EDMONTON -- After three woebegone seasons of futility, the Edmonton Oilers are no longer bringing a knife to a gunfight. . The Oilers open the abbreviated NHL season Sunday with high hopes centred around a core of young sharpshooters, notably the latest No. 1 overall draft pick, Nail Yakupov. Rookie head coach Ralph Krueger says a fast start is critical, given the team has a killer 17-day, nine-game road trip in late February. "Its going to be a good opportunity at the start with 10 home and seven road games to establish a good base," Krueger said. "We feel good about the schedule." Fans are also feeling very good about Yakupov, the bushy-browed Russian teenager with a sweet set of hands and a reputation as half puck wizard, half showboat. For his part, the 19-year-old has kept his head down and his nose clean at training camp, sticking to pabulum bromides on working hard. "We have a lot of skilled players and we will work pretty well this year," he told reporters. Yakupov knows the heat is on after a so-so performance for his country at the recent world junior championships and controversy over comments in his native tongue that Canucks play "dirty." In a testament to the Oilers newfound skill level, Yakupov is not even slotted in on the first line. That honour has gone to NHL sophomore and fellow teenager Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Burnaby, B.C., native -- the first overall pick in 2011 -- centres the top line with 2010 overall No. 1 Taylor Hall on left wing and Jordan Eberle on the right. The trio is expected to make up for its lack of size and experience with dynamite scoring potential. All three played together in Oklahoma City for the Oilers farm team during the 113-day lockout. Eberle led the way with 25 goals and 51 points in 34 games. This week he was named the Oilers assistant captain. Nugent-Hopkins is coming off a promising rookie season of 18 goals and 52 points in 62 games. Hall was second in team scoring to Eberle with 27 goals in 61 games last season, and didnt start playing this year until November as he recuperated from shoulder surgery. Yakupov is penciled in on the left wing with Sam Gagner at centre and veteran Ales Hemsky on the right. Captain Shawn Horcoff is expected to centre the third line flanked by the redoubtable Ryan Smyth to his left and big-bodied Finn Teemu Hartikainen on the right. Arguably the biggest off-season addition to the Oilers was defenceman Justin Schultz. A 22-year-old free agent sought widely for his laser-beam breakout passes, Schultz snubbed other suitors last summer to sign with Edmonton. The hope is that Schultz will ignite rushes with passes that in recent years have too often have forced Oiler forwards building up speed through the neutral zone to reach waaaay back for the puck or see it clink off the back of their skates. Schultz was an American Hockey League star for Oklahoma City in the lockout, racking up 18 goals and 48 points and pushing Eberle for the scoring lead. Krueger, however, says the six-foot-one, 163-pound Schultz will, like all rookie rearguards, learn that life at hockeys top rung is a grind. "Hes going to have some adjustments to make here. Were going to be patient with him and everybody needs to be patient with him," Krueger said. "Were very confident hes going to become a top player, but he needs his time to deal with the game without the puck. It will be a lot more challenging here. The physical battles down low in our end will be a lot more difficult." Joining Schultz on the top three defence pairings are veterans Ladislav Smid, Jeff Petry, Ryan Whitney, Nick Schultz and newly acquired Mark Fistric. Ther blue-line corps could turn out either strong or fragile, as its vulnerable to a steep drop off if injuries mount. In goal, 26-year old Devan Dubnyk takes over as the No. 1. He is expected to play two thirds of the 48 games with the rest going to the aging but still occasionally brilliant Nikolai Khabibulin. Oddsmakers have the Oilers leaping up to the middle of the NHL standings, and the first playoff spot since 2006 looms. If they fizzle, it will be because they lost a lot of 6-5 hockey games with fans walking out buzzing about two highlight reel goals. Given the frozen wasteland of recent campaigns, Oiler fans can probably live with that. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-lance-kendricks-jersey-fk-... Kendricks Jersey . Kafka was released Friday afternoon, leaving Edwards and rookie Nick Foles behind Michael Vick on the depth chart. . On Saturday night, it was a big one. Luebke outpitched Roy Halladay and San Diego beat Philadelphia 5-1, snapping the Phillies 13-game winning streak at Petco Park. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-austin-pettis-jersey-dq-28... . Nasri was walking through the interview area when the heated exchange took place after the journalist asked him for a reaction to the loss. Reports said the dispute escalated and Nasri challenged the journalist to take their argument further. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-harvey-dahl-jersey-vv-64.h... Dahl Jersey . The referee issued a red card to Camara, so he will be suspended a total of two games. Earthquakes defender Victor Bernardez received a one-game suspension and was fined for endangering the safety of Montreal midfielder Lamar Neagle in the 25th minute of the Impacts 3-1 victory Saturday. . That was clearly a popular decision for his enthusiastic mother Karen, who might have been the happiest person in Consol Energy Center. "She likes me at home apparently," said Ceci. "Getting to stay (in Ottawa) for major junior was special for her and getting the chance to stay there now for the National Hockey League is something else that will be really cool for me and my whole family. WATERLOO, Ont. -- Inbee Parks birdie on the 18th hole gave the South Korean a little breathing room with a two-shot lead on Saturday heading into the final round at the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic. Ahead by one shot over fellow countrywoman Hee Kyung Seo going into the last hole at Grey Silo Golf Course, the 23-year-old padded her lead with a third round score of 5-under par 66 to sit 14 under for the tournament. Seo and American Brittany Lang both went 4-under on the day to tie for second at 12 under par. "I think I played par 5s really good today; that helped me out a lot," said Park. "There were some more putts out there that I could have made, but I was really happy with the way I hit the ball today and hopefully tomorrow it will be a better putting day." If Park can hang on to the lead Sunday, it will be her first victory on the tour since she became the youngest player to win the U.S. Open at 19 years, 11 months and 17 days. "I havent had a win for a while so it will be nice to win tomorrow," said Park. "But Ill just go out there, just play like today with no expectations. Just play like a normal day." Lang became a surprise contender for the final round after she birdied the 16 and 17th hole, and eagled the 18th after 15 straight pars to start her round. "I hit some good putts and some good shots, but I just couldnt get anything going. I stayed patient and positive and finally hit the birdie on 16 and got some energy," she said. "Its tricky to read the greens out here. You can hit good putts and not make them. But I stayed positive and two awesome shots on 18. Im very happy with that finish." Should Lang win the tournament, shell be the first of 16 Duke University Blue Devils -- a dynasty in womens collegiate golf -- that played on the LPGA tour to have a victory. "That still blows my mind every time I hear it," said Lang. "It would be so cool. I mean, I like to represent my family and my hometown as well, but to do that, that would be amazing." Of course, Seo will have something to say about that. Last seasons Rolex rookie of the year kept pace with Lang after the two were tied for second place at the end of the second round. "It was a great day,&quuot; Seo said. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-trumaine-johnson-jersey-za... Johnson Jersey. "I was trying to be patient because I make mistakes. I tried to bounce back and it worked. It was a little bad luck on the 18th hole (a par); its OK." Seo said she is focused on one thing tomorrow. "I dont know how many are behind me, but always a win," said Seo. "I have a few opportunities to win but I lost every time, so if I have a chance to win, I want to." Seo admitted that she was checking out the leaderboard today to see what she had to do to catch up. "Yeah, Im always watching scores," she said with a laugh. Swedens Anna Nordqvist bounced back from a 1-over par 72 in the second round to score 4 under in the third round to take sole possession of fourth place at 10 under par. Americans Sandra Changkija and Nicole Hage -- who also eagled the 18th hole -- as well as Swedens Karin Sjidin and Chinas Shanshan Feng are tied for fifth at 9 under. Five players sit tied for ninth at 8 under, including Americans Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson. Leading the five Canadians that made the cut was Quebecs Maude-Aimee Leblanc. The tall, Sherbrooke native shot a third round of 3 under to move to 4-under par for the tournament and into a tie for 26th place. "I struggled a little bit at the beginning, Leblanc said. "I dont know, I just didnt feel comfortable with my driver. I made a bad double on No. 7 that threw me off a bit, but I made a few birdies on the back. Overall, it was a good round. "Ill just go to the range and hit a few drivers, and get my driver good for tomorrow." If Leblanc can get that club working, she can have her best finish of the season. Shes been on a bit of a hot streak recently, finishing in the top 40 in her last two tournaments and she credits that success to her new swing coach Jim McLean. She knows what shell have to do to move up the leaderboard. "Its a pretty easy course," Leblanc said. "Theres a lot of birdie opportunities out there and I just have to take advantage of them." Other Canadians in the field are Isabelle Beisiegel of Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., and Hamiltons Alena Sharp tied for 60th at 1 over, Torontos Rebecca Lee-Bentham tied for 67th at 3 over and Charlottetowns Lorie Kane in 76th at 5 over. ' ' '