Ducks’ skid reaches 12 games with loss to Canucks

• April 12, 2023

ANAHEIM — The door to the NHL’s cellar cracked open Tuesday for the Ducks as the ‘race’ to the bottom of the NHL standings took an unexpected and eventful turn several thousand miles away in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

The Penguins, fighting for their playoff lives, lost to the Chicago Blackhawks, who came into the game having dropped 11 of their last 12. That result came shortly after the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets picked up a point with an overtime loss in Philadelphia.

Chicago wrapped up its 5-2 win about three minutes before the puck dropped for the Ducks’ game against the Vancouver Canucks at Honda Center.

The Ducks suffered yet another loss as they fell to the Canucks, 3-2, keeping them in contention for last place overall, which carries a 25.5% chance of winning the NHL draft lottery on May 8 and the right to select uber-prodigy Connor Bedard. The Ducks haven’t won in 12 games, last winning on March 17 against the Blue Jackets.

The standings for the three bottom teams after Tuesday’s games:

No. 30: Chicago – 58 points. One game remaining.

No. 31: Ducks – 58 points. One game remaining.

No. 32: Columbus – 57 points. Two games remaining.

Even though the Blackhawks and Ducks have the same number of points, Chicago holds the first tiebreaker: wins in regulation.

On Tuesday, the Canucks were sparked by center Elias Pettersson hitting the 100-point mark in a season with his primary assist on Brock Boeser’s power-play goal at 12:14 of the first period and adding another on J.T. Miller’s game-winning goal at 1:26 of the third period, which broke a 2-2 tie.

Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal made 33 saves and the offense was led by two secondary assists from Trevor Zegras and defenseman Drew Helleson’s first NHL goal, at 15:32 of the second period.

“I always dreamt of it,” Helleson said. “I didn’t know if it was ever going to happen. But it’s pretty surreal. It’s just kicking in now that it actually happened. It’s a pretty good feeling for sure.

“I kind of blacked out and then I looked up and saw Z (Zegras) skating at me. He was smiling almost bigger than I was.”

The friendship between Helleson and Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe – who made his NHL debut in the loss – goes back to their youth hockey days in Minnesota. What would they have said then, if they had been told they’d eventually be teammates in the NHL?

“I think it depends on when you would have told us,” Helleson said. “If you would have told us when we were little, we would have believed you. But I think growing up, through the ranks, maybe not so much. To actually be here with him is pretty cool and to see his first game is pretty special.”

Ducks coach Dallas Eakins noted how excited the players and staff were for Helleson’s first goal.

“It’s certainly one of those little victories that we take in games like this,” Eakins said.

Ducks rookie Mason McTavish had the other goal, scoring on the power play at 17:20 of the first, to cut the Canucks’ lead to 2-1. McTavish did not finish the game because of an upper-body injury suffered in the second period.

For the third time in three games, there was an NHL debut for the Ducks. On Saturday, it was goaltender Olle Eriksson Ek, in an overtime loss at Arizona. One day later, Helleson made his debut, playing alongside Nathan Beaulieu on the second defense pair against Colorado. And it was LaCombe taking the vaunted rookie solo lap Tuesday.

LaCombe logged 18:24 of ice time, recording three blocked shots and one hit. He signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Ducks on Monday, two days after his University of Minnesota team lost in the NCAA championship final.

LaCombe’s parents were in the arena for his debut and his two older sisters were on hand, too, surprising him with their unexpected arrival. Of course, there was no shortage of advice from his new teammates.

“There were definitely a few guys – playing with (Kevin) Shattenkirk. He was kind of giving me pointers the whole time,” LaCombe said. “He was great the whole time, so it was awesome. And the coaches were great about it before the game, telling us to play and just use your instincts.”

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Said Eakins: “I thought he played well. He didn’t seem nervous at all. Looks like he’s got a little bit of ice in his veins.

“There was a play in the third period where the puck was basically right on the line, on the blue line, and he walked it straight across with no fear. Usually, a guy will just get that puck and rip it in deep. But I thought he showed great confidence.”

Earlier in the day, the Ducks recalled forward Bo Groulx from their AHL affiliate in San Diego and Groulx made his season debut, centering the fourth line and was 67% in the faceoff circle.

“He was really good,” Eakins said. “I started throwing him out there for a few more on the penalty kill and thought he did a good job there.

