Tag: Sports Radio Service

Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s pitching pounded in last two games; Series with Astros concludes tonight

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento A’s hitter Jacob Wilson (5) grimaces after striking out in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park on Wed June 18, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 The Houston Astros took it the Sacramento A’s on Wednesday night in an 11-4 win for Houston. The Astros Jose Altuve and Victor Caratini hit three run home runs in the seventh inning that was the inning where the A’s pitching opened the flood gates.

#2 The A’s cured a lot ills for the Astros line up the Astros got a season high 20 hits on Wednesday night.

#3 The Astros pitcher Framber Valdez held the A’s to two runs and five hits in six innings of work as the Astros won their seventh game in eight tries.

#4 The A’s after winning four games in a row the A’s dropped their last two to the Astros having their heads handed to them by scores of 13-3 and 11-4 those last two games were a struggle.

#5 Starting pitchers for the Astros Colton Gordon (2-1 ERA 4.70) for Sacramento Jacob Lopez (1-4 ERA 4.80) to conclude the four game series at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. First pitch 7:05 PDT.

Jeremiah Salmonson does the A’s podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

⚡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. 

Oakland Ballers report: Ballers Butz and Sullivan keep Riders off balance in 6-5 win

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland Ballers pitching held off the Glacier Range Riders on Wed June 18, 2025 at Raimondi Park in Oakland in Pioneer League action (Oakland Ballers photo)

Glacier Range Riders (10-16) 100 001 300 5 8 0

Oakland Ballers (18-8) 303 000 00x 6 12 3

Time:2:35

Attendance: 1,872

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–In a marked contrast to Wednesday night’s thrilling come from behind win over the Glacier Range Riders, the Ballers put up a half dozen runs in the first three frames and then held on to their 3-1 lead as it dwindled to 6-5 in the seventh to hang on and record their fifth straight victory.

It was Baseball for All Night, with an emphasis on women in baseball, and the umpire for the right side of the diamond was Kate Hart, who did such a good job that she passed virtually unnoticed. This evening’s contest began, like its predecessor on Tuesday, with the Riders taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, only now the Ballers roared back with three on back to back singles by Tramayne Cobb, Jr., and Esai Santos, followed by double by Davis Drewek that drove in both of them.

Cam Bufford’s fly to right allowed Drewek to advance to third, and he scored on Christian Almanza’s ground out to second. The B’s added another three tallies in their half of the third. Bufford opened it with a single to center and motored on to third on Almanza’s safety to right.

Danny Harris IV’s single to left plated Drewek and allowed Almanza to move up another 90 feet. With Lou Helmig at bat, a wild pitch enabled both runners to advance another base, and the Baller’s now led, 4-1. Helmig’s two bagger to right that made it 6-1.

Reed Butz, Oakland’s starting southpaw began to waver in the top of the sixth, just about the time the temperature began to drop. Gabe Howell, the second batter he faced, went yard on him to left, and that was it for Butz.

The eventual winning pitcher had needed 107 pitches to complete his 5-1/3 innings of work, during which he had surrendered two runs, one earned, on five hits, including Howell’s homer that drove him from the box. He struck out seven and walked two. Connor Richardson replaced him and hurled another 1-2 /3 innings.

The Range Riders’ resurgence in the top of the seventh suggested the possibility of a repetition in reverse of Oakland’s Tuesday comeback. Kyle Ashworth, leading off, set the stage by reaching first on an error by Harris. One out later, TJ Clarkson doubled to right.

Now it was 6-3. Another out later and another double, this one by Xavier Casserilla, and it was 6-4. Next up was Kingston Liniak. He managed a single to short, allowing Casserilla to make it to third. Seconds later, Cobb’s errant throw resulted in Liniak hugging third and Casserilla crossing the plate with Glacier’s fifth run.

