Ducks’ 5-game homestand doesn’t start easy with Carolina

• March 22, 2025

The Ducks returned home from a .500 road trip and now will have an opportunity to get back to a .500 points percentage for the season against the Carolina Hurricanes at Honda Center, where a five-game homestand kicks off Sunday.

The ‘Canes, who had won eight straight games entering the front end of their Los Angeles-Anaheim back-to-back set Saturday, are one of several formidable opponents left on the Ducks’ schedule. On the homestand, they’ll face Boston and San Jose, with their other 11 remaining matchups this season being against teams above .500, most of whom are clearly playoff-bound.

Of late, the Ducks have diversified some of their offensive looks, particularly on the power play, and while they were a lean 1 for 10 on the trip, they’ve been inching closer to breaking up the slog that’s defined their attack for much of the season.

In Thursday’s 4-1 victory over Nashville, Trevor Zegras’ creativity resplended as he scored a goal and assisted on another on his 24th birthday. Mason McTavish, who has 15 points in as many games since the 4 Nations Face-Off break, added a pair of assists in a game that saw the Ducks score four unanswered goals while a healthy John Gibson held down the fort.

Although Zegras has not recaptured the productivity he enjoyed during the Dallas Eakins era, his play-making potential and singular vision on the ice have still shown through often.

“Z is super creative, you’ve always got to be ready to shoot when you’re on the ice with him,” McTavish told reporters.

In Nashville, that duo was joined by Brett Leason. Either he or Nikita Nesterenko, another formidably sized forward who was ill Thursday, could appear Sunday with McTavish and Zegras, who are close friends away from the rink as well.

“They’re big bodies and they’re great on the forecheck, I just tried to help out as much as I could,” Zegras told reporters of the efforts of his linemates.

As the Ducks have sought winning combinations on the ice, it appears their first season partnering with Fox 11 Plus and Victory+ for telecasts and webcasts has been a fruitful one. Year-over-year viewership was up 170% with both entities increasing overall subscriptions significantly, Fox 11 Plus said in a news release. In addition to the Ducks, Victory+ also broadcasts the Dallas Stars and, this upcoming season, the Texas Rangers.

For Carolina’s part, not only have they been winning of late to keep pace near the top of the Eastern Conference, but they loved and lost Mikko Rantanen, never missing a beat despite not one but two massive trades involving the Finnish forward.

They gave up their scorching scorer from the early season, Martin Necas, and more to acquire Rantanen in February.  But when they were unable to extend the pending unrestricted free agent, they moved him to Dallas for another package, one with Logan Stankoven as its centerpiece.

Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour has the highest points percentage of any active coach at .660, and in seven seasons he’s guided Carolina to the playoffs seven times, never once losing an opening series. He also captained the ‘Canes to a Cup as a player and has been involved in every Carolina playoff game apart from one series as either a player or coach.

Carolina at Ducks

When: 5 p.m. Sunday

Where: Honda Center

TV/radio: KTTV (Ch. 11), Victory+

​ Orange County Register 

USC women open NCAA Tournament routing UNC Greensboro

• March 22, 2025

LOS ANGELES — The USC women’s basketball team breathes in the national spotlight because of its fast-paced offense and flashy superstar JuJu Watkins. But what separates these Trojans from their peers, and increases their ceiling from last year’s Elite 8 run, is their defensive versatility.

One in which, Watkins, the point guard, is tied for the team lead in blocks and center Rayah Marshall is the head of the snake on their full-court press.

On Saturday in its opening-round game of the NCAA Tournament, it was that defense that allowed USC to survive a slow start as it suffocated UNC Greensboro and made up for the sloppy offensive play, boosting the Trojans to a 71-25 win at the Galen Center.

The Trojans (29-3) held the Spartans to 7-of-54 shooting from the field, including a second quarter in which they went without a field goal.

Marshall had a season-high seven blocks to go with a pair of steals. Watkins grabbed three steals and led USC with 22 points, as she fought through a a pair of injuries.

