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If the Edmonton Oilers?glanced a little to their right toward the?Pittsburgh Penguins?bench at PPG Paints Arena Tuesday night, they could have been excused for wondering, perhaps hoping, that they were catching a glimpse of their own future.Sure, its too early to start drawing lines from the recently hopeless to the defending Stanley Cup champions. But its not as implausible as it was even a few weeks ago.A month into the 2015-16 season and coming off a solid 2-2-1 road trip that concluded with Tuesdays exciting 4-3 loss to the defending Cup champions, its fair to suggest that the Oilers are the story of the season so far.I do think that theyve taken a significant step with the additions theyve made, said one veteran Western-based scout who has seen the Oilers play multiple times this season.It starts with top-end coaching from Todd McLellan and great goaltending from?Cam Talbot, who has turned in a .938 save percentage in his past nine games. Talbots definitely the real deal, the scout said.The Oilers also boast an emerging, better-than-expected defense and a balanced, big and fast offensive group.The pieces are in place, the scout said. And I think theyre coming together; theres an excitement around the team.And, oh yeah, theres a kid named Connor McDavid, a player the scout said is the closest thing to the incomparable Wayne Gretzky that the league has seen yet. And thats with all due respect to two-time Stanley Cup winner and defending playoff MVP Sidney Crosby, against whom McDavid faced off for the first time in his young career Tuesday night and delivered a virtuoso, three-point performance in a losing effort.[With] this guys acceleration and the ability to attack the way he does, the scout said, I think theyve got a helluva chance to make the playoffs.Mention playoffs to Edmonton general manager Peter Chiarelli and he practically claps his hands over his ears. Its way, way, too soon for that kind of talk.But part of the reason for the giddiness is that given the Oilers successes -- even after Tuesdays loss, they remain atop the Pacific Division with a 9-4-1 record -- it seems almost as if we are discussing some completely different franchise when compared to how quickly most of the past 10 seasons devolved into chaos and disarray.They sure have found hope in Edmonton that has been crushed early most years in the last decade, one former player and current executive also based in the West said. And its well-timed in [their] new rink.So much of this early season has not been Oilers-like. After Tuesdays loss Edmonton is still the leagues top road team, with a 5-2-1 record. Last season, the Oilers won just 12 games away from home.They werent much better at home, winning just 19 times as they finished last in the Western Conference with a minus-42 goal differential -- third-worst in the NHL. This season, the Oilers are 4-2-0 and boast a respectable plus-8 goal differential at home.Edmonton has dealt with some early injury adversity. Theyre missing a slew of everyday players, including Kris Russell, who has arguably been the teams best defender after signing as a free agent during the offseason.But still the Oilers keep striding forward.The good teams, they just kind of get used to the winning atmosphere, the winning mentality. You go into every night expecting to win, former No. 1 overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said Tuesday. Were starting to get that back into our mindset now.Like Nugent-Hopkins and everyone else connected to the Oilers, Chiarelli is preaching patience.Its a message thats a lot more palatable for fans who havent had a sniff of the postseason since Game 7 of the 2006 Stanley Cup finals.The Oilers own the second-ranked road power play and the top road penalty-killing unit, having allowed just four goals on 41 shorthanded opportunities. They are 12th in the league with the man advantage and fourth when killing penalties. Last season they were 18th and tied for 17th, respectively. They are fourth in the league in hits -- a marked departure from a year ago, when they were 20th.Chiarelli oversaw the building of a Stanley Cup champion in Boston. He understands better than most the hundreds of building blocks that go into erasing years of disappointment and underachievement.Milan Lucic, the key offseason free agent signing by the Oilers, was with Chiarelli in Boston when they raised a Stanley Cup after knocking off the?Vancouver Canucks?on the road in Game 7 in 2011, the Bruins first championship since 1972.The two have talked internally about the need for this team to avoid the long, soul-snapping streaks that can scuttle a season. And Chiarelli notes the teams improved play in all three zones has been a key to avoiding such slides.This road trip was a good test, as the Oilers dropped the first two games and were actually winless in three before beating the New York Islanders?and then the?Detroit Red Wings?heading into Tuesdays loss.Its just about keeping perspective over a long season, Chiarelli said. I dont think, Oh, weve turned a corner.Fair enough, but how many steps does it take before a team reaches said corner?Another few weeks of solid play and Chiarelli is going to have walk around with ear muffs on because the playoff talk will only intensify.Obviously, we wanted to have a good start, and weve established that, Nugent-Hopkins said. We established ourselves at home really well, which is another important thing. So far weve done everything within our control. Now we just have to have the same mentality and not get too caught up in stuff and not get too ahead of ourselves and just keep playing the same we have been.After a decade of misery, the Oilers deserve a chance to bask in the unusual glare of a welcome spotlight, dont they? As long as they dont become blinded by it.To get the good start rolling, it definitely brings the team together, Nugent-Hopkins said. And yeah, youve got to enjoy that. When youre having fun it makes it a lot easier to go out there every night. So we just got to keep it going. Wholesale Shoes UK . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Wholesale Adidas UK . A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. http://www.adidasshoescheapuk.com/ .