Carson Lambert was on the bump for the B’s to pitch the eighth, and he provided a sigh of relief by escaping unscathed after throwing 17 pitches, one of which hit Angel Mendoza ,which brought forth cries of “He didn’t get out of the way” and so on from the crowd. Lambert also fanned a couple of Riders in the frame.

Connor Sullivan wrapped it up for the Ballers, needing only 12 pitches to strike out a pair of opponents on his way to earning his seventh save of the season. That’s the most in the league.

The visitors used four pitchers.. All of the runs the B’s were scored against Glacier’s starter, starboard hurler Grant Taylor, who took the loss, which dropped his record to 1-4. Eldridge Armstrong II (two innings), Jacob Hasty, and Luke Cooper (an inning each) followed him.

Drewek and Helmig got the hosts’ only two extra bases hits, with a double apiece. Helmig, with three, and Almanza and Buggs, with two each, were the only B’s to have multi-hit games. The Range Riders accomplished a rarity for a Pioneer League team; they didn’t make any errors.

The Ballers made three, but it was their defense that sent the fans home satisfied. Casserilla seemed assured of a Texas League single or more when his pop up to short center, almost invisible in the poorly illuminated Bermuda Triangle in the area behind second base, befuddled almost the entire concurrence at Raimondi Field. But Baller left fielder Davis Drewek was on the ball. And then he was under it, making a sliding catch to put an end to another night of anxiety and excitement.

The next encounter of this seven game series will be a celebration of Juneteenth and scheduled to start at 6:35 Thursday evening.

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman: That first win for Verlander continues to elude him

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants starter Justin Verlander pitches to the Cleveland Guardians line up in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Jun 18, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman:

#1 Stephen, the Cleveland Guardians Daniel Schneeman’s three run home run kept the San Francisco Giants Justin Verlander from winning his first game of the season as he dropped his record to 0-4 on Wednesday night.

#2 Verlander allowed four runs and was charged with three earned runs in 4.2 innings of work after being activated from the Injured List on Wednesday morning. Verlander surrendered seven hits and struck out six. It was Verlander’s first start since May 18.

#3 The Guardians Kyle Manzardo hit two doubles and Jose Ramirez got a base hit for an RBI as the Guardians are assured a series win for the first time since 2005.

#4 Stephen, the Giants Heliot Ramos stayed consistent with a home run his 12th of the season. Ramos is hitting .284.

#5 Starting pitchers for Thursday afternoon’s game for the Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (5-3 ERA 3.89) for the Giants RHP Logan Webb (6-5 ERA 2.58) first pitch is 12:45pm PDT.

Join Stephen Ruderman for the Giants podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants’ offense stumbles, Justin Verlander is hit in return from IL in 4-2 loss to Guardians

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants starter Justin Verlander was touched up by the Cleveland Guardians on Wed Jun 18, 2025 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Cleveland Guardians 4 (37-35)

San Francisco Giants 2 (41-33)

Win: Logan Allen (5-4)

Loss: Justin Verlander (0-4)

Save: Emmanuel Clase (16)

Time: 2:27

Attendance: 34,055

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants have now lost four-straight for just the second time this season, as Justin Verlander struggled in his return from the Injured List, and the Giants’ offense stumbled again in a 4-2 loss to the Guardians.

Following the hoopla around the trade for Rafael Devers, the Guardians beat the Giants 3-2 in Devers’ debut last night. The loss was also the third-straight for the Giants, whose offense has started to go dormant again.

The Giants turned to Justin Verlander, who was activated off the Injured List to make his 11th start of the season. Verlander was still looking for his first win as a Giant, as he came into Wednesday night’s game 0-3 with a 4.33 ERA over ten starts in a Giants’ uniform.

Verlander last started on May 18 against the A’s. In that start, Verlander gave up two runs and walked five over four innings, and he got a no-decision. However, Verlander also aggravated his right pectoral muscle in that start, which prompted the Giants to place him on the IL

Unfortunately, Verlander was given a rude welcome in the top of the first inning. Kyle Manzardo lined a double to right field with one out, and then Jose Ramirez, the lone-remaining member of the 2016 Cleveland Indians, lined a base-hit to right to put the Guardians on the board early.