Early in the first half, Watkins was in clear discomfort, grabbing and shaking her left hand as a player does after jamming a finger, trying to wring the injury out. It wasn’t visible in the box score, and she did well to hide it apart from the initial wincing, coming out of halftime with a wrap around her fingers and finishing layups with the right hand on the left side a handful of times.

Watkins also couldn’t catch a pass that Kennedy Smith rifled her way in the first quarter.

Even with Watkins hampered, she was USC’s clear best source of offense. Smith overthrew Marshall on a post-entry pass. Kiki Iriafen committed a pair of offensive fouls and a traveling violation. Talia Von Oelhoffen rushed a drive and dribbled it off her foot.

The Trojans turned it over 11 times in the first half. They led just 12-8 at the end of the first quarter.

From that point on, though, they allowed UNC Greensboro (25-7) just 15 points.

On the first possession of the second quarter, Marshall sent back Nya Smith’s shot attempt for her third block. Marshall protected the rim and was also on the front line of the Trojans’ press, her 6-foot-4 frame and activity agitating the Spartans. Watkins, on the next line of the press, picked Jayde Gamble’s pocket and finished the break with a euro-step layup.

If a jammed finger wasn’t enough, Watkins turned her ankle midway through the third quarter on a drive to the basket. She recovered quickly, re-entering the play unguarded to knock down a corner 3-pointer, but left the game and went to the locker room on the next dead ball.

With her out, USC’s defense held strong. Kayleigh Heckel and Malia Samuels hounded the Spartans’ ball-handlers. Heckel stole the ball from Makiah Asidanya and went coast-to-coast for a layup and then Samuels stepped in front of the ensuing inbound pass and finished through contact for an and-one reverse.

With USC leading 53-16 at the end of the third quarter, Watkins returned to the game, again masking her pain. She drove for a layup, which gave her 22 points, and fed Iriafen for a pair of baskets before finally subbing out.

In the end, the Trojans won in blowout fashion, but it wasn’t their ordinary, offensively potent dominance. They did it with defense, showing no fear when the game slowed down and got mucky. And Watkins, bound by injuries but playing through them, represented her team’s fight.

Rhythm will come on offense for this USC team, which ranks ninth in the country with 81.5 points per game. But gritty performances, like Saturday’s when defense was the headliner, show the Trojans’ potential for a deeper run.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County baseball standings: Saturday, March 22

• March 22, 2025

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Orange County high school baseball standings through Friday, March 21.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County restaurants shut down by health inspectors (March 13-20)

• March 22, 2025

Restaurants and other food vendors ordered to close and allowed to reopen by Orange County health inspectors from March 13 to March 20.

Ga Bo Xoi Cali, 1324 S. Magnolia Ave., Anaheim

• Closed: March 20
• Reason: Cockroach infestation

Awesome Protein Spot, 32141 Alipaz St., Suite J, San Juan Capistrano

• Closed: March 19
• Reason: None provided

Rancho Viejo, 15471 Edwards St., Suite F, Huntington Beach

• Closed: March 19
• Reason: Insufficient hot water
• Reopened: March 19

John’s Philly Grille, 550 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 107, Seal Beach

• Closed: March 18
• Reason: Cockroach infestation
• Reopened: March 19

Food sales at Golfers Paradise, 1600 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton

• Closed: March 18
• Reason: Operating without a valid health permit

Food sales at Huntington Beach Farmers Market, 15851 Gothard St., Huntington Beach

• Closed: March 18
• Reason: Rodent infestation
• Reopened: March 19

Dolphin Lounge, 1274 S. Magnolia Ave., Anaheim

• Closed: March 18
• Reason: Rodent infestation
• Reopened: March 19

Food sales at The Fountains at Sea Bluffs, 25411 Sea Bluffs Drive, Dana Point

• Closed: March 18
• Reason: Operating without a valid health permit
• Reopened: March 18

Baskin-Robbins, 1927 Harbor Blvd., Suite D, Costa Mesa

• Closed: March 14
• Reason: None provided
• Reopened: March 18

Sabor Chilango, 1523 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim

• Closed: March 14
• Reason: None provided
• Reopened: March 14

This list is published weekly with closures since the previous week’s list. Status updates are published in the following week’s list. Source: OC Health Care Agency database.

