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Connor McDavid's brilliance and Darnell Nurse's third-period heroics propelled the Edmonton Oilers to a resounding 4-0 victory over the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.McDavid, the reigning NHL MVP, opened the scoring just over a minute into the game, capitalizing on a poor pass by Penguins defenseman Kris Letang. Mattias Ekholm extended Edmonton's lead later in the first period with a one-timer that deflected off Pittsburgh's John Ludvig.Despite the early deficit, the Penguins failed to generate any sustained pressure on Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard. Jarry, who has historically struggled against Edmonton, kept Pittsburgh in the game with several key saves.However, the Oilers' defense proved impenetrable, limiting the Penguins to low-quality scoring chances. Nurse put the game out of reach in the third period with two goals, securing Edmonton's sixth consecutive victory over Pittsburgh.The Penguins' loss marked their sixth in their last seven games, continuing their alarming slide out of playoff contention. The once-dominant franchise is now in danger of missing the postseason for a second straight year after a remarkable run of 16 consecutive playoff appearances.McDavid's performance was particularly impressive, as he extended his streak of games with three or more points to 118, the third-highest total in Edmonton history behind Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri. Pickard's shutout was his second of the season, further solidifying his status as a reliable backup to starter Stuart Skinner.The Oilers will now embark on a four-game homestand, beginning with a matchup against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. The Penguins, meanwhile, will travel to Ottawa on Tuesday in search of a much-needed victory.

France's dominant forward pack propelled them to a resounding 45-24 victory over Wales in the Six Nations on Sunday, keeping their hopes of a runners-up finish alive.Fly-half Thomas Ramos contributed 20 points through his boot, while scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec impressed with his performance. France's five tries to Wales' three saw them move into third place in the tournament standings, level on points with Scotland.The French bench played a crucial role in securing the victory, showcasing their depth and strength against a young and developing Wales team. Wales coach Warren Gatland acknowledged the impact of France's replacements, stating that they "had a significant impact."France captain Gregory Alldritt praised his team's forwards, emphasizing their physicality and impact in the collisions. He expressed confidence in their ability to challenge England in their upcoming match, which will determine the runners-up position behind Ireland.France coach Fabien Galthie echoed Alldritt's sentiments, highlighting the significance of the France-England rivalry and the importance of maintaining their intensity and tempo.Despite their disappointing draw with Italy, Alldritt emphasized that the team responded well against Wales. He attributed their victory to their hard work and determination to make France proud.Gatland remained optimistic despite Wales' winless record in the tournament, emphasizing the importance of embracing the challenge and giving a strong performance at home against Italy. He acknowledged the pressure and expectation surrounding the match but expressed confidence in his young players' ability to learn and improve.Italy's victory over Scotland has set up a thrilling finish to the Six Nations, with Wales facing a must-win game against the Azzurri to avoid finishing bottom. Gatland stressed the need for his team to step up and learn from their mistakes.

Madhya Pradesh's Ekta Pradeep Dey shattered the women's national U-20 record in the 3,000m steeplechase, clocking an impressive 10:10.08secs at the 22nd National Junior U-20 Federation Athletics Championships. This remarkable feat surpassed the previous record of 10:29.50 secs and met the Asian U-20 qualification time of 11:30.00.Odisha's Dondapati Mrutyumjaya also made headlines, winning the 200m in a blistering 21.59 secs. This time not only secured him the title but also surpassed the Asian U20 qualification time of 21.60secs. Mrutyumjaya had previously won the 100m on Saturday, clocking 10.67 secs, narrowly missing the qualification mark by 0.17secs.Uttar Pradesh's javelin throwers dominated the competition, with Dipanshu Sharma claiming the title with a throw of 68.89m. Rohan Yadav secured silver with a throw of 68.29m, while Uttarakhand's Ajeet Kumar Yadav took bronze with 66.94m. All three throwers surpassed the qualification mark of 65.49m.Gujarat's Laxita Vinod Sandilea completed a double, adding the 800m title to her 1500m victory on Sunday.Junior national chief coach Nagapuri Ramesh expressed confidence in India's performance at the upcoming Junior Asian Athletics Championships in Dubai and the junior worlds in Lima, Peru. He attributed the recent success of Indian athletes to the inspiration provided by Neeraj Chopra's Olympic and World Championships gold medals in javelin.