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Kevin Porter and defenceman Chad Ruhwedel from the minors as part of a five-player roster shuffle made by the NHLs worst team. Clearance Adidas Shoes UK .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Cheap Adidas UK . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). An eight-member jury in Los Angeles federal court has found New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose?and his two friends not liable in a civil lawsuit that accused them of gang-raping Roses ex-girlfriend when she was incapacitated from drugs or alcohol.The jury began deliberations Wednesday morning, and its decision was announced at about 4:30 p.m. ET.I am thankful that the jury understood and agreed with me, Rose said in a statement to The Associated Press. This experience and my sensitivity to it was deep. I am ready to put this behind me and focus on my family and career.Jurors posed for photographs with Rose one at a time in the courthouse lobby after the verdict was announced.One of the two men among the eight jurors who identified himself only by his first name and age, Jared, 25, said the panel tried to look at the case in the plaintiffs favor but in the end could not believe her and felt her tears were not genuine.It felt like she was playing us, Jared said. The second her lawyer started questioning her, she would start crying. I mean, granted, that could be realistic, but I feel lm pretty good at reading people, and I felt as if it was false.Before he ended the proceedings, U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald wished all parties the best but added for Rose, Except when the Knicks play the Lakers.Roses ex-girlfriend said he and his two friends raped her in August 2013 at her Los Angeles apartment after she passed out from drugs or alcohol.Neither side denied the three men had sex with the woman, but the issue was whether she consented or was too intoxicated to do so.Defense lawyers painted the woman as a liar who tried to sway jurors through her tears to get at Roses fortune. They claimed she was angry that he had dumped her and that she set him up and brought the lawsuit in hopes of a big payoff.The womans lawyer called the men sexual deviants and said they conspired to rape her after she was drunk and incapable of consenting to sex.Rose was in court, looking down, as the verdict was read. As soon as the first question was answered by the jury, his attorney got up and shook the hand of each of the three defendants.All three men were innocent from day one, Roses attorney, Mark Baute, said. Were very happy that the system worked.The womans attorney, Waukeen McCoy, said he will explore appeal options.I think its a shame for women, for this country, that a celebrity can come into court and slut-shame a woman like my client, McCoy said.Though the accusers reaction could not be seen as the verdict was read, McCoy said she was devastated and did not understand how jurors could reach their conclusion.The woman, who became emotional and trembled while testifying, had sought $21.5 million when she filed the suit, but her attorney did not put a price on the case Tuesday during closing arguments, saying it was up to the jury.Roses lawyer said the future of the Knicks point guard and his whole family was at stake because of a mmorals clause in his player contract and an endorsement deal with Adidas.dddddddddddd.Baute urged jurors to recognize the suit as a hoax and a joke and not even award $20 because that could destroy Roses career and trigger financial ruin for the star and the extended family and friends he had pulled out of poverty from Chicagos South Side with his talent on the court.Adidas, in a statement issued shortly after the verdict was announced, said: Our partnership with Derrick remains unchanged.Lawyers in the civil case sparred for nearly three hours during the bitter closing arguments Tuesday. The womans lawyer said the 30-year-old college student was seeking accountability for what was morally and legally wrong. He said the men had never apologized or shown any remorse and said their behavior was reprehensible enough to trigger punitive damages beyond any compensation.?The three men laughed their way home, McCoy said.The defense portrayed Rose and his childhood pals, Ryan Allen and Randall Hampton, who both work for Rose, as victims in the case, and the lawyers mocked the womans demeanor on the witness stand.This woman has tried to trick people through much of her life, men especially, attorney Michael Monico said. Who is she trying to trick in this courtroom, ladies and gentlemen? You. She doesnt have any evidence, but she can cry.Rose took the stand Tuesday and answered one question about a text message from the accuser with one word: Yes.The juror named Jared said the panel found the three defendants genuine and honest. Jared and the jury forewoman, who wouldnt give her name, said they went through each piece of evidence provided to support the womans case and found nothing added up.I dont want to call her a liar, the forewoman said. I just didnt feel like there was enough evidence.Last summer, the woman also filed a police report along with the civil lawsuit against Rose. The Los Angeles Police Department said it continues to investigate a complaint filed against Rose but said there is no timetable on if or when the criminal case will be closed.Rose is in his first season with the Knicks after being traded by the Chicago Bulls. He has missed five preseason games and seven practices?while attending the civil trial. On Wednesday, Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said he didnt expect the former league MVP to rejoin the team?until Friday.?Rose is expected to have three full practices with his teammates before the Knicks season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.Its a tough thing he went through, but now its over and now we can focus on basketball. I know thats what Derrick wants to get back to doing, Hornacek said. Were just all glad its done with, and now he can get back and focus on basketball.Information from ESPNs Ian Begley and Darren Rovell and The Associated Press was used in this report. ' ' '