San Jose Barracuda vs Bakersfield Condors on Saturday January 3rd at Dignity Health Arena (via Madison Montez)
By Madison Montez
BAKERSFIELD–San Jose Baracuda couldn’t hold on losing in a shootout 2-1 in Bakersfield on Saturday. Coming down the right side, Colin White scored to give San Jose a first period 1-0 lead. His first goal since coming back from injury.
On a shot from the blue line, Josh Brown tied the game at 1-1 with four minutes left in the game. Game went into overtime but it wasn’t enough as it went to a shootout. Josh Brown was the winner, scoring the only goal in the shootout.
After the first period, San Jose who had the lead, outscored Bakersfield twelve to seven. After the second period, Bakersfield outshot San Jose thirteen to six. And after the third period, to end the game, Bakersfield outshot San Jose fifteen to thirteen.
Coming into tonight’s game, the visiting San Jose Barracuda had a 25.2% on the powerplay and a 74.5% on the penalty kill. For the home Bakersfield Condors, they had a 26.2% on the powerplay and a 80.0% on the penalty kill. In tonight’s game, neither team was able to capitalize on their opportunities. San Jose had three chances while Bakersfield had four.
Gabriel Carriere and Connor Ungar got the start in tonight’s game. Carriere came into the game with a 0-1 record against this Condors team. Recording the win/loss and making 37 saves on 38 shots, his record now moves to 0-2 against the Condors. Ungar came into the game with a 0-0 record against this Barracuda team, making his first start against San Jose. Recording the win and making 33 saves on 34 shots, his record now moves to 1-0 against the Barracuda.
THREE STARS OF THE GAME:
Josh Brown
Connor Ungar
Gabriel Carriere
The Barracuda will be back in action on Wednesday January 7th, where they will visit San Diego to take on the San Diego Gulls. The last time these two teams faced off was on Wednesday December 10th at home when they fell 3-1, Cam Lund scoring the lone goal.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy walks off the field after a tough loss in the season finale against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara on Sat Jan 3, 2026 (AP News photo)
San Francisco 49ers podcast Jeremy Harness:
#1 Jeremy how surprising is it consideirng the San Francisco 49ers just last week had quarterback Brock Purdy throw five touchdown passes on Sunday NIght Football against the Chciago Bears this week the 49ers could only muster a field goal in a 13-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on their home field in Santa Clara.
#2 If you had to put a finger on it why the Seahawks were so successful in shutting down the 49ers offense and Purdy?
#3 For Purdy he was scrambling and couldn’t get any daylight and had trouble connecting with his receivers.
#4 Purdy’s numbers for Saturday night 19-25 for 125 yards no touchdowns and one interception watching he couldn’t get even one touchdown after getting five last week had to be a shocking trasformation.
#5 Going into the post season do you see a loss like this a huge set back for the 49ers or is this a game that they can regroup from and plan for a better goal for the post season?
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy at the bottom is sacked by the Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarren Reed (middle) in the second half at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara on Sat Jan 3, 2025 (AP News photo)
San Francisco 49ers podcast Charanbir Mahal:
#1 Charanbir how surprising is it consideirng the San Francisco 49ers just last week had quarterback Brock Purdy throw five touchdown passes on Sunday NIght Football against the Chciago Bears this week the 49ers could only muster a field goal in a 13-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on their home field in Santa Clara.
#2 If you had to put a finger on it why the Seahawks were so successful in shutting down the 49ers offense and Purdy?
#3 For Purdy he was scrambling and couldn’t get any daylight and had trouble connecting with his receivers.
#4 Purdy’s numbers for Saturday night 19-25 for 125 yards no touchdowns and one interception watching he couldn’t get even one touchdown after getting five last week had to be a shocking trasformation.
#5 Going into the post season do you see a loss like this a huge set back for the 49ers or is this a game that they can regroup from and plan for a better goal for the post season?
Charanbir Mahal from INDTV USA filled in for David Zizmor who does the 49ers home and away post game podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Tampa Bay at San Jose Sharks as both teams battled in center ice for the opening period at SAP Center on Jan 3rd, 2026 (Sharks Media)
By Fernando Abarca
SAN JOSE, Calif– The San Jose Sharks (20-18-3) were ready to start the new year as the team hit the mid-point of the season, hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning (25-13-3). The Teal is trying to start off the first game of the year on a good note, but the visitors gave them a friendly reminder that they are top contenders in the Eastern Conference, and that reminder was not a friendly one crushing San Jose 7-3 Saturday.
