Australia retains the Ashes with 2 tests to spare after a tense victory over England in Adelaide

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Australia retained the Ashes with two tests to spare after paceman Mitchell Starc took three of the last four wickets to blunt England's defiant comeback in the third cricket test.

Australia started Day 5 needing four wickets to retain the Ashes, with England resuming at 6-207 and still 228 runs away from the victory target of 435 that would have required a world record to achieve.

Starc took the only wicket in the morning session — Jamie Smith for 60 — as England piled on 102 runs.

England's rally had narrowed the Ashes equation at lunch on the last day: Australia needed three wickets to clinch the old urn in Adelaide and England needed 126 runs to keep the five-match series alive.

With England's lower-order doggedly mounting pressure and Australia's attack missing veteran spinner Nathan Lyon, who limped off the field with an injured hamstring, the leading bowler in the series delivered for the hosts.

Starc was voted player of the match in Australia's eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane, took the wickets of Will Jacks and Jofra Archer before Scott Boland finished it off.

England was all out for 352, giving Australia an 82-run victory.

The fourth test will start Boxing Day in Melbourne.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Australia's Mitchell Starc, right, celebrates the wicket of England's Will Jacks, left, during play on the final day of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

England's Jamie Smith bats during play on the final day of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

England's Jamie Smith, left, and Will Jacks walk from the field as rain delays play on the final day of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia's Jake Weatherald fields near the boundary during play on the final day of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia's Nathan Lyon walks from the field during play on the final day of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

England's Jamie Smith bats during play on the final day of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

MONTREAL (AP) — Jacob Fowler made 31 saves for his fourth NHL start for his first shutout and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0 on Saturday night to open a home-and-home set.

The teams will meet again Sunday night in Pittsburgh.

Josh Anderson scored twice, the second into an empty net, and Owen Beck had his first NHL goal for Montreal. Juraj Slafkovsky also scored to help Montreal improve to 19-12-4 with its second straight victory.

The Penguins dropped their eighth straight to fall to 14-11-9.

Stuart Skinner stopped 17 shots in his second start for Pittsburgh. He allowed five goals in a 6-4 loss to Edmonton in his Pittsburgh debut Tuesday night after being acquired from Edmonton.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby remained at 1,722 career points, one shy of idol and mentor Mario Lemieux for the franchise lead. Pittsburgh was shut out for the second consecutive game, also falling 4-0 to Ottawa on Thursday night.

Slafkovsky, after keeping the play alive with a stick-check, ripped a shot into the top corner off a pass from Cole Caufield on the power play to open the scoring with 3:19 left in the first period.

Beck doubled the lead with 1:11 remaining in the period after blowing by a falling Parker Wotherspoon and firing a shot over Skinner’s left shoulder.

Midway through the second period, Anderson scored on a short-handed goal on a breakaway.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Pittsburgh Penguins' Rickard Rakell (67) moves in on Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler (32) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby skates prior to an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner, right, looks on as Montreal Canadiens' Lane Hutson (48) and Penguins' Erik Karlsson (65) collide in front of his net during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler (32) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins' Connor Dewar (19) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler makes a save against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period of an NHL hockey game, in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)