The Guardians could have made it a bigger inning, but when Ramirez took off for second base, catcher Patrick Bailey, who was also returning from the IL Wednesday night, gunned Ramirez down at second. That’s right: a whole battery coming off the IL.

Left-hander Logan Allen took the ball for the Guards, and he started his night with a one, two, three bottom of the first. Allen threw a scoreless bottom of the second, and he worked his way out of a jam in the bottom of the third.

Verlander settled down to throw a scoreless top of the second and a one, two, three top of the third. Unfortunately, Verlander found himself back in trouble in the top of the fourth.

Carlos Santanta reached on a chopper to the right side that took a weird hop off the lip of the outfield grass and was bobbled by second-baseman Tyler Fitzgerald. In this era of not giving errors on plays that clearly should be, Fitzgerald was cast with a tough error.

Lane Thomas lined a base-hit to center to put runners at first and second for Cleveland with one out. Up came Daniel Schneemann, and he blasted a three-run home run to left-center, and the Guardians now had a 4-0 lead.

The Giants went down scoreless against Allen in the bottom of the fourth, and the Guardians made noise again in the top of the fifth. Monzardo, who doubled and scored the game’s first run in the top of the first, doubled with one out. The longtime veteran, Carlos Santana, then walked two batters later with two outs.

That would end the night for Verlander, and Bob Melvin turned to Spencer Bivens. Bivens caught Thomas looking at a sinker on the outside corner to end the inning with the score still 4-0.

Verlander gave up four runs, three of them earned, over four and two thirds innings in his return from the IL. He gave up seven hits, but he struck out six, and he hit 95 miles per hour on the gun.

Allen retired the first two men he faced in the bottom of the fifth, but Baile lined a base-hit to center to extend the inning for Heliot Ramos. Ramos got a “sweeper”—don’t worry, I’ll get around to saying it soon—and golfed it out to left-center field for a two-run shot to put the Giants on the board and cut the deficit in half.

The Guardians’ lead was now 4-2, as Bivens threw a one, two, three top of the sixth. The Giants’ bullpen did their job, as they held the Guardians scoreless the rest of the way.

Unfortunately, the Giants’ offense couldn’t do their job. Allen ended up going five and a third innings, and the Guards’ bullpen took it the rest of the way. The Giants had runners on in each of the final four innings, but they just couldn’t keep things going, and the Guardians won it 4-2.

Logan Allen got the win; Justin Verlander took the loss; and Emmanuel Clase got the save.

The Giants have indeed just four-straight, as they fall to 41-33.

The Giants will look to salvage a game in this series and avoid the sweep in a Thursday matinee at Oracle Park. The Giants will have their ace, Logan Webb (6-5, 2.58 ERA), who has also become their stopper, on the mound Thursday. Gavin Williams (5-3, 3.89 ERA) will go for Cleveland.

Usually, weekday afternoon games at Oracle Park start at 12:45 p.m. That will not be the case Thursday. First pitch will be at 1:05 p.m.

Giants News and Notes:

To make room for Justin Verlander and Patrick Bailey, who both came off the Injured List Wednesday night, the Giants sent right-handed pitcher Tristan Beck and catcher Logan Porter back to Triple-A Sacramento.

NBA Finals podcast Michael Roberson: Thunder can end it in game 6 in Indiana on Thursday

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) dives for the basketball while the Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) is in pursuit of the ball during game 5 of the NBA Finals at Paycom Arena in Oklahoma City on Mon June 16, 2025 (AP News photo)

NBA Finals podcast Michael Roberson:

On the NBA Finals podcast with Michael Roberson:

#1 The Oklahoma City Thunder got help on Monday night in their 120-109 win over the Indiana Pacers. The Thunder got help from Jalen Williams who scored a career high for post season of 40 points. MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points as the Thunder move up 3-2 in the series.

