The Oilers Are on the Brink, MAGA Energy Is Shut Down and the de Ruiter Truth Comes Out

After a 7-4 loss in Game 3 on Friday, the Oilers fell again Sunday night in Anaheim 4-3 despite coach Kris Knoblauch making a goalie switch to Tristan Jarry. Edmonton has now been outscored 16 to 12 across the four games. Knoblauch pointed to two specific problems: too many odd-man rushes given up and too many battles lost in front of the net. Young Ducks forwards Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson have been outstanding, scoring 42 seconds apart to break the game open in Game 3.

The series has been a reality check. The Ducks, who had not hosted a home playoff game in eight years, have outplayed Edmonton at both ends of the ice for long stretches. Anaheim leads the series on the strength of youth, speed and opportunistic defence that has exposed Edmonton's defensive breakdowns repeatedly.

Game 5 is Tuesday April 28 at Rogers Place, 8 PM MDT. It is a must win. The Oilers have been here before, but the margin for error is now zero. If you are going to Rogers Place or watching from home, this one matters in a way the first four did not.

The AER issued an order April 22 requiring MAGA Energy Ltd. to shut in all 581 of its wells, turn off equipment at all 108 facilities, and discontinue its 801 pipeline segments within two weeks. The company failed to pay municipal taxes, orphan well cleanup fees and left contaminated sites unaddressed. Sturgeon County alone is owed over $356,000 in unpaid taxes and penalties.

MAGA Energy was transferred hundreds of well licences by the AER despite showing signs of financial strain. Landowners in and around Edmonton say the company stopped paying them for wells on their property years ago. NDP MLA Marlin Schmidt questioned why the AER approved a 2024 transfer of 170 well licences to the company when it already owed more than $200,000 in back taxes to Sturgeon County at the time.

Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean's office said the order shows the province's rules work. Critics at the Pembina Institute say the fact that it took this long suggests the regulator was not holding the line firmly enough. The company must also submit monthly progress reports and begin cleanup of contaminated sites within 30 days.

Defence lawyers told Court of King's Bench on Friday that Crown prosecutors shaped the conclusions of their own expert witnesses to align with their theory of the case rather than receiving independent opinions. One senior Crown prosecutor allegedly pressured a forensic psychologist to change his opinion in ways that went to the heart of the prosecution's argument. Edits were also made to a cult dynamics expert report without clearly disclosing the changes to the witness.

The Crown's theory was that de Ruiter, the leader of the College of Integrated Philosophy, psychologically manipulated followers into consenting to sexual activity. Once the misconduct was discovered, the Chief Crown prosecutor reassigned the file. New prosecutors reviewed the case and entered the stay. An internal review is now underway.

For the six complainants who came forward after years of silence, the revelation is another layer of pain. They were brave enough to take their cases to court and watched prosecutors mishandle the evidence that was meant to speak for them. The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton called it devastating. De Ruiter's lawyers say they will now seek compensation for three years of legal costs.

The Alberta government announced it plans to drop the age at which women can receive a free screening mammogram without a referral from 45 to 40, starting next April. The change means tens of thousands more Alberta women will be eligible for routine screening each year without needing to first see a doctor.

The announcement was prompted in part by advocates including Natalie Kwandrans, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer before she was old enough to qualify for a provincially funded screening. She is encouraging the government to move faster than the planned April 2027 start date. At 40, she says, many women have no idea their risk has already climbed.

For Edmonton and surrounding area readers, this is a direct change that affects daughters, sisters, partners and friends. The current age threshold of 45 has long been criticised by oncologists as too conservative relative to what other provinces offer. Alberta joining provinces that screen at 40 is a meaningful step in the right direction.

A 31 year old California man named Cole Tomas Allen charged through a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night, carrying a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives, while Trump and 2,600 guests were gathered for the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner. He fired at least once before being tackled and arrested near a staircase leading to the main ballroom. One Secret Service agent was shot in the chest but his bulletproof vest held and he has since been released from hospital.

Trump, Melania, JD Vance and all cabinet members were rushed from the ballroom and were unharmed. Trump held a press conference shortly after still in his tuxedo, calling the suspect a "lone wolf whack job" and praising the agent who was shot. Allen is believed to have traveled from Los Angeles by train and was staying at the hotel as a guest. He is being arraigned today Monday April 27.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that Allen appeared to be targeting Trump administration officials and potentially Trump himself, based on a note he sent to family members before the shooting. The FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit has been brought in. For Canadians watching from across the border, it is another deeply unsettling reminder of how volatile the political climate in the United States has become.

🎭 Casey and Diana 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 27 · ⏰ 7:30 PM · 📍 Citadel Theatre – Maclab Theatre
Powerful drama about Casey House preparing for Princess Diana’s visit during the AIDS crisis, woven into the 27–May 21 run.

🏔️ Spirit: Nahanni McKay Exhibit at AGA 🎟️ Details
🗓 Through May 2 · ⏰ 11 AM–5 PM · 📍 Art Gallery of Alberta
Métis photographer Nahanni McKay explores Banff’s wildlife and Indigenous ties in this striking photographic exhibition.

📝 Frank’s Pub Trivia Night 🎟️ Details
🗓 Every Wednesday (checking) · ⏰ 7:30 PM · 📍 Frank’s Pub, 10410 101 St NW
A regular brain‑busting, beer‑fueled night; likely also running this Monday or mid‑week. Good for low‑key team fun.

🌀 Opera Pub at Blue Chair Cafe 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 28 (evening) · ⏰ 7:00 PM · 📍 Blue Chair Cafe, 10310 101 St NW
Edmonton Opera strips it down for a cozy pub‑style performance—singing and story, pint in hand.

🎻 Balourdet Quartet 🎟️ Details
🗓 April 28–29 runs listed (evening) · ⏰ 7:30 PM · 📍 All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral, 10035 103 St NW
Edmonton Chamber Music Society brings this acclaimed quartet for fresh takes on classical and modern works.

🎤 Grindstone Comedy: Out of Line Comedy 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 29 · ⏰ 7:00 PM · 📍 Grindstone Comedy, 10425 106 St NW
A night of Edmonton’s best stand‑up and storytelling for a big, local‑laugh kind of evening.