From way before the start of the period, the Bolts came with superiority as they are on a 6-game streak, and made it to seven tonight. While for the Teal, they are on 3 3-game in a row winning streak, not bad for a team that is progressively improving.
During the first Period, the game was absolutely dominated by Tampa Bay. Brayden Point (10). Darren Raddysh (10) and Brandon Hagel (19) all contributed to a 3-0 lead within the first seven minutes of the period. The Sharks tried to get a sign of relief, scoring the lone powerr play goal of the period by the Sharks Pavol Regenda.
In the second period, the game was drawn by fights, penalties, intensity, and physicality. A total of nine penalties were given to each team for roughing and misconduct. The fight certainly set the tone of the game, but it also played a side effect role. The scoring remained in favor of Tampa Bay, with four more goals scored which two of which were those during a power play advantage.
Regenda helped the Sharks with another goal during the second period.
In the third, the Sharks were not able to bounce back, and the game remained. San Jose’s Regenda managed one goal in the third period but trailed by a comfortable margin, unable to mount a full comeback against a Lightning squad that dominated possession and capitalized on its scoring chances throughout the afternoon. Tampa Bay’s depth and execution stood out throughout the 60 minutes of Hockey.
The loss drops the Sharks in the second Wild Card spot momentarily, and marks an end to their three-game winning streak, a run that had briefly given San Jose momentum in the tightly contested Pacific Division.
The action returns Tuesday night at SAP Center against the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 7:00pm PT puck drop.
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives on the Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) in the first half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Thu Jan 1, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey:
#1 How will the Milwaukee Bucks who have been struggling and the Kings likewise handle Sunday’s game?
#2 Which Sacramento Kings player(s) will take on the scoring load without Domantas Sabonis or other injured starters?
#3 Can Sacramento’s backcourt, including Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schröder, control the tempo against Bucks’ guards?
#4 Talk about how the Kings will they will handle the Bucks Giannis Antetokoumpo?
#5 How important will bench production be for both teams in deciding this game?
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.
San Jose Sharks left wing William Eklund (72) is jubilant after scoring the winning goal in the second round of the shootout against the Minnesota Wild at SAP Center in San Jose on Wed Dec 31, 2025 (AP News photo)
San Jose Sharks podcast Mary Lisa:
#1 Can Macklin Celebrini continue his recent high-octane offense and challenge the Tampa Bay Lightning (24-13-3) defense right from the opening puck drop?
#2 How will Tyler Toffoli’s scoring touch impact the San Jose Sharks (20-17-3) in Saturday’s matchup, especially considering his clutch goal in the last season against Tampa Bay with the Sharks win over the Lightning?
#3 Will Yaroslav Askarov’s netminding be a key factor, particularly if the Lightning come out firing early?
#4 Can Collin Graf make noise offensively again and continue to grow chemistry with Celebrini and Will Smith on that forward line?
#5 What defensive adjustments will Mario Ferraro and the Sharks blueline need to contain Tampa Bay’s transition game?
One of the questions of one year contracts San Francisco Giants pitcher Justin Verlander has a second year left on his $22 million two year contract will the Giants exercise his second year or choose to opt out? (AP file photo)
One-Year Contracts are Popular this Off-season
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
The San Francisco Giants have been lukewarm in the market for free agents this winter. In an effort to strengthen their pitching staff(bullpen, they have signed four pitchers this offseason, three of whom are on one-year deals. Tyler Mahle (1year,$10M), Jason Foley (1 year, $2M), Sam Hentges (1 year, $1.4M). They “splurge” by signing Adrian Houser to a 2-year, $22 Million Contract. Last season, the Giants signed Justin Verlander to a one-year, $15 million deal; all they got from the future Hall of Famer was four wins, which cost the Giants almost $3.7 million per win.
I do not believe Verlander will be back. Obviously, the Giants cannot afford the “luxury” of carrying a future Hall of Fame pitcher at the end of his career. With these new pitcher signings, the Giants are prioritizing other arms, making his return less sure despite Verlander’s expressed desire to pitch in 2026.
If the Giants want to really get serious? They would go for Framber Valdez, but that would take a multi-year contract and around $200 Million. If you want to catch the Dodgers, you go all the way with pitching. Yoshi Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, and Roki Sasaki are the Dodgers’ rotation, and it’s lucky for the Giants that Clayton Kershaw retired. In 62 appearances vs. Los Gigantes in his Hall of Fame career, Kershaw compiled a 2.08 earned run average.
There have been a few multi-year multi-million contracts recently this winter. It is a hot pitching market, and so far, most of the largest deals have been pitchers, Dylan Cease to Toronto for (7 years $210M). Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai to Houston for 4 years, ($54M).
