Carlsson’s buzzer beater gives Barracuda a 5-4 win over Reign on New Year’s Eve

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San Jose Barracuda defensemen Cole Clayton (#59) and Luca Cagnoni (#42) help take Ontario Reign forward Jared Wright (#78) to the ground after the whistle during the Barracuda’s 5-4 win at Toyota Arena on Wednesday DEC 31, 2025. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

Lucas Carlsson ended up giving the San Jose Barracuda a Happy New Year.

Carlsson scored the game winning goal with one tenth of a second left on the clock as the Cuda defeated the Ontario Reign 5-4 on New Year’s Eve at Toyota Arena.

Cam Lund sent a cross-ice pass through the crease that hit off the stick off of Reign goalie Phoenix Copley and Carlsson cleaned up the rebound into the back of the net with just one tenth of a second remaining. The goal went to review, and it was deemed a good goal as San Jose escaped with two points in regulation after blowing a two-goal lead.

San Jose concluded the season series with Ontario with a 5-2-1 record including going 3-0-1 at Toyota Arena. They also have won three consecutive road games and three out of their last four overall.

Ontario (18-10-1-1-38 points) drew first blood with a power play goal just past the halfway mark of the first period. Glenn Gawdin sent a pass over to Cole Guttman to the right wing. Guttman looked out in front before unloading a wrist shot past Cuda goalie Gabriel Carriere for his sixth goal of the season at the 10:57 mark. Guttman played in his first game back from a two-game suspension when he had a hit to the head of Quentin Musty back on December 22nd.

San Jose (18-10-1-1-38 points) showed little to none forecheck during the opening frame as they only registered four shots against Reign goalie Phoenix Copley, who only had to make one tough save off of a Musty shot through traffic in front of his crease with under five minutes remaining.

The Barracuda evened the game with an even strength early in the second period. Colin White’s pass behind the net found Kasper Halttunen inside the trapezoid. Halttunen’s back hand pass was tucked home by Oliver Wahlstrom for his ninth goal of the season at the 2:47 mark.

San Jose gained its first lead of the game less than three minutes later. Musty led a two-on-one odd man rush inside Ontario’s zone. Musty sent a cross-ice pass over to an unmarked Ethan Cardwell who buried a one-timer to the short side for his fourth goal of the season at the 5:27 mark.

The Barracuda scored its third unanswered goal with a short-handed goal late in the middle frame. Filip Bystedt initiated a two-on-zero odd man rush inside the neutral zone. Bystedt skated all the way before depositing a wrist shot through the five-hole of Copley for his ninth goal of the season at the 12:41 mark.

Ontario responded just 32 second later moments after their power play opportunity just ended. Jack Hughes sent a backhand pass from behind the net to Kenny Connors at the left wing. Connors sneaked a wrist shot past Carriere to the short side for his seventh goal of the season.

San Jose regained its two-goal lead with 40 seconds left in the middle period with an even strength goal. Egor Afanasyev rifled in a one-timer from the left wing for his fifth goal of the season to cap off a four-goal second period.

Ontario erased San Jose’s two goal lead with two goals in the first 1:45 of the third period. Guttman scored his second goal of the game 1:20 in when he beat Carriere with a wrist shot to the glove side for his seventh goal of the season. Then 25 seconds later on the next shift, Tim Rego cleaned up a rebound into an open net for his first goal of the season.

Carriere (8-6-2-1) finished the game stopping 18 of the 22 shots to earn his eighth win of the season. Copley (7-7-0) made 26 saves on 31 shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 0-for-1 on the power play. Ontario went 1-for-4.

The Three Stars of the Game:

1) Carlsson (1G, 0A)

2) Guttman (2G, 1A)

3) Rego (1G, 0A)

UP NEXT: San Jose begin the new calendar year with a weekend series against the Bakersfield Condors on Friday January 2nd at 7:00pm at Dignity Health Arena.

Sharks End the Year on a 3-game Winning streak against the Minnesota Wild, 4-3

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Ryan Hartman (38) of the Wild collides with Sharks center Ty Dellandrea (10) during the first period Wednesday in San Jose. (Photo Credits to Godofredo A. Vásquez/The Associated Press)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks closed out the year on a high note, defeating the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in a shootout in a thrilling 1 p.m. contest at SAP Center, extending their winning streak to three games and completing a season series sweep of Minnesota.

San Jose entered the game on a two-game winning streak and extended it to three straight wins with the win. The Sharks’ record has also improved over the last ten games, from 6-4 to 7-3, giving them momentum heading into the new year. The victory finished a successful season series against the Wild, with San Jose winning 3-0, including a dramatic 3-2 overtime win in their most recent meeting on November 11, 2025.