“It’s amazing. Bo has played games here before but his maturity level now, coming in, it’s like he’s gained five years of manhood.”

​ Orange County Register 

Fed up by LA pothole, Arnold Schwarzenegger fills it himself

• April 12, 2023

LOS ANGELES — Fed up by an enormous pothole in his Los Angeles neighborhood, Arnold Schwarzenegger picked up a shovel and filled it himself.

The actor and former California governor tweeted a video Tuesday of him and a helper using packaged concrete to repair the road in the Brentwood area.

Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole that’s been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it. I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it. Here you go. pic.twitter.com/aslhkUShvT

— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) April 11, 2023

“Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole that’s been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it,” he wrote on Twitter. “I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it. Here you go.”

A neighbor rolled down her car window and shouted her thanks at the action movie star.

“You’re welcome,” said Schwarzenegger, decked out in work boots, a leather jacket and shades reminiscent of his role in “Terminator.”

“You have to do it yourself. This is crazy. For three weeks I’ve been waiting for this hole to be closed,” he said.

Related Story: In wake of Southern California’s wet winter, potholes pose a perilous problem

Daniel Ketchell, a spokesperson for Schwarzenegger, said Brentwood residents made repeated requests for repairs since winter storms opened up potholes and cracks on local roads.

Mayor Karen Bass last week announced a plan to address what she called an unprecedented number of damaged streets across the city. Since Dec. 30, Los Angeles has received 19,692 service requests for repairs, and as of April 6, crews had filled at least 17,549 potholes, officials said.

Related Story: 19,279: The number of pothole-repair requests the city of LA received. How many got fixed?

The Department of Public Works did not immediately respond to an email asking whether the pothole Schwarzenegger filled had been scheduled to be repaired.

​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers held to three hits in shutout loss to Giants

• April 12, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO — On a chilly night at Oracle Park on Tuesday, it was a race to see which got cold faster – the garlic fries or the Dodgers’ offense. Both lacked their usual zest.

The Dodgers had averaged seven runs over the previous seven games but managed just three hits in a 5-0 shutout loss to the San Francisco Giants.

“We scored nine yesterday, scored zero tonight. Baseball – it happens,” Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “We had opportunities. We just didn’t come through tonight.”

Accurate on both counts.

Despite the combined three-hitter by six Giants pitchers – including former Dodgers Alex Wood and Scott Alexander – the Dodgers had plenty of baserunners. They walked five times (and lead the majors with 65 this season), had two batters hit by pitches and another reached base on catcher’s interference.

But they stranded 11, going 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

The Dodgers also hit three balls that left the bat at 98 mph or higher – one each by Mookie Betts (98.2), Miguel Vargas (102.4) and Will Smith (104.6) – but those were run down by Giants outfielders.

Freeman was 0 for 5, including two of those at-bats with runners in scoring position and struck out three times.

“Yeah, I’m still trying to find it,” Freeman said. “Working hard, trying to feel good at the plate. It’s a grind. It’s a long season.”

If Freeman is “still trying to find it,” he is at least hitting .375 while he searches. Chris Taylor looks to be lost at sea.

Taylor struck out three times Tuesday and has started the season 3 for 31 with 14 strikeouts – a troubling follow-up to a cold spring and an injury-plagued sub-par year in 2022 during which he had one of the poorest contact rates in MLB.

“It’s discouraging, but that’s part of the game,” Taylor said.

“I mean, I have my days where I feel good in BP and in the cage, and then just not translate it over to the game. Sometimes that’s mechanics. Sometimes it’s just pitch selection or approach. I feel like, mechanically, I was in not the best spot. … I’m still not quite right. I think you got to just keep going and understand that, it’s still early in the season, and like I said, just come in with a fresh mindset, keep working, keep your head down, move forward.”

Taylor came up with runners at first and second and one out in the second inning. He struck out for the first time against Wood and James Outman followed with a ground out.

Taylor’s second strikeout ended the fourth inning with a runner at first.

The Dodgers’ best chance to dent the scoreboard came in the sixth inning when they loaded the bases on two singles and the catcher’s interference. They came away empty-handed.

Taylor went down swinging on four pitches against Giants reliever Jakob Junis.

“I thought I had good at-bats against Woody and just swung under two 3-2 heaters,” Taylor said. “Then I think the third at-bat, it was just the frustration getting to me, swinging at bad pitches.”

