding of the sociology of sport as an academic discipline.

Dr. Edwards founded the Olympic Project for Human Rights in 1967. An iconic moment that remains in the forefront of many is the action on the 1968 Olympic Games victory stand by SJSU’s Tommie Smith and John Carlos following Smith’s gold medal, world record-setting 200 meter dash performance in Mexico City, Mexico.

For 30 years, Dr. Edwards taught classes in introductory sociology such as “The Family and Race Relations” and “Sociology of Sport” at the University of California, Berkeley. As a professor emeritus, his classes were among the most popular, averaging as many as 600 students.

A NFL pioneer and the institute for the study of sport, society and social change
In 1985, Dr. Edwards was named a staff consultant to the San Francisco 49ers. In conjunction with fellow SJSU graduate and Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh, they formed the “Niners for Life” program, the first of its kind in the NFL. Dr. Edwards and Coach Walsh established the NFL’s first drug counseling program, first financial classes for players, first college degree completion program and the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. NFL head coaches Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers), Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati Bengals), Ron Rivera (Carolina Panthers), and Hue Jackson (Cleveland Browns) were graduates of the program.

More recently, Dr. Edwards, who earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from Cornell University, was awarded an honorary doctorate by SJSU in 2016. That same year, he launched the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change at SJSU dedicated to research analysis and education focused on developments at the intersection of sport and society.

“Dr. Harry Edwards, an accomplished student-athlete at San José State, became one of the most accomplished, passionate and articulate champions for human rights and social justice in this nation. We are honored by his continued engagement with his alma mater, and thrilled that he has been recognized with this honor. It is well deserved,” said SJSU vice-president for university advancement Paul Lanning.

The CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame
Since 1988, 150 distinguished student-athletes have been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame based on graduating with at least a 3.00 grade-point average on a 4.00 scale, participation in intercollegiate athletics at a high level, and showing a proven record of career success and philanthropic service. Former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley (D–NJ), former United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, former Congressman Tom McMillen (D– MD), Big East Conference Commissioner Val Ackerman, and legendary basketball coach John Wooden (1910-2010) are among the Hall of Fame members.

Dr. Edwards is the second SJSU graduate to be inducted into the Academic All-America Hall of Fame. In 2017, 1980 U.S. Olympics team women’s fencer Dr. Stacey Johnson was inducted. She’s a past president of USA Fencing and is the current president of Valencia College in Orlando, Fla.

Five new players to join San Jose State men’s basketball team for 2018-19 season

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By: Ana Kieu

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Five promising prospects are joining the San Jose State men’s basketball program beginning in the 2018 fall semester.

Those prospects include guard Zach Chappell, the 2018 Golden Empire League Most Valuable Player for Capital Christian High in Sacramento; guard Brae Ivey, a two-time first-team Orange Empire Conference choice for Riverside City College; forward Craig LeCesne, a San Bernardino Valley College transfer, who played as a freshman at Pepperdine University; forward Michael Steadman from City College of San Francisco; and center Samuel Japhet-Mathias, a transfer from Wake Forest University, according to Spartan head coach Jean Prioleau.

“All of these guys fit what we are looking for in terms of offense and defense. They are skilled, versatile and athletic players,” said Prioleau, who also is proud of the combination of in-state and geographic diversity of the Spartan newbies.

“We recruited most of these guys all year. We’re going to build this program on the guys believing in what we’re doing and the message we’ve been talking to them about.”

Chapell was a two-time Sacramento Bee All-Metro selection who earned first-team honors as a senior and second-team recognition as a junior. He averaged 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He also had shooting averages of 55.2 percent from the field, 46.8 percent from three-point range and 88.8 percent from the free throw line as a senior. His teams were the 2017 and 2018 Golden Empire League champions, respectively.

Ivey averaged 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists last season at Riverside City College. At Edison High School of Huntington Beach, Calif., he was a two-time first-team All-C.I.F. Southern Section Division I-A honoree and led the Chargers to 48 wins as a junior and a senior.

Japhet-Mathias played his first two seasons of college basketball for Wake Forest. He appeared in 23 games. As a high school prospect in London, England, he was ranked #90 overall by 247Sports. Japhet-Mathias will be eligible to see his first action as a Spartan in the 2019-20 season.

LeCesne (pronunciation: Le-sain) was a sophomore last season at San Bernardino Valley College, the 2018 Pacific Coast North Conference champion with a 27-5 overall record. He was third on the team in scoring at 11.0 points per game and second in rebounding at 5.8 per contest. At Pepperdine, LeCesne averaged 3.5 points and 2.7 rebounds in the 26 games he played during the 2017 season. The Swedish native played his high school basketball at St. James School in Hagerstown, Md. He played for his native country in the 2013 U-16 European Championships.

Steadman was the starting center for the City College of San Francisco team that won the 2018 California Community College state championship. He averaged 8.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game. Steadman played high school basketball at  James Logan High School in Union City, Calif.