Evander Kane and Connor McDavid scored 55 seconds apart in the third period and the Edmonton Oilers extended their franchise-record winning streak to 14 games with a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.

Warren Foegele and Dylan Holloway also scored and Stuart Skinner made 27 saves as Edmonton became the seventh team in NHL history to win 14 in a row.

Edmonton improved to 22-3 in its last 25 games and is nearing the NHL record for longest winning streak of 17, set by Pittsburgh in 1992-93.

Skinner won his 11th straight game, passing Grant Fuhr for the longest single-season winning streak in franchise history.

Dmitri Voronkov had the lone goal for the Blue Jackets, who dropped to 1-4-1 in their last six games.

Kucherov powers Lightning

Nikita Kucherov had a hat trick and set up another goal as the surging Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 6-3.

With his four points, Kucherov moved into the NHL lead with 80 points, three ahead of Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon.

Brayden Point and Brandon Hagel each had a goal and an assist to help Tampa Bay win for the sixth time in seven games.

Jamie Drysdale, Cam York and Cam Atkinson had goals for the Flyers, who dropped their third straight following a five-game winning streak.

Hill sharp in return as Knights win

Adin Hill turned away 40 shots in his return from injury and the Vegas Golden Knights held on for a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders.

Ivan Barbashev and Nicolas Roy had a goal and an assist apiece for Vegas, which has point in five straight games (4-0-1).

Hill made his first start since Dec. 17 after missing 22 of the previous 23 games with a lower-body injury.

Brock Nelson notched his 500th career point with a first-period goal and Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a short-handed tally for the Islanders, who fell to 1-1 under new coach Patrick Roy.

Nick Kyrgios says the prospect of life after tennis now “excites” him as he takes to the commentator’s box for the Australian Open.

The Australian former world number 11 has taken time off from the professional circuit due to injury, filling in his time by working at the grand slam for Eurosport.

He wrote on Wednesday in Australian newspaper The Age that he is now seriously considering retirement.

“I’m at a crossroads in my career and have reached a point where life after tennis is a prospect that excites me,” he wrote.

His words come hours after he conducted his first on-court interview of the Australian Open on Tuesday night, speaking to 24-time grand slam winner Novak Djokovic.

But, despite enjoying his time in the commentator’s box, the 28-year-old says he still feels the urge to play.

“Over the past week being at Melbourne Park for the Australian Open, I’ve been happy,” he said.

“Of course, there’s a part of me watching on that would love nothing more than to be out there.

“I know I can be one of the best in the world and win major tournaments – if my body lets me.

“The fire still burns, but it’s not my everything.”

Kyrgios attempted a comeback in June. However, his return only lasted one match thanks to continuing knee and wrist injuries.

Kyrgios said a return to the professional circuit has not been totally ruled out, but he stressed he will not put his name forward to represent Australia at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Dayana Yastremska is two wins away from emulating Emma Raducanu after beating Linda Noskova to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.

Raducanu is the only qualifier ever to win a grand slam title but Yastremska increased her tally of wins in Melbourne to eight with a 6-3 6-4 victory on Rod Laver Arena.

The stories are not exactly comparable, given Yastremska was ranked 21 in the world as a 19-year-old before serving a six-month provisional suspension for a failed doping test, for which she was later deemed to bear no fault.

But it is nevertheless a very impressive run from the Ukrainian, now 23, who is set to soar back into the top 30 from her current ranking of 93.

She is the second qualifier in the open era to reach the last four here in the women’s singles after Australian Christine Dorey in 1978.

Yastremska said: “I think it’s nice to make history because at that time I still wasn’t born. I’m super happy, and tired. I arrived here on January 3. On the days when I have a match, they do go very fast. When I have a day off, it feels like I’ve been here for six months already.”

This was a contest of first-strike tennis, with both women looking to seize the initiative in rallies as early as possible.

But it was the extra power of Yastremska that made the difference, with the Ukrainian hitting 19 winners compared to only six for 19-year-old Noskova.

“I don’t really feel like I’m playing really good,” said Yastremska, who has beaten Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova and two-time winner Victoria Azarenka during her run.

“I just try to play like I can and take the maximum from myself. Everything I have left is just fighting.”