Alexander came in and got Outman to dribble a ball in front of the plate which Alexander flipped to catcher Blake Sabol for a forceout. The lefty reliever then struck out Miguel Rojas to end the threat.

“No, we didn’t,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the failure to “move the ball forward” with the bases loaded. “That was something I was counting on to put a little pressure on those guys. We just got to be better right there. We do.”

Monday night’s two-homer, seven-RBI breakout star Max Muncy (with a career slugging percentage of .590 at Oracle Park) watched the rally die from the bench, one of three left-handed hitters Roberts could have used as pinch-hitters for Taylor or Rojas. But the Giants had two left-handed relievers available (Alexander and Taylor Rogers) and Roberts didn’t use them until the eighth and ninth innings, all three with no one on base. Muncy and Heyward struck out. Peralta grounded out.

“I thought about it,” Roberts said of using one of the pinch-hitters for Taylor or Rojas with the bases loaded. “Obviously I had Muncy on the bench right there. But I just felt that Chris could move the ball forward. I thought about it but didn’t pull the trigger.”

The Giants got all of the scoring they would need in Dustin May’s first 19 pitches.

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Too many of those missed the mark as the Dodgers starter walked the first two batters he faced then gave up a two-run double to Joc Pederson on a ground ball down the first-base line. May walked two more after that but gave up just one more hit and no more runs in 5⅓ innings.

“I wasn’t very crisp at all tonight,” May said.

“I never really found myself. They were just swinging at balls that were in the zone. Just gotta throw more strikes. … I felt fine. Pregame bullpen was fine. Just didn’t have it once I got out there.”

The Giants put the game away in the eighth when they scored three runs on back-to-back home runs by David Villar and Brandon Crawford off Evan Phillips. Phillips had not given up a home run since last May 26 and a total of just two in his first 76-2/3 innings with the Dodgers.

“We’re not going to make any excuses for scoring zero runs,” Freeman said after the Dodgers’ fourth loss in their past five games. “We’re just going to come out tomorrow and try to win a series.”

​ Orange County Register 

LAFC steamrolls Vancouver to advance in CONCACAF Champions League

• April 12, 2023

LOS ANGELES — Picking up where it left off in Vancouver, the Los Angeles Football Club completed a lopsided victory on Tuesday night and advanced to the semifinal round of the CONCACAF Champions League.

Going with the same starting 11 that produced a 3-0 victory last week at BC Place, the second leg of the series at BMO Stadium was essentially over before it began.

LAFC captain Carlos Vela converted a penalty in the eighth minute.

The 34-year-old forward added another goal at the half-hour mark by chesting down a long pass over the top of the Whitecaps defense from midfielder Ilie Sanchez and calmly finishing with his left foot.

Vela’s brace gave the Mexican forward eight goals in CONCACAF Champions League play dating to 2020, when he scored five times in five games en route to an eventual final defeat against Tigres UANL.

Midfielder Jose Cifuentes, assisted by Denis Bouanga, hammered LAFC’s third goal of the night to seal the emphatic win, 6-0 on aggregate.

Bouanga entered the match with five goals after three games in the competition. The Frenchman set up Vela’s penalty by storming into the box with the ball at his feet and taking a clear foul.

Unlike last month’s second leg against Costa Rican club Alajeulense, when LAFC saw a similar three-goal lead drop to one before holding on for a 4-2 win on aggregate, any chance of a Whitecaps comeback was summarily dismissed by Steve Cherundolo’s hungry group.

“We feel very good but it’s also a time to try to improve,” the LAFC head coach said. “It’s an easy moment to teach and to learn and to accept criticism and that’s what we’re trying to do. I thought our defensive performance in the first 25 minutes was not very good. We just kept backing up and dropping and trying to find safety in numbers, which is not the way we want to play and actually got pretty lucky in the fifth minute to not go down a goal. We talked about it half and the improvements were there right away. We were back to our way of defending and football.”

Four saves by LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy in the opening half included a pair of stellar stops in the first 20 minutes that stymied hopes of a Whitecaps rally.

Last year’s MLS Cup MVP finished with six saves as he protected LAFC’s third straight 3-0 win and fourth consecutive clean sheet.

During the first leg in British Columbia, McCarthy had to make one save, a consequential deflection that denied former LAFC defender Tristan Blackmon and kept the match scoreless.