​ Orange County Register 

Answering the key questions of Angels spring training

• March 22, 2025

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Angels got out of Arizona on Friday after a successful spring, which means they didn’t suffer any significant injuries.

The most important player who came into camp with an injury – Zach Neto – represented the biggest of the five key questions we identified for the Angels at the start of spring training.

Now that the Angels have left Arizona for three final games against the Dodgers, starting on Sunday, it’s a good time to revisit those questions.

How is Zach Neto?

Neto had shoulder surgery in November, and the Angels provided only a vague timeline that indicated he might or might not be ready for Opening Day.

Now, we know he won’t be ready, but Neto is making enough progress that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

As camp ended, Neto was hitting and throwing every day, and he reported that he was feeling “great.”

There are two big tests remaining. Neto has been throwing at a distance of 120 feet, making standard throws from the shortstop position to first, but he needs to expand that to making throws from the hole and relay throws from the outfield.

Also, Neto needs to see some live pitching. In a normal spring training, a player would get at least around 40 plate appearances. The Angels could accomplish some of that by having Neto face Angels minor league pitchers in Arizona, but he’ll also need to play some real games in the minors.

It’s reasonable to expect him back sometime starting in mid-April.

What is the plan for Mike Trout?

At the start of camp we still didn’t know if the Angels planned to keep Trout in center field, since they didn’t acquire another center fielder over the winter.

On the first day of full-squad workouts, Trout said he and the team agreed that he would move to right. That meant that Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak would vie for playing time in center.

Trout has answered the first part of that question by showing that he’s going to have no trouble with right field. He’s made several nice catches and this week he even threw out a runner at the plate.

“Right field’s been great,” Trout said. “I love it.”

As for the Adell-Moniak question, Adell recovered from a shaky defensive start to show improvement, so it looks like he can handle the position. Moniak has already proven he can play center in the majors. The question is which one will hit more. Neither had a great spring, so this question is likely to linger into the season.

How does Reid Detmers look?

Detmers is arguably the most talented starting pitcher in the organization, but he’s never figured out how to be consistently successful in the majors. He was so bad last year that he was shipped to Triple-A, and this spring he came into camp needing to out-pitch a handful of candidates – most notably Jack Kochanowicz – to break camp in the rotation.

Detmers has been better. He had a 2.79 ERA in 19⅓ innings, with 17 strikeouts and four walks, making a positive impression on Manager Ron Washington.

“He’s on a mission,” Washington said. “You can see it. I don’t think he want to experience ever again what he experienced last year. And you could see the way he’s going about his business and his aggressiveness on the mound since he’s been down here, the use of his pitches. You can see that he’s on a mission.”

Where that mission ends up will be revealed sometime in the next few days. Kochanowicz also pitched well in Arizona – a 2.92 ERA in 12⅓ Cactus League innings plus 5⅔ scoreless innings in a minor-league game – and the Angels scheduled him to start in the final game of the Freeway Series, which is a pretty strong indication that he’s going to be the fifth starter. Detmers still might end up either in the bullpen or Triple-A.

Will Year 2 under Manager Ron Washington yield better fundamentals?

Last spring Washington was not shy about saying the Angels needed plenty of work to get to a fundamental level that he deemed to be sufficient. Early in the season, they still made plenty of mistakes, particularly with their baserunning.

This year, Washington said it’s been better, but not yet what he wants. In the last week of spring training Washington was critical of some bunt defenses and relays.

“They are (better), but thing is, we’re still having some problems transferring them to the game,” Washington said. “And that takes time, but we have to have a foundation, and the foundation is the fundamentals. I’ve been very pleased with how we’ve been going about it in practice. It’s starting to come together in the game.”

How much will the new facilities help?

The Angels got their first look at the newly renovated player development center, a project that cost more than $20 million and more than doubled the size of the facility.

Aside from plenty of more comfortable amenities – a nicer clubhouse, a better kitchen, a bigger weight room – the Angels used pitching and hitting labs that were loaded with state of the art technology.

Although players said they appreciated the new tech, we still won’t know if it made a difference until we see the results in games, or how well the minor leaguers develop.

