Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. NHL roundup: Caps drop seventh straight

Nazem Kadri posted a hat trick plus an assist as the host Toronto Maple Leafs defeated Washington 6-3 on Wednesday night, handing the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals a seventh consecutive loss. Kadri scored once in the first period and added two more in the third as Toronto broke open a close game. He also had an assist on Nikita Zaitsev's first goal of the season as the Maple Leafs broke a two-game losing streak. NBA roundup: Harden nets 61 to keep streak rolling

Houston superstar James Harden continued his historic streak Wednesday night by scoring a career-high and franchise-record 61 points, but it was Eric Gordon who drained the biggest shot, a 3-pointer with nine seconds left that gave the Rockets the lead for good in a wild 114-110 win over the host New York Knicks. Harden has scored at least 30 points in 21 consecutive games, the fourth-longest such streak in NBA history (behind only three authored by Wilt Chamberlain). "Wilt the Stilt" scored 30 points in 25 straight games during the 1960-61 season, in 31 straight games spanning the 1961-62 and 1962-63 seasons and in 65 straight games during the 1961-62 season. NBA: Same old story as Warriors start to 'click'

Golden State Warriors leader Stephen Curry walked past a group of reporters following a win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday and jokingly appraised his new team mate. "DeMarcus Cousins sucks!" Curry shouted. Tennis: Ageless Paes has no plans to hang up racket yet

In his 28th season on tour and even after winning 18 Grand Slam titles in men's and mixed doubles, the 45-year-old Leander Paes still feels the need to reinvent himself to keep up with the changing times in professional tennis. Born to parents from sporting backgrounds, the Indian turned professional in 1991 as a singles player rising to world number 73 with his serve-and-volley game. Tennis: Osaka digs deep against Pliskova to set up Kvitova final

U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka staved off a fightback from Karolina Pliskova to reach her maiden Australian Open final with a 6-2 4-6 6-4 win on Thursday and set up a title clash with double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova. Osaka hit winners almost at will from both her forehand and backhand and broke Pliskova's service games twice while facing not a single breakpoint to canter through the first set. Search for missing Cardiff City's Sala resumes in English Channel

The search for Cardiff City's new soccer star, Emiliano Sala, resumed on Wednesday 36 hours after the light aircraft he was flying on disappeared in the English Channel. Sala was flying from the French city of Nantes to Cardiff for his club debut when the plane lost radar contact off the English Channel island of Guernsey late on Monday. Tennis: Osaka sponsor withdraws controversial commercial

Japanese noodle company Nissin have removed a controversial commercial following a dispute over the skin color of a cartoon character depicting tennis player Naomi Osaka. The commercial depicted Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother is Japanese, with pale skin and light brown hair, which created public outcry. Baseball: A-Rod's Super Bowl ad latest stop on road to redemption

When former New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez appears in a snack food commercial during next month's Super Bowl, it will mark the latest step in his remarkable return to the public's good graces following his 2014 suspension for steroid use. Rodriguez, known as A-Rod, will appear in an ad for Planters alongside the company's iconic Mr Peanut in a playful spot few would have predicted he could pull off when the polarizing MLB player retired in 2016. Top 25 roundup: No. 1 Vols edge Vandy in OT

Grant Williams scored 43 points as Tennessee celebrated its first No. 1 ranking in nearly 11 years with an 88-83 overtime victory over Vanderbilt on Wednesday night in Nashville's Memorial Gymnasium. The Volunteers (17-1, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) won their 13th game in a row while the Commodores (9-9, 0-6) lost their sixth in a row. Tennis: Kvitova swats aside Collins to reach first Melbourne final

Petra Kvitova will compete in her first Grand Slam final in five years after ending the fairytale run of unseeded American Danielle Collins with a decisive 7-6(2) 6-0 victory on a scorching afternoon at Melbourne Park on Thursday. The eighth seeded Czech will meet the winner of U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka and seventh seeded compatriot Karolina Pliskova as she bids for her first Grand Slam triumph since claiming the second of her Wimbledon titles in 2014.