The Dallas Stars extended their winning streak to a season-high five games with a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night. Radek Faksa and Jason Robertson scored 18 seconds apart in the second period to give the Stars a 2-1 lead, and Joe Pavelski added a goal and an assist. Wyatt Johnston sealed the win with a power-play goal in the third period.The Stars' victory keeps them atop the Central Division with 89 points, four ahead of Winnipeg and Colorado. The Kings, meanwhile, remain tied for third in the Pacific Division with Vegas at 75 points.The Kings got off to a fast start when Kevin Fiala scored just 26 seconds into the game, but the Stars quickly responded. Faksa tied the game at 1-1 with a snap shot from high in the slot at 10:34, and Robertson put the Stars ahead 2-1 just 18 seconds later.The Stars continued to control the game in the second period, outshooting the Kings 15-7. Pavelski extended the Stars' lead to 3-1 with a goal at 17:29, and Johnston added an insurance goal on the power play at 6:57 of the third period.Scott Wedgewood made 26 saves in his first game since Feb. 26 to earn the win for the Stars. Cam Talbot made 31 saves for the Kings.The Stars will host the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night, while the Kings will host the New York Islanders on Monday night.

The NHL witnessed a thrilling weekend of action, with several teams making significant strides in the playoff race.In Buffalo, the Sabres overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 in a shootout. Alex Tuch scored the decisive goal, while Jacob Bryson tied the game late in the third period. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves for Buffalo.The Florida Panthers continued their dominance, defeating the Calgary Flames 5-1. Vladimir Tarasenko, acquired from Ottawa, scored his first two goals as a Panther. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, and Kevin Stenlund also found the net for Florida, who now have won 17 of their last 20 games.The Boston Bruins extended their winning streak to four games with a 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. David Pastrnak reached 40 goals for the third consecutive season, while Pavel Zacha had two goals and an assist. Linus Ullmark made 38 saves for Boston.The New York Rangers shut out the St. Louis Blues 4-0, with Igor Shesterkin making 26 saves for his 13th career shutout. Vincent Trocheck and Jimmy Vesey scored in the first period, while Chris Kreider and Kaapo Kakko added goals later.The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-2, with Jesperi Kotkaniemi scoring the game-winning goal in the third period. Pyotr Kochetkov made 24 saves for Carolina, who have now won eight of their last 11 games.The Toronto Maple Leafs edged out the Montreal Canadiens 3-2, with John Tavares scoring the game-winning goal in the third period. Max Domi and Bobby McMann also scored for Toronto, while Ilya Samsonov made 29 saves.The Nashville Predators extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Luke Evangelista scored the game-winning goal in the third period, while Kevin Lankinen made 32 saves.The Tampa Bay Lightning routed the Philadelphia Flyers 7-0, with defenseman Darren Raddysh recording five assists. Victor Hedman scored twice and added an assist, while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves for his second shutout of the season.The Washington Capitals defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1, with Tom Wilson scoring for the second consecutive game. Charlie Lindgren made 29 saves for Washington, who are now within striking distance of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.The San Jose Sharks snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Thomas Bordeleau scored two power-play goals, while Magnus Chrona made 31 saves for his first NHL win.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts is transitioning smoothly to shortstop, showcasing his defensive prowess in a 7-1 victory over the Texas Rangers. Despite a minor interference error, Betts handled his grounder cleanly and went 1 for 3 at the plate. The move to shortstop was prompted by Gavin Lux's throwing struggles.Meanwhile, reliever Blake Treinen's outing was cut short after a line drive struck him in the ribs. Treinen exited the game in pain but walked off the field without assistance. X-rays will determine the extent of his injury.The Oakland Athletics, preparing for their move to Las Vegas in 2028, concluded their exhibition series against Milwaukee with a 4-2 victory. The games were played at Las Vegas Ballpark, the future home of Oakland's Triple-A affiliate. The A's are exploring stadium options for the 2025-27 period, including an extension in Oakland or relocation to Salt Lake City or Sacramento.New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino is set to make his spring debut after recovering from a calf injury. However, infielder Oswald Peraza will miss six to eight weeks due to a right shoulder strain. Peraza expressed disappointment but vowed to fight his way back.Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcántara has begun throwing for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery five months ago. The 28-year-old is progressing well and could be ahead of schedule in his recovery.The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to terms with several pre-arbitration players, including Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh, and Cristopher Sánchez. Stott and Marsh are key contributors to the team's offense, while Sánchez is a promising young pitcher.The Texas Rangers have claimed José Barrero off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. Barrero, who was the Reds' opening-day shortstop in 2023, will provide depth to the Rangers' infield.