​ Orange County Register 

EVs don’t work for everyone

• March 22, 2025

I spent the past two weeks deep undercover as an electric vehicle driver.

This was largely in response to negative feedback I received to a recent column, but even more largely because my car has been in the shop for more than a month (a story for another day).

A month ago I wrote that the skyrocketing costs of electricity with utilities, especially PG&E, are quickly shrinking the major advantage EVs have over their gas-powered counterparts – the cost of recharging – and it was not well received.

I heard about all the environmental benefits of EVs, the low maintenance costs, and lower costs of recharging as compared to refueling (which I’d already written was shrinking by the day).

The point I was making in my prior column is the same point I am making now: California’s plan to ban gas-powered cars by 2035 is extremely short-sighted because, among other things, EVs don’t work for many people.I have nothing against EVs and after driving one for a few weeks I think they’re pretty cool. I’m not saying EVs are bad; I’m saying the state needs to get its act together.

Don’t blame me, the messenger. Blame the state.

EVs don’t make sense for what is probably millions of people. I know because for two weeks I rented an EV to see what it was like for someone without a home charging station, and it was a pain.

The savings on recharging instead of refueling were at times nonexistent and the inconvenience of using public charging stations was significant.

It wasn’t all bad. I rented a Subaru Solterra, which was a very pleasant driving experience. It was spacious, comfortable, extremely quick and had some fun gadgets. I have nothing against this car, it was quite nice and in an alternate universe I would be happy owning one.

But the range of 160 miles was lower than I needed (it was my only option at the rental car place) and I spent a lot of time charging around town, since I have a 20-mile commute to work each way.

During this process I learned some hard lessons. The mile range is an estimate, which I knew. But what I didn’t know was that when the climate control was on the estimated range was immediately zapped. The range would snap back into place if I turned the climate control off, but I didn’t realize that for two weeks until one fateful, cold commute, when I had to turn the heat off to save battery. The range rebounded, but it was bittersweet. I was happy to no longer fear being stranded on the side of the road, but it was also 40 degrees.

There is a significant charging-station shortage. Often the nearest charging station was far out of the way and I didn’t always have 15-30 minutes to recharge enough to get where I was going.

I also learned a term: Range anxiety. I drove around with it constantly, especially with the mysterious fluctuations in range and the lack of charging stations.

I was terrified to run out of battery and have my car towed to the nearest station, which might not be close. And how quickly does an EV’s momentum cease when the battery dies? Does it move long enough for me to get off the road or does it die almost instantly? I didn’t want to find out.

So between the low range, the relatively long commute, the battery range fluctuations and my fear of the battery dying, I was recharging constantly. And not all stations are created equal.

I spent many mornings charging at Southside Park in Sacramento. It was great for reading and making phone calls, but I would have to sit there for an hour or so to fully recharge — and this was considered fast! Another time, I tried recharging at a non-fast charging station and in a few hours I got something pathetic like 10 miles, which was a waste of a Saturday morning.

I also decided I don’t want to take a road trip with an EV, at least until ranges are longer, charging is faster and stations are more common.

And finally, the cost. One day I recharged 111 miles in one hour for $19.34. By contrast, I refueled the Jeep Compass I’m renting now for approximately 360 miles in four minutes for around $60. On a per mile basis, this is basically even.

As for maintenance costs, they are lower for EVs, in general. EVs don’t require oil changes, but eventually they need battery replacements and that is significantly more expensive than all the oil changes I’ll get in my car over its lifetime.

For example, the cost of a replacement battery for a Tesla is estimated to be between $13,000 to $20,000 total for parts and labor – that’s a lot of oil changes.

Also, it’s true that EVs don’t emit greenhouse gases while they’re being operated. But that’s not the whole story. From production to shipping to the creation of electricity, fossil fuels are everywhere. Furthermore, the mining of the metals required for EV batteries often comes at a significant cost environmentally.

Are EVs more environmentally friendly than a gas-powered car? Sure, but the difference is not as significant as you might think. However, some companies, like Tesla, are striving to be at least carbon-neutral in the process.

