Oilers’ Newcomer Shocks Toronto, Seizes Spotlight in Pivotal Win

Paul Riverbank, 12/14/2025From Tristan Jarry’s poised Oilers debut to the Winterhawks’ struggles and the Suns awaiting Devin Booker’s return, the article captures how resilience and depth determine whether teams seize opportunity or stumble as seasons unfold.

“I just try to play my game, no matter where I am,” was Jarry’s low-key summary after the victory, shifting any spotlight onto his teammates. For the Oilers, whose fortunes have wobbled more than once this season, Jarry’s calm presence seemed contagious. The defensive unit, who’ve been accused of spotty play, looked sharper—cutting off breakouts, collapsing toward the net, rarely giving Toronto’s scorers a second touch.

Sports fans know there’s a difference between results and chemistry, and this was as much about the feeling in the building as the numbers on the scoreboard. Edmonton acted like a team eager to shed old baggage, with everyone pulling on the same rope. Jarry might be new to the colours, but his first impression couldn’t have landed better.

Contrast that to what happened on the ice in junior hockey’s Pacific Northwest, and you get a sense of how fleeting momentum can be. For the Portland Winterhawks, the night unraveled in the worst possible way. With two of their front-line stars—Ondrej Štěbeták and Max Pšenička—called away for international duty, and another scorer hampered by injury, the lineup was a shadow of itself. Penticton’s Vees made sure to pounce, rattling off three first-period goals—two courtesy of the man advantage—before anyone in Portland could steady the ship.

Matteo Denis, who’s built a quiet reputation for showing up in big games, erupted for four goals and two assists. By the time he flicked in his fourth tally, the Vees joked on the bench that they’d lost count. For Portland, all the little mistakes snowballed. Their key skaters, normally counted on for double-digit attempts, combined for just six shots, two coming from a late shift that felt more like a gesture than a rally.

Walk through the halls after the game, and it was impossible to ignore the mood. Portland’s coaches didn’t yell; they just huddled, staring at stat sheets, already wondering how to plug holes ahead of the next tilt. With Yaremko spending most of the closing minutes icing a leg on the bench, the team’s already thin depth looked like wishful thinking. Penticton, meanwhile, took a short victory lap—they’ll soon lose their World Junior reps—but for now, their bench held plenty of swagger.

Basketball, with its relentless schedule, often exposes how fragile team spirit can be, too. The Phoenix Suns have missed their anchor—Devin Booker—for three games now, each absence underlining just how much gravity their star brings. During open practice Saturday, Booker was present but not quite back. He laughed with teammates during warmups, slapped hands, but later eased into isolation drills and sat out the scrimmage.

Maybe it was optimism, maybe just stubborn hope, but Suns coach Jordan Ott tried to keep the mood even. “He’s moving well, looks good to me—but these things are tricky. We’ll see how his body feels tomorrow,” he told reporters, avoiding any firm declarations.

With Booker out, Phoenix has managed just one win, a stat made worse by the historic, 49-point collapse against Oklahoma City—a loss that still had players shaking their heads days later. “You want to erase it from your mind, but you can’t ignore how it felt,” Suns guard Jordan Goodwin admitted when asked if the team had moved on. They’ll face a Lakers squad next that’s equally unpredictable, swinging from impressive to vulnerable from week to week.

If Booker does return, even on a hard minutes restriction, it could turn the Suns’ confidence on a dime. Ott said as much after practice: “When Book is in, the other guys follow.” And for a team trying to avoid spiraling through the standings, that boost could mean the difference between a tough road trip and a season-defining turnaround.

Each of these teams—be it a freshly minted netminder, a shorthanded junior group, or an NBA squad waiting on its leader—faces a version of the same question: Who’s going to step up next? Over a long campaign, that’s always the heart of the story. Sometimes, it just takes one night, in a new uniform or facing the odds, to change the narrative altogether.