Shaun Maloney admitted Wigan’s 109th-minute winner against Wycombe came from a moment of magic from Charlie Hughes that ‘can’t be coached’.

It looked like a thoroughly dour encounter at the DW would end with the score it deserved before Hughes’ late heroics.

And just as Steven Rushton – who had stepped up from fourth official to replace the injured Adam Herczeg, causing a near-20 minute delay – was reaching for his whistle, centre-back Hughes’ volley flew past Max Stryjek to give Wigan a second 1-0 home win in three days.

“It was a strange one, a prolonged one because of the delay,” said Maloney. “It was probably tough to watch, because it was tough to play in conditions that weren’t easy.

“It was a really difficult game but to finally break them down and get that winner, the players are delighted.

“It felt like another big moment for us and it’s one of those moments where you just have to enjoy it – and we did.

“Normally I don’t show too much emotion after goals, and I don’t even think I did after this one, but I loved two aspects of the goal.

“The first was Callum McManaman’s one-v-one. In the final third, I thought we were good tonight until we got into that part of the pitch, and we were a bit off it – but then you get a moment from Callum, who has that one-v-one talent that you just can’t coach.

“I loved what he did, and then obviously Charlie’s finish… again, you just can’t coach that kind of ability.

“I’m well chuffed for him, and I actually thought in the whole second half he was brilliant.”

For Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield, it was a case of what might have been.

“I’m obviously disappointed and frustrated about another point that’s got away from us,” he said.

“It actually felt like we were in the ascendency in the latter stages of the game, we brought on fresh legs and I felt like it had the desired effect.

“In life you have to make your own luck, and we will continue to work hard to make things happen.

“We played the majority of the last part of the game in the opposition half and obviously the boys are distraught at giving away a point in the manner we did.

“The goal at the end, there’s a multitude of little things that should have been done better. But all those little things add up – especially at the end of the game – and we end up with the ball in the back of our net.

“The amount of games we’ve had this year that have gone so far beyond ‘normal’ time, I’ve never known a season like it.

“But after the restart, I felt it was us in the ascendency, and I’m just so disappointed and frustrated for the supporters who have travelled so far and the boys who have put in so much effort and executed the game-plan exactly the way we wanted them to.”

Mauricio Pochettino said he is desperate to win the Carabao Cup in his first season at Chelsea after watching his team sweep aside Middlesbrough 6-1 to reach next month’s final at Wembley.

Stamford Bridge has suffered from a quiet atmosphere in recent months, often exacerbated by Chelsea failing to break teams down early, but a repeat here never looked like being a risk as they booked a meeting with either Liverpool or Fulham on February 25.

“I’m desperate to win a trophy here,” said Pochettino. “We won in three trophies in one and a half years at Paris (St Germain) and we want to win here.

“I’m desperate to win. That is the headline.

“It’s really important for us, we’re going to have Fulham or Liverpool, two amazing teams, it will be difficult. But now is the moment to believe we can win.”

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg at the Riverside Stadium, the hosts tore into their Championship opponents and banished memories of a chastening loss on Teesside.

Boro’s captain Jonny Howson inadvertently got the ball rolling by diverting past his own goalkeeper after 15 minutes, though Armando Broja was poised to tap home had the defender not intervened.

From there on, Chelsea steamrollered Michael Carrick’s side. Enzo Fernandez scored after being set up by good link-up play from Axel Disasi and the excellent Raheem Sterling, then Sterling feeding the surging Disasi to sweep home the third.

Boro caused problems for themselves trying to play out from the back, the match-winner from the first leg Hayden Hackney losing possession and gifting Cole Palmer Chelsea’s fourth before half-time.

Palmer, the top scorer for Pochettino’s side since his move from Manchester City, made it five late on before substitute Noni Madueke curled home via a deflection.

Morgan Rogers’ goal was greeted with a roar from travelling fans who had long since their Wembley dream slip away.

Pochettino added: “Now we need to prepare for Friday against Aston Villa (in the FA Cup), but this is an important step for us. The confidence and the belief in ourselves is so important.

“That is going to help because of the motivation. Players who are so close to coming back (from injury) – tomorrow, maybe a few injured players will want to come for training, seeing that the final is close.”

Boro manager Carrick reflected on a tie that ultimately proved too great a hurdle for his side despite heroics on Teesside two weeks ago.

