MONTREAL (AP) — Mike Matheson and Juraj Slafkovsky scored goals 37 seconds apart to start the third period, propelling the Montreal Canadiens to a 6-3 win over the last-place Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.
Alexandre Carrier scored twice in a 20-second span in the second period for Montreal, which rebounded from a 4-0 home-ice loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.
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Steelers coach Mike Tomlin called it a disappointing end to his team’s season after Pittsburgh lost 30-6 to the Houston Texans in an AFC wild-card playoff game on Monday night. But Tomlin declined to talk about his future or whether he’ll be back for a 20th season in Pittsburgh. It was the seventh straight playoff loss for Tomlin and the Steelers. That’s the longest active postseason losing streak in the league, and Tomlin matched Marvin Lewis of the Bengals for the longest playoff skid by an NFL coach. Tomlin says he’s not looking at the big picture right now.
Venus Williams has lost 6-4, 6-3 to Tatjana Maria in the first round at the Hobart International, the week ahead of her appearance at the Australian Open. The 45-year-old Williams has a wild-card entry for the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. She also received a wild card to play in Hobart, where she lost Tuesday to sixth-seeded Maria in a match lasting almost 1 1/2 hours. Williams also lost her first-round match at Auckland, New Zealand last week. The Australian Open starts Sunday at Melbourne Park.
William Nylander scored 3:59 into overtime and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat Colorado 4-3 on Monday night to snap the Avalanche’s 17-game home win streak. Auston Matthews, Easton Cowan and Bobby McMann also added goals for the Maple Leafs. Joseph Woll turned back 31 shots. It was Colorado’s first home loss since Oct. 23. The Avalanche came within a win of matching the franchise’s longest home streak, which was set by the 2021-22 Stanley Cup-winning team. Cale Makar, Brock Nelson and Martin Necas scored for Colorado, while Nathan MacKinnon finished with three assists.
The Supreme Court is hearing arguments over state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams. The culture war cases come from Idaho and West Virginia, among the first of the more than two dozen Republican-led states that have banned transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s teams. The justices are evaluating claims of sex discrimination lodged by transgender people versus the need for fair competition for women and girls, the main argument made by the states. Lower courts ruled for the transgender athletes who challenged the state bans, but the conservative-dominated Supreme Court might not follow suit.
Texans, Patriots, 49ers, Bills, Bears and Rams advance to NFL’s divisional round
James Harden has passed Shaquille O’Neal for ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. The Los Angeles Clippers guard made a 3-pointer early in the third quarter on Monday night against the Charlotte Hornets. That pushed his career total to 28,598 points in his 1,187th regular season game. O’Neal had 28,596 points in 1,207 games over 19 years. Harden entered the night averaging 25.6 points per game for his highest average since the 2019-20 season when he won the last of three straight league scoring titles. Wilt Chamberlain is eighth with 31,419 points in 1,045 games over 14 years.
PITTSBURGH — In recent years, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has struggled to perform in the postseason. That wasn’t the case Monday night, but it didn’t matter. A dreadful showing from the offense was too much to overcome, ultimately resulting in a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans at Acris…
Cooper Flagg scored 27 points and matched a season high with three steals, and Naji Marshall had three straight baskets down the stretch and finished with 22 points as the depleted Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 113-105. The Mavericks (15-25) snapped a two-game skid. Klay Thompson scored 18 off the bench and matched a season high with six 3-pointers. Michael Porter Jr. scored 28 points and Day’Ron Sharpe had 14 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for the Nets (11-26), who have lost four consecutive games.
PHILADELPHIA — All good things must come to an end.
The Seattle Kraken rebounded after a rare regulation loss Saturday night at the Carolina Hurricanes, turning in their ninth win in 12 outings Monday night as Seattle downed the New York Rangers 4-2 at Madison Square Garden.
Mike Matheson and Juraj Slafkovsky scored goals 37 seconds apart to start the third period, propelling the Montreal Canadiens to a 6-3 win over the last-place Vancouver Canucks on Monday night. Alexandre Carrier scored twice in a 20-second span in the second period for Montreal. Noah Dobson and Oliver Kapanen also scored in the Canadiens’ fourth straight win over the Canucks. Jakub Dobes, making his first start since Jan. 1, stopped 20 shots for Montreal. Elias Pettersson, Evander Kane and Max Sasson scored for the Canucks.