“I’m impressed by the way they’re humble and they are disciplined when they defend because sometimes they have to defend,” said Vancouver head coach Vanni Sartini, who called LAFC the best team in North America prior to the first-leg match and reiterated his praise on Tuesday night.

Said Cherundolo, the former U.S. men’s national team defender: “As far as I know in this game the recipe to success is to defend well and at moments be effective in front of goal. … For the most part, we’ve had a lot of answers this season defensively and it will be something we continue to work on.”

The Black & Gold have opened their 2023 campaign with seven shutouts in 10 games. Despite LAFC’s strong start as it seeks to repeat as MLS champions and make another deep Champions League run, Vela expressed frustration over his lack of contributions on the scoresheet leading up to the first leg against the Whitecaps.

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“I am working hard. I am trying,” Vela said last week. “Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you are making mistakes or play not a good game, but in the end, the important thing is to come the next day because it’s another chance to get better and get in the position I want. In my head, there are only positive things to get my rhythm and be at my level. After that, for sure a lot of good things are coming.”

Vela and his teammates have plenty to look forward to.

On April 25, LAFC will resume CONCACAF Champions League play against either the Philadelphia Union or Atlas FC. The Union, which LAFC defeated to capture the MLS Cup last November, leads the series 1-0 ahead of the second leg in Mexico on Wednesday night.

In the meantime, still unbeaten in league play, LAFC turns its attention to the rival L.A. Galaxy for their first MLS showdown of the year on Sunday in Carson.

​ Orange County Register 

Huntington Beach, Mater Dei win first-round games in Boras Classic South

• April 12, 2023

The No. 1-ranked baseball team in Orange County played like it Tuesday in the first round of the Boras Classic South tournament.

Huntington Beach scored five runs in the third inning to beat La Mirada 6-0 at Mater Dei.

The Oilers (15-6), who are the top team in the Orange County Top 25, will play Mater Dei in the second round Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Mater Dei.

Senior right-hander Carson Lane shut out La Mirada (12-5) on two hits through six innings. Gavin Pacheco pitched the scoreless seventh inning for the Oilers.

The Oilers scored the five runs with no outs. Linkin Garcia started the inning with a triple and scored on an error. Aidan Espinoza’s single drove in Ralphy Velazquez to make it 2-0 and Espinoza scored on Bradley Grindlinger’s double.

Colby Turner hit a high-arcing home run over the left-field fence, a frequent occurrence at Mater Dei where the typical onshore air flow crosses from the right field to left field foul pole, for a 5-0 lead.

Garcia’s sacrifice fly later scored Braedon Cheek for the sixth run.

Also at the Boras Classic South:

Mater Dei 8, Corona Santiago 3: The Monarchs (13-5-1) led throughout their first-round win over the Sharks (11-7).

Mater Dei plays Huntington Beach in the second round Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Mater Dei.

Norco 4, Villa Park 0: The Spartans (13-7) lost in the first round to the Cougars (10-8). It’s the fourth straight loss for Villa Park.

Villa Park plays Maranatha (13-3) in a consolation-round game Wednesday at 9 a.m. at JSerra.

Aquinas 6, Cypress 4: The Centurions (16-5) lost their first-round game to the Falcons (13-2). They had won 12 in a row, including the National Classic championship game.

Aquinas, No. 8 in the CalHiSports.com California rankings, plays Santa Margarita in a second-round game at Mater Dei on Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Orange Lutheran 6, Maranatha 2: The Lancers (11-7-1) won their first-round game and will face Norco in the second round Wednesday at 3 p.m. at JSerra.

JSerra 10, Etiwanda 6: The Lions (13-7) won the high-scoring battle with the Eagles at JSerra.

JSerra will take on the top-ranked team in CIF-SS Division 1, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, in the second round Wednesday at 6 p.m. at JSerra.

​ Orange County Register 

Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach’s start/finish line gets new design

• April 12, 2023

The start/finish line for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach has a new look this year.

And it’s a bit spooky — but in a good way.

Each year, Grand Prix workers paint a small, rectangular portion of Shoreline drive in a checkered pattern to denote the starting and finishing line for the various races that compete on Long Beach streets each April. This year’s event will take place from Friday to Sunday, April 14-16.

For the last several years, that paint job has featured a white background with the words “Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach” written on two lines on either side of a checkered middle area. The checker pattern has been white and orange.