“(The players) will learn from that after they have gotten over the disappointment,” he said.

“We had a big night at the Riverside where we managed to beat a really good Chelsea team. We just couldn’t get it done here unfortunately.”

Reading manager Ruben Selles felt his side deserved the victory as they defeated promotion-chasing Derby 1-0 in League One.

The win came off the back of news that the Berkshire side were given a suspended three-point deduction for the abandonment of their recent game against Port Vale due to a pitch invasion.

A second-half goal from Paul Mukairu proved the difference in a game that closes the survival gap to four points.

While Selles was unsurprised with the decision of the EFL, he preferred to focus on his side.

He said “We are very happy with the performance of the team and the boys. They responded really well and got three points towards our target. We need to continue like we did today.

“We still need to improve, sometimes in that final third especially we miss the last pass.

“One was enough today but we could have closed the game if we found that final pass better.

“If you see previous cases from the EFL, the statement and punishment they put out today was in line with the other clubs – we knew that was going to come.

“The fans made their point last time, and they made their point today that they were supportive on the pitch. What we saw today was a team playing well.”

Reading had the first opportunity on 16 minutes when captain Andy Yiadom turned in the box but saw his shot come off the post and into the arms of keeper Josh Vickers.

The home side went ahead nine minutes after the interval. Femi Azeez found the woodwork – the third time in the match the ball had hit the post – but the rebound fell into the path of Mukairu who slotted home for his fifth goal of the season.

Reading were clearly growing in confidence after going ahead, although they perhaps should have been pegged back on 64 minutes when Tyreece John-Jules directed a header wide.

That was as good as it got for Derby, who disappointed in their chance to go top, leaving manager Paul Warne frustrated at the lacklustre display.

He said “Disappointed, we had a good opportunity to get to the top of the league.

“I thought we got outfought and outrun. We didn’t win enough second balls and if you can’t play the way you want to play you have to roll your sleeves up.

“We got caught too many times in the middle of the pitch, and I don’t think we did enough in the final third to win the game.

“Maybe I should have freshened the side up a bit more, but we have got a really talented team.

“To go top, I would expect more from my team and the dressing room expects more as well.”

Cheltenham boss Darrell Clarke was left “bewildered” after Victor Adeboyejo earned Bolton a controversial 1-0 Sky Bet League One victory.

Adeboyejo netted his eighth goal of the campaign after 24 minutes but Clarke and his players were convinced George Lloyd had equalised nine minutes into the second half.

Instead, referee Ben Speedie signalled offside against Town skipper Sean Long, even though his assistant Joe Simpson did not initially raise his flag. The two consulted before Lloyd’s effort was finally chalked off.

“The performance was good with chances and opportunities created,” said Clarke. “But I need to ask the referee why he disallowed a goal and the linesman didn’t give offside.

“I’m still bewildered by it to be honest. I’m going to ask for answers.

“It looked to me the referee has given offside. How does that work? I’m angry and frustrated.

“When you are coming to a top team like Bolton you need the rub of the green. I think they are going to finish in the top two at the end of the season.

“For me, my boys deserved a bit of that but it wasn’t to be.”

Cheltenham’s defeat leaves them 22nd and seven points from safety. But Clarke issued a defiant message.

“We are going to go toe-to-toe with everyone and have a right go until the end of the season. We’re not going to make things comfortable for any opposition.”

Bolton’s return to winning ways after last Saturday’s defeat at Leyton Orient sees them just one point off an automatic promotion place.

On the game’s potential turning point, Evatt said: “It was a brilliant decision by the ref.

“Darrell was furious at the time because the player was actually onside. But it was impacting players who started offside and blocked our defenders from recovering.

“They have impacted the action, so it was a fantastic decision.”

On his team’s below-par display, Evatt added: “Come the end of the season no one will remember the performance.

“The most important thing was the three points. Believe it or not that’s five wins out of six

“This league is hard, no one is going to make it easy for you. It’s amazing how one defeat can effect your psyche and mindset.

“It is finding a way to win because you can’t play well every week.

“We looked a bit jittery and nervous which I don’t really understand.

“The way to deal with that is to go for it even more and not try and go safe and do what we did tonight.

“We are not used to losing games, so we have to deal better with the losses.