My prediction. We will continue this trend by teams of One-Year-deals, not only with the Giants but also with other teams. The looming 2026-2027 lockout is the reason for these short-term contracts and free agency. Players are seeking security ahead of the almost certain owners’ lockout expected around this time in 2026.
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.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874
From the second you step in the front door, the sounds of Latin America will gently seduce your ears and continue as you relax outdoors with your favorite cocktail enjoying the view. The wonderful flavors and aromas of our cuisine will not disappoint.
We use only the finest, freshest, local ingredients in every dish and every dish is prepared to order. Enjoy live mariachi music weekly and on special occasions, catch balet folklorico dance performances among other live entertainment. Come visit us and have a great time! Enjoy fast, friendly service, fantastic food & cocktails, music and allow us to share our beautiful Mexican heritage with you.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.
Cal Bears center Milos llic (8) takes the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Logan Imes (2) at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Fri Jan 2, 2026 (Cal Bears X photo)
Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva:
#1 Dai Dai Ames had a strong offensive season coming in — how would you assess his impact Friday night both in scoring and tempo for Cal he finished with 23 points.
#2 Justin Pippen has been one of the team’s key playmakers — what adjustments did Notre Dame make to limit his effectiveness and how did he respond, Pippen finished with 14 points.
#3 John Camden was one of Cal’s most efficient shooters — what did you think about his shot selection and contribution on both ends tonight?
#4 Lee Dort with four points and 11 rebounds brings rebounding and interior presence — how critical was his work on the boards, and do you feel it set the tone defensively late in the game?
#5 Looking at role players like Semetri Carr with six points, how important was the bench production Friday night, and what can that depth mean moving forward in ACC play?
California Golden Bear forward Chris Bell #22 shoots a contested mid-range shot over Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Braeden Shrewsberry #11 on Friday night at the Haas Pavilion. (Photo Credit to Michael Villanueva)
By Michael Villanueva
BERKELEY – On Friday night, January 2, 2026, the California Golden Bears defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 72-71 at Haas Pavilion in their final exciting 8-game homestand. Cal’s victory was their first in the ACC and second of the season.
Cal was coming off its first loss at Haas Pavilion, 90-70 to No. 16/13 Louisville on December 30 in both teams’ Atlantic Coast Conference openers. The Cardinals’ strong shooting proved to be the difference, with five players scoring in double figures. Cal had four players in double figures, led by Chris Bell’s 20-point performance.
Cal’s second ACC home game of the 2025-26 season took place Thursday night, capping off an eight-game homestand. The Bears’ first test of the new year came against a 10-4 Notre Dame.
The visiting Fighting Irish started the game with Jalen Haralson, Logan Imes, Braeden Shrewsberry, Carson Towt, and Garrett Sundra. The five set the tone early on, led by Haralson, who started the game on pace. He started the game 4-for-4 from the floor, including two corner three-pointers, which provided Notre Dame with a quick offensive push.
Cal’s starting lineup included John Camden, Dai Dai Ames, Lee Dort, Justin Pippen, and Chris Bell. Camden, who had already made 40 three-pointers for the Bears this season and had made at least one in every game, got off to a slow start, going 0-for-3 on field goals and three-pointers.
The first half was all Notre Dame, with the Fighting Irish coming out of Cal’s house strong, fast, and disciplined. They hit 58% from the field and 57% from three-point range in the first ten minutes, putting early stress on the Golden Bears. Cal struggled to find a rhythm, connecting on only 23% of their total shots and 13% from deep.
The game was physical on both sides, as both teams were eager to begin the year with a dub. The Golden Bears attempted nine free throws in the first half and made six, while Notre Dame was only 2-of-8 at the line. Despite the poor shooting and early setbacks, Cal was determined to get back on track. The Bears trailed 31-27 at halftime, keeping the game within reach for the second half.
The Bears played much better in the second half, with an intensity of awareness and focus that allowed them to play smarter, more precise basketball. Cal made four of their first five shots in the first six minutes, taking advantage on a three-minute scoring drought by Notre Dame. Justin Pippen was the driving force in raising his point count from six to fourteen while boosting the Bears’ offense.
Overall, Cal’s shooting improved, especially from deep. With seven minutes remaining, the Bears led by seven points, their largest lead of the night. However, the Fighting Irish remained fighting, shooting reliably and making tough shots when needed. Notre Dame had cut its lead to one with four minutes left in the game.