Again, EVs are great, but they don’t work for everyone. At least not yet. The state barreling ahead with a silly plan to ban gas-powered cars will only make many people’s lives significantly harder.

Matt Fleming is an opinion columnist for the Southern California News Group. You can find him on X, @FlemingWords

​ Orange County Register 

Southern California builders reconsider projects ahead of new tariffs

• March 22, 2025

With a deadline nearing on the next wave of tariffs from the Trump administration, builders are facing the prospect of halting or slowing construction projects as prices for materials continue to rise.

The National Association of Home Builders expects new tariffs starting April 2 will raise the cost of imported construction materials by more than $3 billion. Those price hikes would be on top of a 14.5% tariff on Canadian lumber, pushing up duties on imported lumber from the north to 39.5%.

“We’re already seeing increases on the costs of lumber and gypsum over the last month,” said Peter Tateishi, chief executive officer of the California chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America in Sacramento. “If, on April 2, these tariffs go into full effect, then we will see significant increases.”

In the past month, two developers have privately told Tateishi about plans to delay — or halt permanently — major building contracts due to uncertainties over the tariffs. One is a $150 million mixed-use project in Los Angeles County with retail on the first two floors and condos in the upper floors. The other is a $55 million multifamily project in Orange County.

“There are questions about whether we can continue to build out at the pricing with tariffs in place, and whether it will pencil out — even for basic remodeling,” he said.

Others in the building industry are feeling the same trepidation.

Todd Tomalak, a Newport Beach-based building products adviser with Zonda Home, sees challenges and “uncertainty in prices” ahead for the homebuilding and building products markets.

“The tariffs are going to impact where lumber prices are for a couple of months from now,” he said, pointing to evidence that the spring selling season could be slower for new home building.

Also see: How new tariffs will U.S. slow homebuilding, boost labor costs

Trump’s tariff push put a pall on homebuilder confidence, which tumbled this month to its lowest level since last August. Builders in the March survey said tariffs would likely boost prices $9,200 per home, according to Robert Dietz, chief economist at NAHB.

U.S. builders rely heavily on raw materials, appliances and many other components made abroad. About 7.3% of products used in single-family home and apartment building construction are imported, NAHB said. Of those, nearly a quarter come from Canada and Mexico.

Both countries account for 70% of the imports of lumber and gypsum. Canadian lumber is used in everything from framing to cabinetry and furniture. Mexican gypsum is used to make drywall.

The White House on March 6 delayed for one month 25% tariffs on certain imports from Mexico and Canada. One of those imports is softwood lumber. Tariffs already in effect include 20% China imports and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports — 50% on those from Canada — which started March 12.

Tomalak expects the U.S. economy will slow this year as the nation absorbs the impact of the tariffs, new worries over inflation and labor shortages.

With the spring bump in homebuying about to kick in, Tomalak said some homebuilders and remodelers already overstocked ahead of the tariffs in order to avoid cost increases.

“So, what you could see is a situation where you have a bunch of extra pre-buying and, at the same time, slower demand than what some companies were expecting — which means they’re sitting on extra inventory,” he said.

Tomalak also see a scenario unfolding in which builders hold back on pre-buying before the April 2 tariff deadline, instead “waiting a week or two or more and try to kind of backfill that order and wait for your job prices to decline.”

“There are just a lot of factors that, in addition to the tariffs over the next two months, are going to cause a lot of volatility in prices. We’re watching this very closely over the next few months,” he said. “We think the way the spring selling and remodeling seasons shake out will be real critical to where prices are by June,” he said.

The next measurement of homebuilding sentiment will come with the first quarter financial reports in April, he said.

Also see: How tariffs on Canadian energy imports will drive California prices higher

Tomalak also expects a shakeup in the lumber industry as homebuilders search for alternative sources with better pricing than Canadian lumber. Since 2020, building material costs have risen 34%, according to the NAHB.

He cited Beacon Roofing Supply’s agreement to an $11 billion buyout from billionaire Brad Jacobs’ firm QXO on Thursday, March 20.

The deal gives QXO, a new player in the building products distribution industry, an advantage into Beacon’s expansive network of branches across the U.S. and Canada.