But not this year.

Jim Michaelian, the president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, said he wanted to change things up this year.

For starters, the background is now black. That change was made to align with title sponsore Acura, which has incorporated more black into its various designs, Michaelian said in a Tuesday evening, April 11, interview.

The words “Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach” still adorn either side of the checker pattern. But the last three words are smaller now — making “Acura Grand Prix” far more prominent.

And the orange-and-black checker pattern makes the design more vibrant, Michelian said.

“I was tired of the same start/finish line we’ve had for the last four years,” Michaelian said. “I think it makes it pop more.”

It remains to be seen, however, whether the darker hue will make life easier for those tasked with touching up the paint job after each day’s races.

“They will still be out there on Friday and Saturday nights,” Michaelian said. “They have to touch it up before Saturday, too, because that’s when IMSA races.”

The IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix, a 100-minute race, is the headliner on the eve of the weekend’s marquee event — Sunday’s titular Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Both those races, as well as five others, will all scuff up the currently pristine start/finish line.

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And while the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach has dubbed the weekend “Long Beach’s 200 mph beach party,” Michaelian also noted the new start/finish line has a color scheme similar to that of a more autumnal occasion: Halloween.

But it certainly pops more than the previous design.

​ Orange County Register 

Person on 5 Freeway in Anaheim fatally struck by vehicle

• April 12, 2023

A person who was walking or jogging across the southbound 5 Freeway at Magnolia Avenue in Anaheim was fatally struck by a vehicle Tuesday.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the unidentified person was struck shortly after 4 p.m.

Witness told responding officers the pedestrian, a male, was walking from the right shoulder of the freeway toward the center divider when he wasstruck by a vehicle, possibly a pickup, near the left lane or carpool lane, according to the CHP.

Two left lanes of the freeway were closed while the investigation was conducted, as well as the transition road from the eastbound 91 Freeway to the southbound 5.

It was unclear why the person was walking on the freeway.

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​ Orange County Register 

This week’s bestsellers at Southern California’s independent bookstores

• April 12, 2023

The SoCal Indie Bestseller Lis for the sales week ended April 9 is based on reporting from the independent booksellers of Southern California, the California Independent Booksellers Alliance and IndieBound. For an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound.org.

HARDCOVER FICTION

1. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: Gabrielle Zevin

2. Romantic Comedy: Curtis Sittenfeld

3. Lessons in Chemistry: Bonnie Garmus

4. Hello Beautiful: Ann Napolitano

5. Birnam Wood: Eleanor Catton

6. I Have Some Questions for You: Rebecca Makkai

7. Pineapple Street: Jenny Jackson

8. Demon Copperhead: Barbara Kingsolver

9. Biography of X: Catherine Lacey

10. Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Toshikazu Kawaguchi

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

1. I’m Glad My Mom Died: Jennette McCurdy

2. Sweet Enough: A Dessert Cookbook: Alison Roman

3. The Creative Act: A Way of Being: Rick Rubin

4. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones: James Clear

5. Poverty, by America: Matthew Desmond

6. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse: Charlie Mackesy

7. Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity: Peter Attia, M.D., Bill Gifford

8. Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock: Jenny Odell

9. 8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go: Jay Shetty

10. Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World: Malcolm Harris

MASS MARKET

1. 1984: George Orwell

2. American Gods: Neil Gaiman

3. Slaughterhouse-Five: Kurt Vonnegut

4. The Picture of Dorian Gray and Three Stories: Oscar Wilde

5. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Douglas Adams

6. Mistborn: The Final Empire: Brandon Sanderson

7. Lord of the Flies: William Golding

8. The Martian Chronicles: Ray Bradbury

9. The Way of Kings: Brandon Sanderson

10. Romeo and Juliet: William Shakespeare

TRADE PAPERBACK FICTION

1. Daisy Jones & The Six: Taylor Jenkins Reid

2. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: Taylor Jenkins Reid

3. The Candy House: Jennifer Egan

4. The Last Thing He Told Me: Laura Dave

5. Sea of Tranquility: Emily St.John Mandel

6. Circe: Madeline Miller

7. The House in the Cerulean Sea: TJ Klune

8. The Maid: Nita Prose

9. The Lincoln Highway: Amor Towles

10. The It Girl: Ruth Ware

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​ Orange County Register