#2 It was the tenth and most points that the Williams and Alexander had combined for 70 points or more in a single game. Williams hit 14 out of 24 baskets from the floor and Alexander added ten assists.

#3 The Pacers Pascal Siakam scored 28 points and the TJ McConnell had 18 points. The Pacers got it down to two points in the fourth quarter from 18 but the Thunder went out and closed out the Thunder to take a 3-2 series lead.

#4 Michael, game 6 is Thursday night Jun 19th at 5:30pm PDT as the Thunder and Pacers battle in Indiana. The Thunder can put this away with one more win and the Pacers could tie the series up at 3-3. Any predictions for game 6.

Michael Roberson is an NBA analyst for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports Jessica Kwong podcast: Cubs now 6.5 games in front of Brewers; Devers says he’ll play anywhere Giants ask; plus more news

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki runs the bases after hitting a three run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Tue June 17, 2025 (AP News photo)

Headline Sports podcast Jessica Kwong:

#1 Jessica the Chicago Cubs are competing they are six and half games in front of the second place Milwaukee Brewers and have won six of their last ten games. The first four hitters in the Cubs line up all scored runs on Tuesday night and Wednesday night’s game was rained out.

#2 At the press conference for new San Francisco Giant Rafael Devers he said he was there to play wherever they want him to play. When Devers was at the Red Sox he said he wanted to play at third base when he was moved to DH for Alex Bregman. Devers unhappy wanted to leave Boston and now says he’s willing to play anywhere the Giants want him to. How do you see this working out.

#3 Jessica, the awkward thing about Devers coming to San Francisco is that his old team the Boston Red Sox are coming to Oracle Park on Friday night. It’s curious to see the greeting his old team will give him when he comes up to the plate against them.

#4 Philadelphia Phillie right fielder Nick Castellanos was scratched from Tuesday’s line up for  “an inappropriate comment” according to Phillies manager Rob Thomson. Castellanos was upset after being replaced moving Max Kepler to right and inserting Johan Rojas to center.

#5 What happened to the New York Yankees they have now lost five straight games and were shutout by the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim Stadium on Tuesday night 4-0. The Yankees are hanging onto a 2.5 game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Jessica Kwong does Headline Sports every other Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Checkbook is Overdrawn; Fisher sells Quakes for A’s stadium money

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Earthquakes owner John Fisher during a game between San Jose Earthquakes and Nashville SC at PayPal Park on Sept. 23, 2023, in San Jose, Calif. Lyndsay Radnedge/ISI Photos/Getty Images

That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

While the Oakland A’s departed Oakland in 2024, and now settled in Sacramento for three years (according to the plan) and then by 2028 (according to the plan) land in Las Vegas where they expect to have a new $1.75 billion new permanent home, their owner Mr.John Fisher announced his other professional team, the San José Earthquakes of the Major League Soccer is now for sale. So Fisher is selling after all, but not the A’s, at least not yet.

Mr. Fisher requires more than $500 million for the construction in Las Vegas, where Clark County is contributing $350 million of the total cost, according to the 2023 Sportico list of MLS franchises. The average Major League Soccer (MLS) team is worth $721 million. Los Angeles FC ranks #1 at $1.28 billion, CF Montreal ranks last at $450 million.

The San José Earthquakes are reportedly worth around $600 million, according to Sportico, in terms of valuation.

According to Forbes, Mr.Fisher is worth $3 billion.

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.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

Oakland Ballers game wrap: Ballers get the edge on Riders 6-5 at Raimondi

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland Ballers celebrate a walk off win scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Glacier Ranger Riders 6-5 at Raimondi Park in Oakland on Tue June 17, 2025 (photo by Oakland Ballers X )

Glacier Ranger Riders (10-15)   121 001   000   5  9 1

Oakland Ballers (17-8)                001 003  002   6  9 0

Time: 2:54    

Attendance:  2,388

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–Riding the crest of a six game winning streak at the end of their two week trip east to Montana and back, the Ballers began this pleasant Tuesday evening at 16-8, only 1-1/2 games out of first place in the entire Pioneer Baseball League.  quickly fell behind the visiting Glacier Range Riders.  The hometown team came back to win, 6-5 in a game that wasn’t decided until the last out.