“This is just the first step,” said Tomalak of the broader shift of who builders may buy from in the future.

Tateishi said that some of his members are looking to Germany and Scandinavian countries for soft lumber supplies — even though they don’t have the supply Canada does.

“We are identifying places that we are going to turn to,” he said. “There isn’t a need to start buying from them yet, but we are thinking about the places that aren’t getting tariffs.

“Basically, we’re bracing for what might happen,” Tateishi said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

Clippers host Oklahoma City in a battle of 5-game winning streaks

• March 22, 2025

INGLEWOOD — The Clippers, like most teams, stick to the company line when talking about their postseason chances. It’s more about us, than them.

“We can’t control what anybody else is doing so we have to control what we are doing as best as possible,” assistant coach Brian Shaw said. “Everybody else keeps winning that we are jockeying (in the standings in) trying to get to that six spot. We have to keep winning, too. So, we’re just finding a way.”

Star point guard James Harden, who has not missed a postseason in his 16 years in the NBA, knows a thing or two about reaching the playoffs. Even he said the key is not to look outside the locker room for help.

“It’s important to win every game. It’s not even about the other team, it’s about us and us feeling really good about each other, which we do,” Harden said.

Then there is center Ivica Zubac, the Clippers’ emerging force in the paint, who checks on the standings of the congested Western Conference on a daily basis. Other teams matter, he said.

“We want to focus on ourselves and win as many games as we can, but at the same time every night I’m watching the games. I’m watching the teams in front of us, teams that are behind us in the standings, hoping they lose, and being a hater,” Zubac said.

The Clippers (40-30) currently are clinging to the No. 7 spot, percentage points ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves (41-31) and one game behind the Golden State Warriors (41-29). With 12 games remaining, the Clippers are trying to climb into the top six spots and avoid the Play-In Tournament (seeds 7-10).

The Clippers, who have won eight of their past nine games, including the past five, have established themselves as contenders after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, the top team in the Eastern Conference, and the Memphis Grizzlies (43-28), who are at No. 5.

Next up is the Oklahoma City Thunder (58-12) on Sunday at Intuit Dome and nothing about beating the NBA’s top team and Western Conference power will be easy. The Thunder, winners of five in a row and 12 of their last 13, are seen as one of the favorites to win the NBA championship.

Shaw, who is filling in for coach Tyronn Lue while he recovers from back pain, said the Clippers “have to be ready.”

The main reason is leading MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging a league-best 32.9 points and also leads OKC with 6.3 assists per game and a 52.8 field-goal percentage. The three-time All-Star point guard and former Clipper – a key piece in the 2019 blockbuster trade that brought Paul George to L.A. – scored 30 points in a 141-106 blowout of the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, making 13 of 18 shots to go with six rebounds and nine assists and he didn’t even play in the fourth quarter.

But Gilgeous-Alexander won’t be the Clippers’ only concern. The Thunder have a deep roster with four other players averaging double figures – forwards Jalen Williams (21.3) and Chet Holmgren (15.2), guard Aaron Wiggins (11.6) and center Isaiah Hartenstein (11.4), another former Clipper.

The Clippers boast their own deep scoring threat. With a healthy roster for the first time this season, the team has seven players in double figures, led by Norman Powell’s team-best 23.0-point average. The former UCLA star is working his way back after missing seven games because of injuries. Harden is right behind at 22.6 points a game. Leonard is healthy and back to contributing 19.7 points a game, while Zubac is adding 16.4 points and 12.5 rebounds. Trade-deadline acquisition Bogdan Bogdanovic is dropping 12.8 points in 18 games with the Clippers.

While Leonard called Sunday’s game an opportunity to see “how the best of the league is playing.” Zubac said it, like all the others down the stretch, is “a must win.”

“I think we’re in a rhythm right now,” Zubac said. “Obviously, we are going to be challenged … I don’t know if it’s going to show where we are, but it’s going to be a challenge for us.”

Oklahoma City at Clippers

When: 6 p.m. Sunday

Where: Intuit Dome

TV/radio: KTLA (Ch. 5)/KEIB 1150 AM

​ Orange County Register