It’s not every day a goaltender trades cities, jumps straight into the lineup, and looks as if he’s never missed a beat. But that’s exactly how Tristan Jarry’s debut unfolded in Edmonton. Called up at the eleventh hour, fresh off a flight from Pittsburgh, he found himself under the bright lights and heavy expectations. The puck dropped, and you might have expected nerves or a misstep, but Jarry was unfazed. The first period flew by—he stonewalled Toronto’s best look just six minutes in, barely cracking a smile as the crowd roared. By the final horn, he’d racked up 25 stops and helped settle a 6-3 win that was more workmanlike than flashy.“I just try to play my game, no matter where I am,” was Jarry’s low-key summary after the victory, shifting any spotlight onto his teammates. For the Oilers, whose fortunes have wobbled more than once this season, Jarry’s calm presence seemed contagious. The defensive unit, who’ve been accused of spotty play, looked sharper—cutting off breakouts, collapsing toward the net, rarely giving Toronto’s scorers a second touch.Sports fans know there’s a difference between results and chemistry, and this was as much about the feeling in the building as the numbers on the scoreboard. Edmonton acted like a team eager to shed old baggage, with everyone pulling on the same rope. Jarry might be new to the colours, but his first impression couldn’t have landed better.Contrast that to what happened on the ice in junior hockey’s Pacific Northwest, and you get a sense of how fleeting momentum can be. For the Portland Winterhawks, the night unraveled in the worst possible way. With two of their front-line stars—Ondrej Štěbeták and Max Pšenička—called away for international duty, and another scorer hampered by injury, the lineup was a shadow of itself. Penticton’s Vees made sure to pounce, rattling off three first-period goals—two courtesy of the man advantage—before anyone in Portland could steady the ship.Matteo Denis, who’s built a quiet reputation for showing up in big games, erupted for four goals and two assists. By the time he flicked in his fourth tally, the Vees joked on the bench that they’d lost count. For Portland, all the little mistakes snowballed. Their key skaters, normally counted on for double-digit attempts, combined for just six shots, two coming from a late shift that felt more like a gesture than a rally.Walk through the halls after the game, and it was impossible to ignore the mood. Portland’s coaches didn’t yell; they just huddled, staring at stat sheets, already wondering how to plug holes ahead of the next tilt. With Yaremko spending most of the closing minutes icing a leg on the bench, the team’s already thin depth looked like wishful thinking. Penticton, meanwhile, took a short victory lap—they’ll soon lose their World Junior reps—but for now, their bench held plenty of swagger.Basketball, with its relentless schedule, often exposes how fragile team spirit can be, too. The Phoenix Suns have missed their anchor—Devin Booker—for three games now, each absence underlining just how much gravity their star brings. During open practice Saturday, Booker was present but not quite back. He laughed with teammates during warmups, slapped hands, but later eased into isolation drills and sat out the scrimmage.Maybe it was optimism, maybe just stubborn hope, but Suns coach Jordan Ott tried to keep the mood even. “He’s moving well, looks good to me—but these things are tricky. We’ll see how his body feels tomorrow,” he told reporters, avoiding any firm declarations.With Booker out, Phoenix has managed just one win, a stat made worse by the historic, 49-point collapse against Oklahoma City—a loss that still had players shaking their heads days later. “You want to erase it from your mind, but you can’t ignore how it felt,” Suns guard Jordan Goodwin admitted when asked if the team had moved on. They’ll face a Lakers squad next that’s equally unpredictable, swinging from impressive to vulnerable from week to week.If Booker does return, even on a hard minutes restriction, it could turn the Suns’ confidence on a dime. Ott said as much after practice: “When Book is in, the other guys follow.” And for a team trying to avoid spiraling through the standings, that boost could mean the difference between a tough road trip and a season-defining turnaround.Each of these teams—be it a freshly minted netminder, a shorthanded junior group, or an NBA squad waiting on its leader—faces a version of the same question: Who’s going to step up next? Over a long campaign, that’s always the heart of the story. Sometimes, it just takes one night, in a new uniform or facing the odds, to change the narrative altogether.