The Bears then went cold, making only one of ten field goals the rest of the way, giving the Irish the lead again. With two minutes remaining, Notre Dame’s Cole Serta made a critical three-pointer, giving the Irish the lead. Then, with only nine seconds remaining and the Bears down 71-68, Dai Dai Ames scored a three-pointer and was fouled, completing a four-point play that gave Cal a 72-71 lead with 2.6 seconds left. The Golden Bears won the game by holding on defensively in the final seconds.
Ames led Cal with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, 1 rebound, and 3 assists, while Chris Bell had 15 points and 5 rebounds. The win gave the Bears their first ACC conference victory and improved their overall record to 13-2 into the new year.
Cal will return to play on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, when they face the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA, tipping off at 6 p.m., ready for another tough conference game.
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives past Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) SOURCE: Rick Scuteri
By Barbara Mason
The Sacramento Kings (8-27) played a nice opening quarter in their contest against the Phoenix Suns (20-14) only to falter in the second half. They were trailing at the half 62-56, bested by Phoenix in the end 129-102. Keegan Murray had his best game since returning to action finishing the game with 23 points and ten rebounds for a double double.
They stumbled in the second half of play as the Suns continued to extend their lead. As the fourth quarter wore on Phoenix had established as much as a 28 point lead. Devin Booker was red-hot finishing with 33 points. The Kings had 21 turnovers in the game, the Suns only 11.
Game recap: After a couple of quiet games upon his return, Murray got after it in the first quarter of Friday night’s game. As the quarter wore down Murray had already hit 11 points and had two rebounds. Despite the nice start for Murray Sacramento trailed after the first 12 minutes of play 32-29. Russell Westbrook and bench player Keon Ellis both came away empty in the opening quarter.
The Kings Nique Clifford hit a three to start the second quarter to tie up the game at 32. Minutes later the tie persisted now at 35 when Sacramento’s Doug McDermott made a 23-foot three point jumper. It was a nice start for the Kings.
Ellis would follow that shot with a three of this own giving the Kings a 38-35 lead. The Kings had already committed ten turnovers and needed to put the stops on that trend. They were only shooting around 55 % from the line so room for improvement on those two fronts.
As the game went into halftime, the Suns had taken a 62-56 lead. Murray finished the first half with 16 points and five rebounds. Poor ball protection had plagued the Kings throughout the first half with 13 turnovers. Booker finished the quarter with 27 points and Sacramento would be looking to try and contain him in the second half.
The Suns got going in earnest leading after three quarters 97-83. Murray added to his total shooting for 23 points and eight rebounds. Booker was on fire with 33 points through three quarters. The Suns hung onto a healthy 15-point lead throughout the quarter and the Kings had their hands full going into the fourth quarter.
After hanging in the game through the first half, the Kings ran out of steam trailing by as much as 28 points through the fourth quarter. The final was 129-102 in favor of Phoenix and the Kings had lost their sixth straight road game.
Murray had the team high for the Kings with 23 points and 10 rebounds for a double double. Westbrook finished with 17 points and 9 rebounds and DeMar DeRozan scored 13 points in the game. It was a quiet night for Maxime Raynaud finishing with six points and five rebounds.
Booker tore up the court finishing with 33 points and he had a lot of help from teammates Dillon Brooks with 18 points and both Collin Gillespie and Mark Williams each had 15 points. Williams also turned in nine rebounds just shy of a double double.
Game notes: Not much has gone right for the Kings since their win over the Dallas Mavericks last Saturday 113-107. Since that win the team has fallen to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, Thursday night to the Boston Celtics and they extended the loss streak to four with a loss to the Suns on Friday night.
Friday night they faced another tough match-up losing to the Suns. The Kings continue to struggle on the court defensively, much of their problems stemming from injury to Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis but have welcomed Keegan Murray back on court after a calf strain.
Murray was back on the court for the Clipper match-up but did little in his return only hitting 11 points and 2 rebounds. The loss to the Clippers was a wipe-out losing 131-90 followed by the loss to the Celtics 120-106.
The Kings played a close game through three quarters with Boston but fell apart in the fourth quarter outscored 32-18. There seems to be no end to the stretch that Sacramento is going through right now. The team is playing on a five game road skid and Friday night faced the seventh place in the Western Conference Suns, they took a sixth road loss.
They have beaten some elite teams in the second half of the season but right now they are fighting off falling into the basement, a half-game lead on the New Orleans Pelicans. The Kings more so then probably any other team need to make some moves with some very accomplished players on the line like Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk.
Unfortunately all of these guys have sizeable contracts which discourages any teams that might have interest. It’s a really tough situation with no clear-cut answers.
Sunday evening the Kings will match-up with the Milwaukee Bucks at Golden 1 Center. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 6:00 PM.
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.
Sports Radio Service 