England's Marcus Smith delivered a dramatic last-ditch drop-goal to secure a thrilling 23-22 victory over Ireland at Twickenham, ending the reigning Six Nations champions' hopes of a successive Grand Slam.Despite trailing 17-8 early in the second half, England rallied with tries from George Furbank and Ben Earl to take a 20-17 lead. Ireland's James Lowe scored his second try to edge the visitors ahead, but Smith's late heroics snatched victory for the hosts.England dominated the first half, with Ollie Lawrence scoring the only try. However, Ireland's Jack Crowley kept them in the game with four penalties, giving them a 12-8 halftime lead.After Lowe's early second-half try, England responded with Furbank's score. Peter O'Mahony's sin-binning proved costly for Ireland as Earl crossed for England's third try.Lowe's second try in the 73rd minute seemed to have sealed Ireland's victory, but Crowley's missed conversion proved crucial. England refused to give up and Smith's drop-goal in the dying moments secured a memorable triumph.The victory revives England's title hopes after their defeat to Scotland last time out. Ireland can still retain their crown with a win at home to Scotland next Saturday.

The World Shooting Para Sport (WSPS) World Cup in India has been marred by internal strife within the Local Organizing Committee (LOC). Deepa Malik, the LOC head and former Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) president, has accused Gursharan Singh's wife, Lata Singh, of interfering in the event's opening ceremony.In a letter to PCI, the Sports Authority of India, and the union sports ministry, Malik detailed Lata Singh's alleged violations. She claimed that Lata Singh presented herself as an official, controlled the broadcasting team, disrupted camerapersons, and entered restricted areas. Malik also accused her of interfering in an official interaction between senior WSPS officials.Malik's letter cited a PCI executive committee meeting in January where concerns were raised about Lata Singh's "interference" in PCI matters. It was decided that no family member of any governing board member would be entrusted with any responsibility.Responding to the allegations, Gursharan Singh defended his wife's actions. He claimed that she was merely assisting volunteers and had the necessary accreditation. He questioned Malik's implication that Lata Singh was not allowed to attend the competition venue.The internal conflict within the LOC has raised concerns about the smooth running of the WSPS World Cup. Malik has urged Gursharan Singh to advise his wife to refrain from interfering in official proceedings. The PCI has yet to respond to Malik's letter.The allegations of interference have cast a shadow over the event, which is intended to showcase the skills of para-athletes from around the world. The WSPS World Cup is a qualifying event for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.

The upcoming two-day selection trials for the Paris Olympic qualifiers and Asian Championships will feature India's top wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya, and Vinesh Phogat. The trials will be conducted by an ad hoc panel in Sonepat and Patiala.Initially, United World Wrestling (UWW) had raised concerns about accepting India's entries for the competitions due to the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) by the sports ministry. However, after a Delhi High Court hearing, the ad hoc panel was authorized to hold the trials.To ensure official status for the trials and clear India's entry for the tournaments, WFI has agreed to send officials and coaches to monitor the proceedings. The trials for Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestlers will take place in Sonepat on Sunday, while the women's trials will be held in Patiala on Monday.Winners in the Olympic weight categories will represent India in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers and World Olympic Qualifiers. Runners-up will compete in the Asian Championships.Several top wrestlers are returning from injuries, including Ravi Dahiya, Anshu Malik, and Sonam Malik. Antim Panghal, the only Indian to secure an Olympic quota, has received a direct entry to the Asian Championships.Bajrang Punia, a Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, will need to win the trials to qualify for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers. Vinesh Phogat, who underwent knee surgery, will face a fitness test in Patiala.Ravi Dahiya and Aman Sehrawat will compete in the 57kg category, while Yash and Sagar Jaglan will battle for the 74kg berth. Deepak Punia remains the favorite in the 86kg category.In the women's 59kg class, Anshu Malik and Sarita Mor will face off. Both are world championships medalists, with Malik having defeated Mor at the National Championships in Jaipur.The selection trials will be crucial for wrestlers aiming to represent India at the Paris Olympics. The trials will provide an opportunity to assess their form and fitness and determine who will represent the country in the upcoming international competitions.