Before the puck dropped, Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini made headlines for being chosen as the youngest member of Team Canada, which included NHL players. Celebrini continues to make NHL history, tying Sidney Crosby for the most points by a teenager before Christmas with 55. The sophomore superstar has been electrifying this season, ranking third in the NHL with 60 points (21 goals, 39 assists) in 39 games played as of December 29, while tying for second in the league with 39 assists.

Despite the pregame hype, Minnesota struck first. Vladimir Tarasenko scored for the Wild within 11 minutes of the game’s start. Minnesota dominated the first period, holding San Jose scoreless and carrying out its game plan perfectly. The Sharks went into the first intermission anxious, having to rearrange lineups and change formations after being outplayed in the first 20 minutes.

San Jose responded with energy in the second period. Igor Chernyshov scored the Sharks’ first goal of the afternoon just two minutes in, regaining momentum for the home team. The momentum continued when Jeff Skinner scored 14 minutes later to give San Jose their first lead of the game. After two quarters of play, the Sharks led 2-1 heading into the locker room.

The Sharks scored immediately to start the third quarter. Macklin Celebrini scored early, extending San Jose’s lead to 3-1 and exciting the SAP Center crowd. However, Minnesota refused to go away. Marcus Foligno and Mats Zuccarello reestablished Minnesota’s offense, tying the game at 3-3.

The final five minutes of regulation turned into a defensive battle, with both teams locked in and unwilling to surrender the decisive goal.

Overtime matched the intensity of the regular game, with both sides playing aggressive defense and contesting every shot. Neither team could find the back of the net in the additional five minutes, forcing the final game of the season into a shootout.

Collin Graf of San Jose started the shootout but missed. Minnesota’s Mats Zuccarello followed, but also came up empty. With the pressure growing, Celebrini stepped up and calmly sank his shot, giving the Sharks a 1-0 lead in the shootout. Minnesota failed to convert on its second try, securing the victory.

The Sharks skated off the ice with a 4–3 shootout victory, closing out the year in dramatic fashion and extending their winning streak as they head into the next stretch of the season. Macklin Celebrini is now at 23 goals so far in the season. The Sharks look forward to the new year as they face the Tampa Bay Lightning on January 3rd, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. back at SAP Center.

San Jose Sharks podcast Michael Villanueva: Celebrini scores his 22nd and shootout goal as Sharks put away Minnesota in SAP matinee

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San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) celebrates one of his two goals against the Minnesota Wild at SAP Center in San Jose on Wed Dec 31, 2025 (photo by @Kavinm95)

San Jose Sharks podcast Micahel Villanueva:

#1 Michael, the game started with the Minnesota Wild’s Vladimir Tarasenko scoring his eighth goal of the sesaon to put the Wild on top 1-0 at 10:38

#2 The Sharks got two goals to the Wild’s no goals in the second period. Igor Chernyshov scored for his third of the season for the Sharks at 1:14 to tie it 1-1 San Jose. The Sharks Jeff Skinner scored his fifth goal a power play goal to give San Jose the 2-1 lead at 16:47.

#3 In the third period the Sharks Macklin Celebrini scored his 22nd goal of the season as San Jose took a two goal lead 3-1 at 4:16. The Wild came back with two straight goals to tie it up with Marcus Foligno his first of the season at 6:40 and Mats Zuccarello scored his fourth goal of the season to tie up the game at 3-3 at 8:47 which forced overtime.

#4 In the overtime stanza neither team scored. In the second round of the shootout following the overtime. Macklin Celebrini scored the first shootout goal and Will Smith scored the clincher for the second shootout goal for the 4-3 Sharks win. Top three stars #3 Jeff Skinner, #2 Igor Chernyshov and the #1 star Celebrini

#5 Next up for the San Jose Sharks they face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning who were in their own overtime against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. Face off between the Bolts and Sharks on Sat Jan 3 is 1:00pm PT at SAP Center.

Michael Villanueva is a San Jose Sharks reporter for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Cardinal need to regroup on offensive strategy; Stanford faces Louisville Friday

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Stanford Cardinal Chisom Okpara was the only player on Stanford in double figures as the Cardinal strugggled to get any offense going against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Tue Dec 30, 2025 (Sports Illustrated file photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Chisom Okpara finished with 13 points and was one of Stanford’s leading scorers Tueday night — what adjustments do you think the team needs to make offensively after a tough shooting night.

#2 Ebuka Okorie came into the game as one of the nation’s top scorers but was held to seven points — what credit do you give Notre Dame’s defense?

