Walman’s Overtime Winner Lifts Oilers to 3-2 Victory Over Senators

The Ottawa Senators (2-4-1) hosted the Edmonton Oilers (3-3-1) on Tuesday night (Oct. 21) from the nation’s capital. Both teams entered this game scuffling of late, with the Oilers losing three straight games, while the Senators have dropped four of their last five games. This game went to the road team as they snapped their skid with the

3-2 overtime victory. Here’s your game recap.

Game Recap

The Oilers opened the scoring on the power play with 3:29 remaining in the first period. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins found Connor McDavid

from behind the net, and the captain ripped the one-timer over the left shoulder of goaltender Linus Ullmark for his first goal of the season. The Oilers took that 1-0 lead into the dressing room with the shots tied at six.

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Less than one minute into the second period, Isaac Howard scored his first NHL goal. McDavid forced a turnover, and Leon Draisaitl found Howard in the slot, and he ripped a one-timer through the five-hole to extend Edmonton’s lead. Then, five minutes later, goaltender Stuart Skinner robbed David Perron on a 2-on-0 down low with a sprawling save to maintain their two-goal lead. The visitors took that 2-0 lead into the second intermission, with Ottawa having an 11-6 shot advantage in the period and 17-12 overall.

The Senators made it a 2–1 game 13 seconds into the third period on a power play that carried over from the end of the second frame. Ottawa won a board battle, and

Dylan Cozens walked in and sniped a shot blocker side. Then, 1:49 into the period, Ottawa tied the game at two. Thomas Chabot’s point shot found the back of the net through traffic in front. As a result, this game headed to overtime, with Edmonton holding a slim 21-20 shot advantage, including 9-3 in the third period.

In extra time, Jake Walman won the game for the Oilers on the power play. Off a clean faceoff win, he stepped into a slap shot and hammered the puck upstairs to secure the victory. Skinner stopped 18 of 20 shots for a .900 save percentage (SV%) in the win, while Ullmark stopped 22 of 25 shots for an .880 SV% in defeat.

The Senators conclude their four-game homestand on Thursday (Oct. 23) against the Philadelphia Flyers. Meanwhile, the Oilers return home for a quick one-game stop against the Montreal Canadiens the same day. Keep following

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Detroit Lions Get Uplifting News Ahead of Week 9

The Detroit Lions already have reason to celebrate, a little bit, heading into their Week 9 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Detroit Lions are on a much-deserved bye week, and they’d be wise to use the time to rest and reflect on their promising start to the season. The week off will also give the team’s injured secondary time to rejuvenate, even though the Lions were still able to pull off a strong and definitive win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, October 19, 24-9, despite the injured secondary.

Even though the Lions have a week off, it’s not too early to start thinking about their next opponent, the Minnesota Vikings. It’s been an up-and-down season for the Viks, and the team is heading into their Week 8 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers with a 3-3 record. One of the biggest issues for the Vikings this season has been their quarterback position. After drafting Michigan product J.J. McCarthy in the 2024 NFL draft, McCarthy had to sit out the entire 2024-25 season due to injury. He returned this season but was injured again relatively quickly, so the team has been relying on Carson Wentz.

So, what are the chances McCarthy will be healthy enough to play against the Lions? The answer to that question will help determine the result of that game.

J.J. McCarthy’s Status Going Into Detroit Lions Game

According to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell commented on Tuesday, October 21, that McCarthy, who’s dealing with an ankle injury, was put through an on-field workout but it’s there yet. So, he’s not expected to play in the team’s Thursday, October 23, game against the Los Angeles Chargers for Week 8.

But, O’Connell commented that if the Vikings were playing on Sunday instead of Thursday, McCarthy may be healthy enough to play, implying that he would be ready to go for the Week 9 game against the Detroit Lions.

So, is it good or bad news that McCarthy might be available to take on the Lions? Colby Colwell of Detroit Jock City thinks it’s good news. According to the NFL expert and analyst, it’s not just good news, it’s “great news,” based on McCarthy’s early showing on the field.

“For starters, McCarthy has two TDs, three interceptions, and a dismal 58.5% completion rate through two NFL appearances, so that has to give the Lions some confidence already,” he notes in the Wednesday, October 22 piece. “Detroit was missing four starters in the defensive backfield on Monday night and still held the Buccaneers offense to 58 total yards in the first half, and got some key contributions from players like cornerback Arthur Maulet, who had a breakout performance in the win with an interception.”

Carson Wentz vs. J.J. McCarthy to Take on the Detroit Lions

Wentz hasn’t had the most stellar season, though. According to the statistics from ESPN and Pro Football Reference, he’s clocked five touchdown and four interceptions with a completion percentage of 66.9% and passing yards of 1,072.

So, it’s a mixed bag when it comes to which quarterback will be better to take on the Lions. The most important matter, really, is that the Lions’ defense and secondary gets healthier, and then they’ll be unstoppable no matter who they’re up against.

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