Down their two best players, the Boston Celtics lost to one of the NBA’s worst teams Monday night against the Indiana Pacers.
Kintavious Dozier scored 31 points to lead Alabama A&M over Jackson State 100-91.
Andrew Copp scored at 3:27 of overtime, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night. Alex DeBrincat, who scored and had two assists, set up Copp for the game-winning goal by passing him the puck in front of the net. John Gibson had 31 saves for the Atlantic Division-leading Red Wings, who have won four straight games to pull into a tie atop the Eastern Conference with the Metropolitan-leading Hurricanes. Detroit started the third with a 3-0 lead and gave up three goals as Carolina tied it.
Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points, Joel Embiid had 27 and the Philadelphia 76ers used an 80-point first half to beat the Toronto Raptors 115-102. VJ Edgecombe and Paul George each scored 15 points as the 76ers bounced back from Sunday’s overtime loss to Toronto win for the sixth time in eight games. Embiid (left knee and left groin) and George (left knee) both returned after sitting out Sunday. Immanuel Quickley scored 18 points and Brandon Ingram had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Scottie Barnes scored 15 points for Toronto.
Tuesday’s Time Schedule
Micah Thomas had 17 points and Izzy Miles made the first of two free throws with one second left to rally Northwestern State to a 64-63 victory over UT Rio Grande Valley.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Keyonte George scored 32 points, Lauri Markkanen added 28 and the Utah Jazz bounced back after a 55-point loss and defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 123-112 Monday night.
Led by Zytarious Mortle’s 22 points, the Texas Southern Tigers defeated the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils 84-51.
The Indiana Pacers have won three straight games for the first time this season. Pascal Siakam scored 21 points, including the decisive 7-foot bank shot with 6.1 seconds remaining in the Pacers’ 98-96 victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday night. Boston’s Derrick White missed a go-ahead 3-point attempt in the final seconds. He had tied the game at 96-all on a driving layup with 28.6 seconds remaining. Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 23 points and eight assists. Boston’s leading scorer, Jaylen Brown, sat out with lower back spasms.
Larry Johnson scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help McNeese beat Nicholls 94-68.
Rob Lee Jr. scored 31 points to propel Lamar past Houston Christian 64-56.
Led by Zion Obanla’s 20 points, the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks defeated the Norfolk State Spartans 74-70.
Keyonte George scored 32 points as the Utah Jazz defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 123-112. Lauri Markkanen added 28 points and 12 rebounds. The Jazz bounced back after a 55-point loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. George had 16 points in the third quarter, helping Utah rally from a 10-point deficit. He also went 12 of 12 at the free throw line and had nine assists. Darius Garland led Cleveland with 23 points. The Cavaliers have dropped two of their last three games.
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour five weeks after leaving LIV Golf. He’s agreed to a $5 million charitable donation. He also will have no access to the PGA Tour’s equity program for five years and cannot get FedEx Cup bonus money in 2026. The tour puts that value at upward of $50 million depending on Koepka’s performance. Koepka plans to return at Torrey Pines in two weeks. Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith could also return the way Koepka did. PGA Tour chief Brian Rolapp says this isn’t a precedent and might not be available again.
Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and defensive coordinator Aden Durde have both interviewed for head coaching jobs with other teams. Seattle had a bye as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, which freed up Kubiak and Durde to be interviewed. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald says it’s a nonissue as his team prepares to host San Francisco on Saturday. He says last week’s practices consisted mostly of self-scouting and working ahead on potential playoff opponents. Now, Seattle has turned its focus to the AFC West rival 49ers, who ended Philadelphia’s bid for a Super Bowl repeat with a 23-19 victory.
Brooks Koepka is returning to the PGA Tour after four years on LIV Golf. He’s the first player who took the Saudi money to join LIV and was allowed back to the tour. It comes with some penalties. Koepka is making a $5 million charity donation and he won’t get PGA Tour equity for five years. He also can’t get exemptions to signature events. His fellow players weighed in on the tour’s decision on Monday, with several expressing support for Koepka and the tour. Brian Harman says “the tour with Brooks Koepka is a stronger tour.”
Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard has been ruled out for the team’s game against Edmonton because of an illness. The Blackhawks have been hit hard by a stomach bug going around their locker room. While Bedard was scratched against the Oilers, goaltender Spencer Knight and defenseman Louis Crevier returned to the lineup. Backup goaltender Arvid Soderblom also was available. Bedard has 19 goals and a team-high 27 assists in 33 games. The 20-year-old center missed 12 games with a right shoulder injury before returning on Friday night against Washington. He had two assists in Saturday night’s 3-0 victory at Nashville.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR has a new playoff format for 2026 and beyond.
The WNBA and its players union agreed to a moratorium for league business Monday. The moratorium, which was confirmed by the league, was necessary because the sides failed to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement or an extension of the current one by Friday night’s deadline. The moratorium will halt the initial stages of free agency in which teams would seek to deliver qualifying offers and franchise tag designations to players.
PHILADELPHIA — A dramatic end to the Philadelphia Eagles’ campaign for a Super Bowl repeat could bring some dramatic changes to the team in the coming days, weeks and months.
The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired infielder Brett Wisely and left-hander Ken Waldichuk from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later. Waldichuk was designated for assignment on Saturday to clear a roster spot when the Braves signed right-hander Tyler Kinley to a $4.25 million, one-year contract that includes a 2027 club option. The 26-year-old Wisely had no hits and three walks in nine plate appearances with Atlanta in 2025. He returns to his original organization after being a 15th-round draft pick by Tampa Ray in 2019.
The NHL and NHL Players’ Association say they are pleased that test events at the new hockey arena for the Milan Cortina Olympics were a good trial run and provided important insight into the status of construction. The league and union in a joint statement said they expect work to continue around the clock to address all the remaining issues. They plan to continue monitoring the situation and are ready to consult and advise as requested. Organizers and International Ice Hockey Federation President Luc Tardif expressed confidence over the weekend that NHL players will participate in the tournament next month as scheduled.
Dave Giusti, a reliable reliever who helped the Pittsburgh Pirates win the 1971 World Series, has died. He was 86. Giusti played 15 years in the majors, going 100-93 with a 3.60 ERA in 668 appearances for five clubs from 1962 to 1977. Giusti began as a starter in Houston but found success in Pittsburgh after the Pirates moved him to the bullpen. Giusti led the National League with 30 saves in 1971, then pitched 10 2/3 scoreless innings in the playoffs as the Pirates beat Baltimore in the World Series. Giusti collected 133 saves across seven seasons in Pittsburgh, which still ranks as the third-highest total in franchise history.
Dominik Szoboszlai has dominated the talk of Liverpool’s 4-1 FA Cup win over Barnsley. The Hungarian scored a stunning opener and then made a calamitous mistake to offer the visitor a way back into the game after Jeremie Frimpong made it 2-0 for the home side. Barnsley acquitted itself admirably against a team 57 places above it in the league pyramid but was sunk by late goals from substitutes Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké. Liverpool has gone 11 straight games without defeat and will play Brighton in the next round.
San Francisco pitcher Luis Custodio and free agent pitcher Luis Sierra have been suspended for 56 games each. They tested positive for Stanozolol under the minor league drug program for players outside the U.S. and Canada. Custodio, a 21-year-old left-hander, signed with the Giants in 2023. Sierra, a 20-year-old right-hander, was released by the Baltimore Orioles on January 5. His suspension will begin when he signs with a major league organization. Three players have been suspended this year for positive tests.
The Green Bay Packers couldn’t finish games, so now their season is finished. Green Bay’s inability to protect second-half leads all season proved costly when the Packers lost 31-27 to the Chicago Bears in an NFC wild-card playoff game that they’d led 21-3 at halftime and 21-6 through three quarters. This marked the fourth time they lost a game they had led by at least nine points in the second half.
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Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour five weeks after leaving LIV Golf. The tour has informed players that Koepka will be allowed to return with a stiff financial penalty. He’s agreed to a $5 million charity donation. He also will have no access to the PGA Tour’s equity program for five years and cannot get FedEx Cup bonus money in 2026. The tour puts that value at upward of $50 million depending on Koepka’s performance. Koepka plans to return at Torrey Pines in two weeks. The program is only available to Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith.
Justin Herbert and his broken left hand have plenty of time to recover now. The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback was left with few answers after falling to 0-3 in his playoff career. The Chargers were beaten by the New England Patriots on Sunday, losing 16-3 in a wild-card game. Herbert was sacked six times to waste opportunities created by the Chargers’ defense. The offensive line was hit hard by injuries this season, leading to nine different O-line combinations. The Chargers have 27 players slated to be free agents.