“That win will do them a world of good.”

Exeter boss Gary Caldwell claimed Bristol Rovers fans inadvertently boosted his side by booing their own team during the Grecians’ 1-0 victory at Memorial Stadium that eased the Devon club’s relegation worries.

Teenage striker Sonny Cox’s close-range finish in the 12th minute after Brentford loanee Matt Cox spilled Jack Aitchison’s 20-yard shot put Exeter on course for a first away win since early September.

After the visitors dominated the opening period, Bristol Rovers were booed off at half-time and afterwards Caldwell insisted their jeers only helped the visitors’ cause in the West Country derby.

The former Celtic defender said: “For us a big thing tonight was to control the crowd and our game-management, especially in the first half, was fantastic.

“Those boos that greeted the half-time whistle were great to hear from our point of view because it’s exactly what we wanted to happen.

“It gave us energy and the players deserve immense credit for making the fans resort to booing by controlling the play and dictating the tempo.”

Caldwell added: “I couldn’t be prouder of every single member of my team because we showed two sides to our game.

“In the first half we were absolutely incredible and could have been four-nil up.

“We played on the front foot and they didn’t have an answer to us and we restricted them to nothing.

“Everything was perfect apart from the fact the game should have been finished and so we knew we’d have to resist an onslaught.

“We knew what was coming but showed incredible character and immense resilience and there was a real team spirit that you need to win away from home.

“We came to a difficult place and stood up to everything they threw at us, even when the wind was against us.”

Rovers’ former Exeter manager Matt Taylor refused to criticise his players following a third home defeat in the space of a week.

“I can’t be too hard on the players because we showed good character in the second half but just showed poor execution,” Taylor said.

“We went and got on the ball better then we did before the break but we just lacked that end product in the opposition box.

“Things seem to be just going against us at the moment and there were a lot of nearly moments.

“But their keeper has come off having barely had a save to make, even though we had 15 or 16 shots in the second half.”

Taylor said he expected veteran striker Chris Martin, who missed the game through illness, to sign a new contract to keep him at the club, with his current deal expiring this week.

“As far as I’m concerned it’s been agreed and will be signed going into the game at the weekend,” Taylor said.

“There are going to be questions as to why it’s not been done as yet but there’s nothing untoward and while there will be rumours on social media, he’s got a virus and I don’t think that derails the contract.”

Steven Naismith was delighted with the character shown by Hearts as they recovered from a “terrible” first half to tighten their grip on third spot in the cinch Premiership with a 3-2 victory over Dundee at windswept Tynecastle.

The Jambos were booed off at the break as they trailed to strikes from Jordan McGhee and Lyall Cameron, but they roared back in the second half to claim a sixth win in seven matches through goals from Calem Nieuwenhof, new recruit Dexter Lembikisa and substitute Yutaro Oda.

It was the second time in successive homes games Hearts had fought back from two down after they salvaged a 2-2 draw with Ross County last month and they are now eight points clear of nearest challengers Kilmarnock in the battle for third.

“Our second-half performance was really good,” he said. “We got chances early and scored a good goal, and we used that momentum and pressure.

“For most of the second half it was attack v defence and we made the right choices when we got good opportunities

“The first-half performance was terrible. We were laboured, slow and played into Dundee’s hands. At half-time this place was toxic.

“The players knew it wasn’t good enough, we knew it wasn’t good enough and the fans let us know it wasn’t good enough, so you are in a really tough spot.

“For us to come back to win is a really good strength to have, that’s twice we’ve been 2-0 down here and we’ve taken points from both games. That probably wouldn’t have happened in previous seasons.”

Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland saw a penalty saved by Trevor Carson at 2-1 down. It was the 18-goal forward’s third consecutive spot-kick miss, but Naismith is adamant he will continue to take them.

“No, because up until three penalties ago it was brilliant,” he said when asked about Shankland’s recent penalty woe.

“It’s the same as when he wasn’t scoring goals at the start of the season and then he went through two months of scoring nearly every week. He’ll keep taking them and he’ll start scoring again.”

Naismith is hopeful that Scott Fraser’s loan move from Charlton will be finalised in time for Saturday’s match at home to Aberdeen.

“No update, we’re still waiting,” he said. “I’m hoping it can be cleared for the weekend but basically we’re sitting waiting for Charlton to sign it off.

