Staff and shoppers return to 'somber' Sydney shopping mall 6 days after mass stabbings

SYDNEY (AP) — Shoppers and workers returned to a “really quiet” Sydney mall Friday, where six days earlier an assailant stabbed six people to death and wounded more than a dozen others in an attack that police believe targeted women.

Westfield Bondi Junction mall near world-famous Bondi Beach had opened Thursday, although shops inside were closed, for a “community reflection day.” New South Wales state Premier Chris Minns described it as “the first step in healing” in what has been a traumatic week for Australia’s largest city.

There was a large police and security presence, with guards wearing black stab-proof vests posted on each level of the mall. Visitors numbered in the hundreds, but were fewer than the usual expected on a Friday during school holidays.

One visitor, Anthony Simpson, shopping with his two children, described the atmosphere at the usually busy shopping center as “somber."

“It’s got an eerie feeling, I guess you could say,” Simpson said.

Another shopper, local Bondi resident Stephen Roy, simply said the mall was “really quiet."

Authorities said counseling services were available on site for retail workers and visitors.

Echoing similar calls made by the NSW government, the union that represents retail workers asked shoppers to be mindful and sensitive of how they interact with the shopping center's staff.

“It’s going to be a pretty confronting day for many people,” SDA NSW union secretary Bernie Smith said to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Friday. “If you are in those shops, sure, you should acknowledge what’s happened, but don’t retraumatize workers by asking them what happened on that day.”

A large floral tribute outside the mall that began on Sunday has continued to grow since the attack, as Sydney residents try and come to terms with the shocking attack.

A condolence book and a floral tribute had also been set up inside the shopping mall for visitors to pay their respects.

A candlelight vigil at nearby Bondi Beach is planned on Sunday evening to honor the victims.

The assailant, Joel Cauchi, was shot and killed by a police officer during his knife attack in the mall. The reopening of shops Friday coincided with a teenager being charged by police with terrorism offenses for the attack Monday at a Sydney church that wounded two Christian clerics.

The teen spoke in Arabic about the Prophet Muhammad being insulted after he stabbed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and the Rev. Isaac Royel during the Assyrian Orthodox service. He was later overpowered by parishioners, sustaining severe hand injuries.

Some have said the mall attack should be designated an act of terrorism if investigators found Cauchi's motivation was to target women. Five of the six people he killed were women, while the man who died was a mall security guard. The majority of those wounded were also women.

Police have ruled out terrorism, and Cauchi's family said he had a long history of schizophrenia.

Australia's Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus would not be drawn into the suggestion but said more needed to be done to prevent violence against women.

“I think we can talk about violence against women without blurring lines into something else,” he told ABC Radio on Friday.

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Smith reported from Newcastle, Australia.

Black ribbons are displayed on the doors to the Westfield mall at Bondi Junction in Sydney, Thursday, April 18, 2024. The Sydney shopping mall has been opened to the public for the first time since it became the scene of a mass stabbing in which six people died, while the Australian prime minister has flagged giving citizenship to an immigrant security guard who was injured while confronting the knife-wielding attacker. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

A woman walks past flowers at a tribute for the victims of Saturday's knife attack near a crime scene at Bondi Junction in Sydney, Thursday, April 18, 2024. A Sydney shopping mall has been opened to the public for the first time since it became the scene of a mass stabbing in which six people died, while the Australian prime minister has flagged giving citizenship to an immigrant security guard who was injured while confronting the knife-wielding attacker. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, left, watches as the NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb signs a condolence book while visiting a memorial at Westfield shopping centre at Bondi Junction in Sydney, Thursday, April 18, 2024, after several people were stabbed to death at the shopping centre, Saturday April 13. A Sydney shopping mall has been opened to the public for the first time since it became the scene of a mass stabbing in which six people died, while the Australian prime minister has flagged giving citizenship to an immigrant security guard who was injured while confronting the knife-wielding attacker. (Biance de Marchi/Pool Photo via AP)

People walk inside the Westfield shopping mall at Bondi Junction in Sydney, Friday, April 19, 2024. The Sydney shopping mall reopened for business on Friday for the first time since it became the scene of a mass stabbing in which six people died on Saturday, April 13. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

A security guard watches as shoppers return to the Westfield shopping mall at Bondi Junction in Sydney, Friday, April 19, 2024. The Sydney shopping mall reopened for business on Friday for the first time since it became the scene of a mass stabbing in which six people died on Saturday, April 13. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Police officers walk into the Westfield shopping mall at Bondi Junction in Sydney, Friday, April 19, 2024. The Sydney shopping mall reopened for business on Friday for the first time since it became the scene of a mass stabbing in which six people died on Saturday, April 13. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

People walk outside the Westfield shopping mall at Bondi Junction in Sydney, Friday, April 19, 2024. The Sydney shopping mall reopened for business on Friday for the first time since it became the scene of a mass stabbing in which six people died on Saturday, April 13. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings played a tight-checking series at even strength. The special teams matchup, however, was lopsided — and that’s why it ended in five games.

“That was a difference in this series,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said.

Leon Draisaitl scored twice, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 in Game 5 on Wednesday night to win their first-round NHL playoff series.