#3 Oskar Giltay led Stanford with 11 rebounds — can you talk about his presence on the boards and how he might build a better transition offense off those rebounds next time?

#4 The team struggled with shooting efficiency overall — what specific areas (shot selection, ball movement, or spacing) do you feel most need improvement before your next ACC game?

#5 After playing a tough defensive battle on the road, how does Stanford keep the team’s confidence up and reset for the next game, especially after a frustrating offensive performance like this?

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

San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor: 49ers got both sides of the football working against Chicago; 49ers gearing up for big one with Seahawks Saturday

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San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey (23) charges towards the end zone against the Chicago Bears at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara on Tue Dec 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor:

#1 Dave, talk about the job that San Francisco 49ers (12-4) quarterback Brock Purdy did did under center on Sunday Night Football with five touchdowns, 303 yards passing.

#2 It was a game where the 49ers from start to almost finish controlled the tempo, had both the receivers and the run game working. Their plans to success was well executed.

#3 David talk about the Seattle Seahawks the 49ers next opponent. The Seahawks have won six in a row coming into Santa Clara this Saturday night with a record at 13-3. The Seahawks won their last game against the Carolina Panthers. It’s the Seahawks and 49ers kicking off at 5:00pm in Santa Clara.

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

Kings Routed by Clippers 131-90, but Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud Remain Bright Spots

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Nique Clifford #5 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles the ball during the game against the LA Clippers on December 30, 2025 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

INGLEWOOD — The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. It was the Kings’ second of a two-game trip to Los Angeles, as they played the Lakers on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena, where they fell 125-101. On Tuesday, the Kings got Keegan Murray and Drew Eubanks back from injury, which was a needed lift for a club that has had a rough go of the injury situation this season. However, it wasn’t enough, as they fell to the Clippers in another Los Angeles blowout, 131-90.

The Kings started the game off poorly. The Clippers were getting whatever they wanted, and the Kings’ shots weren’t falling as the offense stagnated. Sacramento was outscored 34-20 in the first quarter, as nothing was going right for them. On the other hand, Kawhi Leonard picked up right where he left off after his career-high 55-point performance in his last game against the Detroit Pistons. Leonard scored eight points in the first quarter, while James Harden paced the team with 12 first-quarter points.

The second quarter was even worse for the Kings.

The Clippers outscored the Kings 39-20 in the second quarter to go up by 33 points. The score going into halftime was 73-40, as the Clippers were well on their way to routing the Kings. Kawhi Leonard finished the first half with 26 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the field, while James Harden was right behind him with 16 points of his own. Russell Westbrook and Keegan Murray led the Kings in first-half scoring, as they each managed seven points.

In the third quarter, the Kings and Clippers traded baskets, which was not what the Kings needed at that point in the game, trailing by over 30 going into the quarter. The Kings outscored the Clippers 31-27 in the third to chip away ever so slightly at the Clippers’ massive lead. Going into the fourth quarter, the Kings trailed by 29 points, and Kawhi Leonard had a 30-point game going for Los Angeles.

In the fourth quarter, the game was all but decided, and the 12 minutes of action were merely a formality. Nothing noteworthy happened in the final quarter, as the Kings were outscored 31-19 to finish the game and lost by the final score of 131-90.

Nique Clifford was the leading scorer for the Kings, as he ended the night with 18 points. Maxime Raynaud had a solid offensive game and finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

“First and foremost, there’s a standard that we are going to play to, and that is just what it is, period,” Doug Christie said after the game. “So the fact that you come out and don’t is unacceptable. So we search for lineups, try to find lineups tonight that have energy.”

Well, Doug hasn’t been able to find any lineups with that sort of energy here in Los Angeles.

On the bright side, Max Raynaud and Nique Clifford continue to develop in a positive direction for the Kings. Raynaud had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Clifford had a career-high 18 points in the loss.

“Those kids are trying,” Doug said of Max and Nique after the game. “They’re figuring it out, and that’s everything that we can ask for from them, and they continue to improve.”

Up next: The Kings will return home to take on the Boston Celtics on Thursday at 7 p.m. inside Golden 1 Center.

Stanford Cardinal game wrap: Cardinal suffered Bad Luck (Play) versus the Fighting Irish, 47-40, on ACC Opening Night on the Farm

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Stanford Cardinal forward Chisom Okpara (10) throws down on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Carson Towt (33) at Maple Pavilion in Palo Alto on Tue Dec 30, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (11-3, 0-1 ACC) allowed good fortune for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-4, 1-0 ACC) by losing to the visitors from the Midwest 47-40, on Opening Night of the 2025-26 Atlantic Coast Conference league play, inside the confines of Maples Pavilion.