Glacier jumped to an early lead against righty Dylan Matsuoka, Oakland’s starting pitcher, who had serious difficulties with his control, and a held a 4-0 lead  after 2-21/2 innings of play until  Rookie Nick Leahey, playing third and batting eighth, sent a lead off home run over the left field fence in the third to put the home team on the board.

Nonetheless, the Montanans starting pitcher, lefty Ty Bothwell, dominated the Ballers until he ran out of energy in the bottom of the sixth on a lead off triple to right by Darryl Bugs, who crossed the plate on David Drewek’s grounder to first, which was scored as an error, marked the beginning of the end for the visitors.

Drewek advanced to second and then third on a balk and a wild pitch, both while Cam Buffard was at the plate. Dannie Harris’s RBI two bagger to right brought Drewek home, and a single to right center by Carlos Alanza brought the Ballers  within a run of the Riders and sent Bothwell to the showers.

Matsuoka had gone five innings, in which he had walked five batters and hit two more with a pitch, throwing 93 pitches in the process. He had allowed four runs, all earned, on six hits, including a second inning  two run homer to Angel Mendoza, and five walks.

His offerings also plunked two opponents. Bothwell  lasted a third of an inning longer than his rival and  threw 76 pitches. Three of the four runs charged to his account were earned. He didn’t walk anybody, and he notched seven Ks. Neither hurler was involved in the decision. 

The score remained 5-4 in favor of the Riders, and the temperature dropped precipitously until the bottom of the ninth. By then, Cam Cowan, Glacier’s fifth hurler, was on the mound. He walked Esai Santos, pinch hitting for Leehey.

Then he walked Lou Helmig, putting Santos on second with the potential tying run. Franks then plunked Tremayne Cobb, who hadn’t reached base in his four previous plate appearances, to load the bases. Buggs sent a fly ball to center  fielder kingston Liniak, whose throw to  Jack Lynch, forced Hemig out at third as Santos came home with the tying run. Bufford’s infield hit reloaded the bases with two out.

With the count full on Harris, Cowan unleashed a wild pitch, and the crowd, bursting with energy went wild with the anticlimactic ending of the contest.

The Ballers used five pitchers in all. Brody Eglite pitched to two batters to start the sixth. After surrendering a single and a run producing double, he left the game with an injury and was replaced by James Colyer, who was granted extra warm up tosses.

The B’s also used two pitchers after Colyer’s intervention in the sixth. Caleb Franzen went 1-1/3 frames, didn’t allow a baserunner, and struck out three of the four batters he faced. Carson Lambert earned the win, his first decision this year, with his one hit, two strike appearance in relief of Franzen.

In addition to Bothwell, the Range Riders used David Pratt, Nick Zegna, Jason Franks, and Cowan, the losing pitcher, now 0-1. He was the only Glacier reliever to allow a run,

Buggs and  Almanza had multi hit games for the Ballers, with two appiece. Harris, Almanza, and Pat Monteith doubled. Bugg tripled, and Nick Leehey homered.

The two teams will resume hostilities at 6:35 Wednesday, evening. The game’s theme is Baseball for Everyone: Women in Baseball.

Devers Makes a Grand Debut, Giants lose Game 1 Against the Guardians 3-1

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco, California, USA, June 17, 2025; At Oracle Park, Robbie Ray, 38, the starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, throws a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning. (Photo Credits to D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images)

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Oracle Park

Cleveland Guardians: 3

San Francisco Giants: 2

Win: Cleveland Guardians Pitcher Slade Cecconi (2-3)

Loss: SF Giants Pitcher Robbie Ray (8-2)

Saver: Cleveland Guardians Emmanuel Clase (15)

Attendance: 36,222

By: Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO- The Cleveland Guardians defeated the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night to start their nine-game homestand. The Giants were beaten by the Cleveland Guardians in a final score, 3-2.

