EDMONTON — Back to .500 and feeling awfully good about themselves, the Edmonton Oilers discovered this week what the Vancouver Canucks learned a week ago: The Ottawa Senators are a tonic for whatever ails you.
After an 8-5 win Sunday with rookie Stuart Skinner making his first NHL start in goal, the Oilers inserted Mikko Koskinen back between the pipes, buckled down defensively, and executed a clinical 4-2 victory over the Senators — scoring the first four goals of Tuesday’s game. The Oilers travel to Calgary for a game on Friday, then two more at the Sens rink after that — four points that should not go to waste.
“We came home for this homestand and we had that (reaching .500) goal in mind,” said head coach Dave Tippett. “There were some things we were doing, even when we were losing, that we liked. Then we’d make a mistake or take a penalty at the wrong time.
“I don’t mind our game moving forward here. We’ve taken some steps from where we were, but there are more steps to take.”
On Groundhog Day, the Sens lost their ninth straight. Now they go home and home with the first-place Montreal Canadiens, and then they have two games vs. Edmonton, which outscored them 12-7 in this two-game set and gave up just 25 shots on goal Tuesday despite four Senators power plays.
“Right now, every break seems to go in,” Senators head coach D.J. Smith said. “Probably, I need more from some of the older guys. Probably, need more right now from some of the guys who have been in the league.”
Connor McDavid (two assists on Tuesday) now has six consecutive multi-point games. He and Leon Draisaitl (one goal) have 36 points between them in the past eight games.
Jesse Cashes
It was the great Finn Teemu Selanne who used to speak of the old ketchup bottle whenever he would be in a goal-scoring slump. Eventually, Selanne always said, the ketchup would flow again.
And so it was that with 27 shots on goal but not a single tuck on the season, the young Finn Jesse Puljujarvi entered Tuesday’s game with the distinction of being the only NHL forward with that many shots not to have scored. Well, let the ketchup flow.
“I have a couple of chances and they go in. That’s good,” said Puljujarvi, who scored on a solo rush and then tipped home an Evan Bouchard wrister while cruising through the slot.
“Sometimes good shifts, sometimes bad shifts. All the time I try to be better player, help those guys and be a better linemate. There are things that I and the team can do better. (I can) be strong and make some plays all the time. That kind of stuff.”
This will give the 22-year-old some confidence, and blow some wind into the sails of a fan base that has been waiting for something good to happen to Puljujarvi.
“I’ve been talking to him quite a bit,” Tippett said. “He says it doesn’t bother him, but it’s nice to see him get on the board. Anybody, if you feel like you’re not scoring, there’s that extra bit of pressure you’re putting on yourself. Good to see that smile on his face.”
Puljujarvi played 14:31 and had three shots on goal.
Bouchard Begins
It was a calm, professional debut for Bouchard, who got into his first game this season. He had an assist, four shots on goal, eight shots in total, played 16:56 and simply looked like an NHL defenceman.
“Felt good to get back playing here in Edmonton. It took a shift or two to get back used to it,” said the 21-year-old, who watched the first 10 games of the season. “The message was, ‘Go out, have fun and work hard every day,’ it was a matter of time before I got to play a game. It’s the NHL. It’s always fun being here. Staying positive was a big part of it.”
What did his coach think?
“Really solid. Really solid,” Tippett repeated. “That’s a tough thing to jump into a game like that — every game the points are critical — and I think he got 17, 18 minutes. I was really pleased with his game. Smart, got an assist on a good shot from the point, and didn’t look out of place.
Bouchard’s game is subtle. It flows, and he doesn’t waste any energy.
“It’s a controlled game. Not quiet, but controlled,” Tippett said. “He doesn’t expend extra energy when he doesn’t have to.”
“He had a great start tonight,” Tippett said. “It’s all up from here.”
Murray Worry
The Sens acquired goalie Matt Murray from the Pittsburgh Penguins then promptly signed him to a four-year, $25 million deal in the off-season. That made him the third-highest paid player on the roster, and, alongside Thomas Chabot, the only other Senator signed through 2023-24.
He is clearly the goalie of record for this rebuild, but boy oh boy, things haven’t started well for Murray. In seven games he’s sporting a .842 saves percentage and a 4.82 goals-against average.
Murray watched the final two periods of Sunday’s game from the bench after being pulled, and backed up again tonight while the Sens went with Marcus Hogberg and his .849 saves percentage.
“I’ve never changed from when I got here,” Smith said. “We want this team to be set up so it can be good for 10 years. Slowly, we’re integrating more and more young guys, and (Murray’s) going to be the goalie when this team is the team that we know it can be. He’s going to be the guy holding them every day.”
Murray spent some extra time on the ice following Tuesday’s optional morning skate working with goalie coach Pierre Groulx. He’s grinding away in search of the game that took him to two Stanley Cups as a Penguin.
“Right now, this is a good work day for him,” observed Smith, who had “a good talk with him” Tuesday. “We’ve got to put him in a spot where we can play good in front of them. We think (Tuesday) was a good day to get some work, get some rest and be ready for the next one.”
The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