Notre Dame opened the conference contest with a tip-in layup. However, the Cardinal followed that with an 8-0 run to go up by six…The Fighting Irish topped that with a 10-0 run of their own, to lead by four. They eventually extended the margin to six. The guests from South Bend settled for a five point advantage at recess, 22-17.

The shooting in all three aspects was poor, at best. Both squads shot a putrid 27% from the floor. Stanford was 27% from beyond the arc, and 50% from the charity stripe, within the initial 20-minute half. Notre Dame was awful from threeland (0%) and 67% from the free throw line.

Cardinal top scorer Ebuke Okorie was scoreless for nearly the first 14 minutes of the game. He finally scored on a layup at the 6:02 mark of the half. That was his only tally in the first half. Okorie was working on a 30+ points consecutive streak, which was in dire jeopardy. Two points at the half would have required a 28-point explosion. That seemed to be very unlikely at the midway point of the battle.

Neither team produced a double-digit scorer in the very low scoring half of regulation play.

The second half had the Fighting Irish scoring first, as they did in the first half, on a basket by senior forward Carson Towt. They later extended their lead to as much as 16 points midway through the final half. Although they reached that wide of a margin, Stanford was still battling the Fighting Irish.

The Cardinal indeed fought back enough to get into striking range, cutting the deficit to single digits down the stretch. They were as close as five points behind at just under three minutes left in the game. Unfortunately for the home team, that was as close as they got in the second half, thanks to a couple of dagger threes by sophomore forward Garrett Sundra.

After 40 minutes of abysmal shooting on both sides, the Hoosier State hoopers prevailed and held on to victory by seven points, 47-40. The game could also be viewed as a defensive struggle, but the average fan on either side would have preferred an offensive masterpiece.

Stanford presented one player with more than ten points. Chisom Okpara contributed 13 points, while the high scoring freshman sensation Ebuke Okorie managed to chip in seven points and six rebounds.

Notre Dame also had a lone player reach that standard plateau. the aforementioned Jalen Haralson put up 13 points too, while his teammate Carson Towt grabbed 10 rebounds and scored eight points

The Cardinal will next be in action Saturday, January 2, as they host the Louisville Cardinals at 5 PM PT on the ACC Network. The Fighting Irish head across the Bay to take on the California Golden Bears, on the same date at 8 PM PT on ESPN2.

Cal Bears game wrap: Bears welcomed to ACC play with brutal awakening in 90-70 loss to Louisville

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Louisville Cardinal guard Adrian Wooley (14) takes a shot against Cal Bears forward Chris Bell (22) in second half action at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Tue Dec 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025

Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, California

Louisville Cardinals 90 (11-2 Overall; 1-0 ACC)

California Golden Bears 70 (10-2 Overall; 0-1 ACC)

By Stephen Ruderman

BERKELEY–The Bears were welcomed to ACC play with a brutal awakening, as they fought the good fight, but were ultimately pummeled by the 16th-ranked Louisville Cardinals 90-70.

The Bears got off to a 12-1 start, one of their best starts in a long time, as they dominated non-conference play. While many of the Bears’ 12 wins came against lesser known schools, they still had some wins against elite teams like UCLA. There has also been an excitement brewing around the Bears, who have not had a winning season in nine years.

As the Bears start playing the big teams on a regular basis, they would be met with the best of the best from the very getgo. Tonight, the 16th-ranked Louisville Cardinals came to Haas Pavilion for the beginning of ACC play.

Haas Pavilion wasn’t filled to capacity, but a fairly-large crowd showed up nevertheless. Many excited Bears’ fans showed up, but many Cardinals’ fans showed as well. Perhaps a lot of them made the long journey from Kentucky to the Bay Area, which is a worthy trip.

As for the game, the Bears won the opening tip, but knocked the ball out of bounds. That seemed to set the tone for how tonight’s game would go. The Cardinals made Cal pay for the fumbled tip, as Sanandra Fru made an alleyoop dunk.

That was just the start for Louisville, who jumped out to an early 10-lead. The Cardinals dominated the first half, and eventually got out to a 36-15 lead with 5:53 left.

The Bears then went on a 10-0 run to suddenly cut Louisville’s lead to 36-25. Adrian Woolet and J’Vonne Hadley responded with threes to make it 42-25, but the Bears kept going. Justin Pippen hit a three with 57 seconds remaining to make it 44-31 and get the crowd back into the game.

Chris Bell would also hit a three for Cal, but Fru and Wooley scored for Louisville, who went into halftime up 14 points at 48-34.