Giants Manager Bob Melvin placed Rafael Devers into the No.3 spot in the roster and DH role. In the third inning, Devers excellently earned himself an RBI double, a strong 111mph blast into Triples alley that scored Willy Adames and put San Francisco ahead 2-1. Later, he would add a single in the ninth, part of a desperation rally that nearly turned the tide.

Throughout the game, the Giants’ offense had opportunities but found it tough to take advantage of them. San Francisco only finished 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position, leaving 13 men behind overall, even though they put runners on base in almost every inning. Dom Smith’s RBI single in the second inning leveled the game early and was the only other Giant to drive in a run.

Robbie Ray pitched six innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits while striking out five batters, giving San Francisco a strong display. His only big error occurred in the sixth inning when Gabriel Arias hit a game-winning solo home run to put the Guardians ahead for good.

Arias hit his first home run since April 16th. “When you get six innings with three runs, a lot of times you win the game like that,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said after the game, putting Ray’s performance in perspective. He believes you are expecting more from him because he has been so excellent.

Slade Cecconi of Cleveland held his own, giving up just two runs in five innings while keeping the Giants in check. San Francisco put up a strong fight in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases following consecutive hits by Jung Hoo Lee and Devers, as well as a walk by Heliot Ramos, but closer Emmanuel Clase jammed the door shut. The Guardians’ bullpen took it the rest of the way. He earned his 15th save of the season by striking out Casey Schmitt on a high heater to close the game.

There were good signs for San Francisco despite the defeat. The club kept fighting in the last innings, and Devers seemed at ease at the plate. However, moral victories are not reflected in the standings, and the Giants are aware that if they hope to tie the series, they will need to perform better in the closing moments. In the ninth, the Giants had a chance to walk it off after loading the bases, but Emmanuel Clase closed the game off with a strikeout. After the game, Melvin noted, “We had a rally going, and it looked like we had a chance in the ninth, which we’ve done so many times here, but just couldn’t.”

On Wednesday night, the two teams will play again, The Guardians will start LHP Logan Allen (4-4 ERA 4.28) and the Giants’ veteran right-hander Justin Verlander (0-3 ERA 4.33) is expected to make his comeback from the injured list. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m., and he will face Logan Allen from Cleveland.

With the loss, The Giants are now on a three game losing streak and are 41-32 on the season. Guardians have now just snapped their previous three game losing streak.

NHL Stanley Cup Finals Len Shapiro: Panthers repeat win it all bounce Oilers in six games with 5-1 win

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) can’t look anymore after the Florida Panthers scored their third goal in the second period in game 6 of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise FL (AP News photo)

NHL Finals podcast with Len Shapiro:

#1 The Edmonton Oilers had too many slow starts and not enough goaltending support from Stuart Skinner allowing three goals in the 5-1 loss.

#2 Tough way to go down losing their second consecutive NHL Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers repeat and were tough customers in game 3 winning 6-1, game 5 winning 5-2, and the Panthers winning it all in game 6.

#3 The Oilers got the heartbreaker losing in Game seven 2-1 last season after coming back from winning three straight games after being down 3-0. This season’s final the Panthers took the last three out of four games to repeat as champions.

#4 The star for game 6 was the Panthers Sam Reinhart who completed a hat trick with two empty net goals. Reinhart finished with four goals to pretty much cinch it for the Panthers.

#5 Talk about the Oilers offense or lack of they didn’t get any scoring support. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid were empty handed with no goals. The only goal the Oilers got was from Vasily Podkolzin in the third period avoiding a shutout.

Len Shapiro is an NHL analyst for http://www.sportsradioservice.com