The Oilers power play went 1 for 5 on the night but scored twice just after time had expired on a penalty. Edmonton finished 9 for 20 with the man-advantage in the five games. Los Angeles, meanwhile, was 0 for 1 in this game, going scoreless on 12 power plays in the series.

“It’s pretty simple to write this one,” Kings interim head coach Jim Hiller said. “You saw one team execute, and one team not, on special teams.”

Zach Hyman -- with his seventh goal of the postseason -- and Evander Kane also scored for Edmonton, which only dropped a 5-4 loss in overtime of Game 2 in the best-of-seven series.

Evan Bouchard added three assists, and Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two each as Edmonton’s offense broke out at Rogers Place. McDavid extended his points total to a playoff-leading 12 (one goal, 11 assists).

Stuart Skinner made 18 saves after posting a shutout in Edmonton’s 1-0 win at Los Angeles in Game 4.

The Oilers move on to the second round, where they’ll face the winner of a matchup between the Vancouver Canucks and Nashville Predators. Vancouver leads the series 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Friday in Nashville.

The Oilers now get some rest while waiting for their next opponent.

“Rest is always a good thing, rest is a weapon this time of year,” McDavid said. “That being said, we have to make sure we’re ready to roll. Practice hard against each other ... make sure there’s no change in our game.”

Adrian Kempe, Alex Laferriere and Blake Lizotte scored for Los Angeles, and David Rittich stopped 22 shots in his second straight start.

Edmonton eliminated Los Angeles in the opening round for the third straight year after coming out on top in six games in 2023 and seven in 2022.

“You’re out of the playoffs regardless of who beats you, but definitely not a great feeling getting the worst of it three years in a row,” the Kings' Anze Kopitar said. ”We’ve just got to play better, really. Special teams hurt us a lot, obviously, this series. There were parts of the games where we were good, we were dictating the game, but you’ve got to do it, obviously, more often and every game, too, in order to win the series.”

Down 2-1 in the second period, the Oilers scored three consecutive goals to take 4-2 lead.

Draisaitl had a power-play goal at 7:44 after a couple exchanges with McDavid to tie it. Rittich appeared to rob Draisaitl with a desperation glove save, but fans cheered as if it were a goal upon seeing the replay and officials ruled the puck crossed the line after a video review.

McDavid and Draisaitl connected again just after a penalty expired with 7:39 left in the period for the German forward’s fifth of the playoffs.

“When he’s got his feet moving, when he’s playing hard on both sides of the puck, there’s not many guys better than him in the whole world,” McDavid said. “He always seems to bring that game this time of year.”

The undisciplined Kings put Edmonton up a man again near the end of the period. This time, Hyman tapped home a puck on the goal line moments after Kings forward Pierre-Luc Dubois stepped out of the box to make it 4-2.

The Oilers hunkered down to hold off the Kings most of the third. But with the goalie pulled, Kempe deflected a shot past Skinner with 2:18 left to trim the deficit to one.

The Kings pressured for an equalizer in the final two minutes until Phillip Danault hooked Draisaitl with 19.7 seconds left — sending Edmonton on a power play and squashing L.A.’s chances of a comeback.

Kane opened the scoring on Edmonton’s second shot of the night at 10:17 with a soft backhand that slipped past Rittich.

Los Angeles tied it with 28 seconds left in the first when the puck caromed around the boards and bounced in front of the net to Laferriere, who shot into an open net with Skinner out to play the puck.

Lizotte then scored 3:08 into the second to give Los Angeles its only lead of the game and quiet Rogers Place before Edmonton replied with an onslaught.

It’s the first time the Oilers have advanced from the first round in three straight years since 1990-92.

The Oilers fell 4-2 in the second round to the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Vegas Golden Knights last year.

McDavid became the sixth player to record 10 or more assists through the first five games of the playoffs — and the first in nearly 30 years. Draisaitl joined McDavid and Sidney Crosby as the third active player to record 10 points in four or more playoff series.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Los Angeles Kings goalie David Rittich (31) looks on as Edmonton Oilers' Vincent Desharnais (73), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93), Leon Draisaitl (29), Evander Kane (91) and Brett Kulak (27) celebrate a goal during the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, on Wednesday May 1, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings players celebrate a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, on Wednesday May 1, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Alex Laferriere (78) scores a goal on Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) during the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, on Wednesday May 1, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings goalie David Rittich (31) is scored on by Edmonton Oilers' Zach Hyman (18) during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, on Wednesday May 1, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Matt Roy (3) chases Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) as goalie David Rittich (31) poke checks the puck during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, on Wednesday May 1, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Mikey Anderson (44) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) chase Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, on Wednesday May 1, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) and Mattias Ekholm (14) celebrate the win over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, on Wednesday May 1, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers players shake hands after the Oilers won Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, on Wednesday May 1, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl (29), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) and Zach Hyman (18) celebrate a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, on Wednesday May 1, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Mattias Ekholm (14) celebrates the win over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, on Wednesday May 1, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93), Leon Draisaitl (29), Evan Bouchard (2), Zach Hyman (18) and Connor McDavid (97) celebrate a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, on Wednesday May 1, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)