The Cardinals opened their lead up to 25 points at 73-48 with 8:26 remaining in the second half. However, Cal made one last push, as they scored 14 unanswered points in just under two minutes. Bell hit a three to cut it to 73-62 with 6:44 remaining.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals seized control right back, and won it 90-70.

Ryan Conwell led the way for the Cardinals with 26 points, and Adrian Wooley was not too far behind with 21. For Cal, Chris Bell and Justin Pippen were able to cut through Louisville’s defense, and scored 20 and 17 points respectively.

All you can say is that the Bears ran into a juggernaut tonight, as they dropped just their second game of the season. Unfortunately, they are 0-1 in ACC play, which is what ultimately counts the most.

The Bears will need to put this one behind them. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will come to Haas Pavilion Friday night.

Tipoff will be at 8 p.m.

Spartans fall 81-68 in hard fought battle against San Diego State

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San Diego State University guard Elzie Harrington (3) guards SJSU Spartans guard Colby Garland (0) at Provident Credit Union Arena in San Jose Tue Dec 30, 2025 (SJSU Spartans photo)

By Ryan Hannagan

San Jose, Calif–The Spartans (5-7) entered the contest looking to snap a two game losing streak after falling at New Mexico, 88-65, and at home against Stanford, 86-82. San Jose State came in 4-2 on its home floor but winless against teams at .500 or better this season. The Aztecs, now 7-4, were playing their second conference game after opening Mountain West play with a loss to New Mexico.

San Jose State now 5-8 was without Javaughn Hannah, Ben Roseborough and Sadraque Nganga, further testing the Spartans’ depth against a physical Aztecs squad now 8-4 after defeating the Spartans 81-68 at Provident Credit Union on Tuesday night.

Turnovers plagued the Spartans early, allowing San Diego State to capitalize in transition. The Aztecs’ fastbreak offense helped build a double digit lead less than 10 minutes into the game.

San Jose State responded with a strong run midway through the first half, cutting what had been a sizable deficit down to a one possession game in a five minute span. The teams traded baskets down the stretch, though foul trouble emerged as a new concern for the Spartans. San Diego State went 9 of 14 from the free throw line in the opening half.

San Jose State forward Yaphet Moundhi left the game with just under three minutes remaining in the first half and did not return before the break. The Aztecs took a 42-38 lead into halftime.

Moundhi returned to the bench to start the second half but did not re-enter the game. Jermaine Washington opened the half with a 3 pointer to trim the Aztecs’ lead to one, setting the tone for a competitive second period.

Behind a scoring surge from Colby Garland, the Spartans tied the game at 49 with 14:30 remaining and briefly took a 53-51 lead shortly after. The game remained tight for more than 10 minutes, with neither team able to create separation.

That changed when San Diego State went on a key late run, pushing its lead to eight and halting San Jose State’s comeback momentum. The Aztecs maintained control from there, closing out the win.

Garland led a strong second half effort for the Spartans after a quiet opening half. San Jose State also excelled at the free throw line, shooting 94 percent as a team.

Despite the loss, the Spartans showed resilience, limiting turnovers and fouls while executing within their system. The effort, however, was not enough to overcome San Diego State’s late surge.

Cal Bears podcast Stephen Ruderman: Louisville crushes it 90-70; Cal can’t get past Cardinals in either half

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Taking a look at the Cal Bears Top 40 players guard Dai Dai Ames (7), forward Chris Bell (22), forward John Camden (2). Cal currently is on a nine game win streak. (photo by Cal Bears X)

Cal Bears podcast Stephen Ruderman Tue Dec 30, 2025:

#1 How will Cal’s star guard Dai Dai Ames manage Louisville’s defensive pressure?
Ames leads Cal in scoring and three-point efficiency — can he replicate his offensive rhythm against a top-20 Cardinal defense?

#2 Can Justin Pippen’s playmaking and pace-setting control the tempo early?
As one of Cal’s primary ball-handlers, how effective will Pippen be in initiating offense and limiting turnovers against Louisville’s perimeter defenders?

#3 What kind of impact will John Camden have on both ends of the floor?
Camden has been a consistent threat inside and beyond the arc — how will his scoring and rebounding influence Cal’s ability to stay close?

#4 How might Lee Dort’s rebounding and interior defense affect Louisville’s second-chance points?
Dort is one of Cal’s key rebounders — will he be able to contain Louisville in the paint and limit extra possessions?

#5 Which supporting Cal players Chris Bell, Jovani Ruff, or Milos Ilic will step up to provide complementary scoring?
Beyond the primary stars, can Bell and others deliver timely baskets to keep Cal competitive throughout the game?

Stephen Ruderman is a Cal Bears beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com