McDavid has goal and 2 assists, Oilers hold off Golden Knights 4-3

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid opened the scoring midway through the first period and set up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' two power-play goals in the Edmonton Oilers' 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night.

Connor Ingram stopped 26 shots in his Edmonton debut and first NHL game of the season. Ingram played for Utah last season before entering the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program in March. He has been with Edmonton’s AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, where he was 4-5-2 with a 4.04 GAA and .856 save percentage.

Zach Hyman also scored and had an assist as Edmonton — coming off a 5-2 loss in Minnesota on Saturday — raced to a 4-0 lead in the second period against goalie Carter Hart. Leon Draisaitl had two assists.

The Oilers have won three of four to improve to 18-13-6. They are 15-1-3 when scoring first.

Tomas Hertl got one back for Vegas on a power play in the second, then assisted on goals by Mitch Marner and Pavel Dorofeyev in the third, with Marner also striking with a man advantage.

Hart made 17 saves.

From the Edmonton suburb of Sherwood Park, Hart became the first of the five Canadian players who faced sexual assault charges from the 2018 World Junior Championships before being acquitted to play a game in Canada. His NHL suspension was lifted in December.

Noah Hanifin had three assists for Vegas. The Golden Knights have lost three in a row.

Golden Knights: Host San Jose on Tuesday night to open a four-game homestand.

Oilers: Host Calgary on Tuesday night.

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

Vegas Golden Knights' Tomas Hertl (48) is stopped by Edmonton Oilers goalie Connor Ingram (39) during third-period NHL hockey game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vegas Golden Knights' Tomas Hertl (48) is stopped by Edmonton Oilers goalie Connor Ingram (39) during third-period NHL hockey game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart (79) looks on as the Edmonton Oilers celebrate a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game, in Edmonton, Alberta, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' goalie Connor Ingram, center, makes a save against the Vegas Golden Knights during first-period NHL hockey game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) celebrates after a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during first-period NHL hockey game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A Malaysian court Monday rejected former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s bid to serve the remainder of his graft sentence under house arrest.

The High Court ruled that a rare royal order issued by the nation’s former king was not valid as it wasn't made in accordance with constitutional requirements.

Najib’s lawyer told the court they plan to appeal the verdict.

The 72-year-old former prime minister will serve the remainder of his term in prison, scheduled to end in August 2028 after the Pardons Board cut the 12-year sentence by half last year.

Najib is serving time after being convicted in a trial linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state fund that toppled his government in 2018. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2020 for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving 42 million ringgit ($10.3 million) channeled into his bank accounts from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB.

He began his sentence in August 2022 after losing his final appeal, becoming Malaysia’s first former leader to be jailed.

He filed an application in April 2024, saying he had information that then-King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah issued an addendum order allowing him to finish his sentence under house arrest. Najib claimed the addendum was issued during a pardons board meeting on Jan. 29, 2024, chaired by Sultan Abdullah, that shortened his punishment and sharply cut a fine.

While there was no dispute over the existence of the addendum order, Judge Alice Loke said the house arrest wasn't raised nor discussed at the Jan. 29 pardons board meeting. The king's prerogative of mercy must be carried out based on the advice of the pardons board under the constitution and cannot be made independently as it would “invite arbitrary decision,” she said.

The house arrest therefore, was “not a valid order” she ruled.

Najib didn't show much emotion, and later smiled when his lawyer described the ruling as “shocking” after the judge left the courtroom.

Najib denies wrongdoing, alleging that Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho duped him. Low, thought to be the mastermind of the scandal, remains at large.

Separately on Friday, the former leader will also find out if he is acquitted or convicted in a second graft trial that ties him directly to the 1MDB scandal. The High Court will rule on four charges of abuse of power to obtain over $700 million from 1MDB that went into Najib’s bank accounts, and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.

If found guilty, Najib faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of abuse of power and up to five years for each of the money laundering charges.

Najib set up the 1MDB development fund shortly after he took office in 2009. Investigators allege at least $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund and laundered by Najib’s associates through layers of bank accounts in the U.S. and other countries.

The funds were allegedly used to finance Hollywood films and extravagant purchases that included hotels, a luxury yacht, art and jewelry.

A national outrage over the 1MDB scandal led to the historic 2018 election defeat of the party that had governed Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957.

Despite his conviction, Najib still holds clout in his party, the United Malays National Organization, which is now part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ’s unity government that took power after the 2022 elections.

Supporters of Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak gather outside the Kuala Lumpur High Court Complex, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Azneal Ishak)

Supporters of Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak gather outside the Kuala Lumpur High Court Complex, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Azneal Ishak)

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, center, is escorted by prison officers on his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Complex, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Azneal Ishak)

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, center, is escorted by prison officers on his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Complex, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Azneal Ishak)

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, center, is escorted by prison officers on his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Complex, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Azneal Ishak)