“I’ve not got a clue what the issue is but he’s been in here, he’s been about, so hopefully it’s something that doesn’t take too long.”

Dejected Dundee manager Tony Docherty admitted his Dundee team lost their way after the break.

“It feels like I witnessed two teams out there,” he said. “I couldn’t be more happy with the first half, they executed the game plan to the letter.

“I thought we started the second half well but we got caught up. They will learn the hard way from this. It’s important to make key decisions but that cost us tonight.

“We were the architects of our own downfall but we have to focus on the positives and learn to manage games better.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan limped through his World Open qualifier against Alfie Burden in Barnsley to book his place in the final stages of the tournament.

O’Sullivan, who has been given special permission by World Snooker to wear trainers due to a foot injury, kicked them off midway through the fourth frame while Burden was on a break of 61.

The world number one, who added the World Grand Prix title to his recent Masters win on Sunday, then slightly delayed the start of the fifth frame whilst he restored his footwear.

A break of 104 from Burden threatened an upset as he pulled back to 3-3, but breaks of 83 and 58 gave O’Sullivan a 5-3 lead and a place in the tournament proper in China later this year.

Barnsley head coach Neill Collins said he was “exceptionally proud” of his team after a 1-0 win over play-off rivals Oxford in atrocious conditions at the Kassam Stadium.

The winner came from a Sam Long own goal in the 29th minute when Long and Devante Cole both challenged for a wicked right-wing cross from Adam Phillips.

Oxford almost equalised six minutes from time when Cameron Brannagan’s 20-yard drive smashed against the bar.

Collins said: “I’m exceptionally proud of the team, probably as proud of the team as I’ve been since I’ve been Barnsley manager.

“I’m so proud of the togetherness of the team.

“They were terrible conditions but I thought we handled them well in the second half when the wind was against us. That’s something we haven’t done well at times but we did tonight.

“And apart from the shot that hit the crossbar, I thought we were comfortable, to be honest.

“In the first half we were excellent and in the second half we were very professional.

“It was a well-earned three points.

“It was one of those nights when we needed every member of the squad who started or came on to play their part.

“Yes, it’s nice to beat another team near the top, and Oxford have been in the top six all season.

“But if we’re going to achieve what we want to achieve we’re going to have to beat the top teams along the way.”

Fifth-placed Barnsley are now just four points off leaders Portsmouth with a game in hand in a congested pack at the top of Sky Bet League One.

Oxford boss Des Buckingham called it “a frustrating evening”.

His mood was not helped by losing Long to a head wound at the end of the first half, with the defender having only just returned to the team after nearly three months out injured..

“It was a horrible night for football and the game was decided by fine margins,” he said.

“They got the goal from a set-piece, but we had two very good opportunities in the first half.

“Then we obviously had Cam’s shot against the bar, and also in the second half we twice got into really good positions and just maybe needed better decision-making.

“Sam Long split his head from an elbow – he’s got a deep gash in his head so he’ll maybe be out for a couple of weeks.

“We’ve got some players coming back but we have 19 games to go and we’re after two more forwards to fire us forward for the second half of the season.

“It is disappointing losing to another team near the top but we spoke before the game and said that, whatever the result tonight, there will still be a long way to go, and there’ll be a lot of ups and downs and twists and turns.

“But we have two wonderful games coming up now to try to pick up points, against Bristol Rovers and Portsmouth.”

Charlton sacked manager Michael Appleton following their 3-2 Sky Bet League One defeat to Northampton at the Valley.

The Addicks’ winless league run extended to 10 matches, with Louis Appere scoring a stoppage-time winner.

An Aaron McGowan own goal and Tennai Watson’s strike had drawn Charlton level after Tyreece Simpson and Sam Hoskins twice put the visitors ahead, but Charlton wing-back Tayo Edun was sent off for a second bookable offence with the score at 2-2.

A club statement on Tuesday read: “Charlton Athletic can confirm that Michael Appleton has left the club with immediate effect after being relieved of his role as head coach.

“The club would like to thank Michael for his efforts during his time in charge.”

Appleton arrived at the Valley in September 2023 after previous spells in charge of Portsmouth, Blackpool, Blackburn, Oxford and Lincoln.