VANCOUVER -- The Edmonton Eskimos would love to spoil the party.
Beating the B.C. Lions in Friday's opening CFL game at the newly renovated BC Place Stadium would be a perfect way for the Eskimos to steer themselves back on course, says quarterback Ricky Ray.
"We have one goal here," Ray said Thursday after the Eskimos became the first team to drop their gear in the new visitors dressing room. "It's not to come and check out the new stadium and see how the roof opens and closes.
"Our goal is to come here and win."
Outspoken Lions' nickel back Korey Banks said it makes sense that the Eskimos want to play spoiler.
"We are the underdogs," Banks said with a straight face. "We are only 6-6.
"It's going to be an upset if we beat them. We're not the team to beat."
The Lions and Eskimos are teams headed in opposite directions.
B.C. started the season 0-5 but have won five straight games and six of their last seven to improve to 6-6.
A stifling Lions defence has allowed no touchdowns in four of the last five games and the offence as outscored the opposition 208-88 over the last seven matches.
Quarterback Travis Lulay said the Lions have lost the element of surprise.
"I don't think we can sneak up on anybody," said Lulay, who has thrown for 1,404 yards in his last five games.
"Teams are aware of what we've done lately. We expect a great effort from these guys. It's a game that is as important to them as it is to us. They don't really care we are in a new stadium."
The Eskimos were the talk of the league when they started the season 5-0 but since then have been 2-5. They were beaten 36-1 at Commonwealth Stadium the last time they played B.C.
"We've gone through our ups and downs," said Ray. "We have been a little inconsistent.
"For us, it's trying to get that consistency back. We have won some big games but missed some opportunities."
Edmonton starts the weekend tied with Calgary for first place in the West with a 7-5 record. By Sunday the Eskimos could slip to third.
A Lions win combined with a Calgary loss to Saskatchewan on Saturday would leave B.C. with a share of first place.
Receiver Fred Stamps said the season isn't slipping away on the Eskimos.
"We don't look at it like that," said Stamps. "We still look at it like we are in first place.
"We know we had a great start. All we have to do is go out there and play football."
Over 40,000 tickets have been sold for the first game at the newly renovated stadium. Sarah McLachlan, the Juno and Grammy award-winning performer, will sing the national anthem prior to the game.
The building has undergone a $560-million facelift which includes a retractable roof, a huge centre-hung video board, new wider seats with cupholders, modern turf, and enhanced concession and bathroom facilities.
BC Place will host this year's Grey Cup game.
Players from both teams gawked like tourists as they looked around the building. The Lions held a brief practice while the Eskimos walked around in street clothes.
"It feels refreshing to come in here," said B.C. slotback Geroy Simon. "It's a lot brighter than it has been in the past."
Crews were still busy working on the building Thursday. Huge sheets covered large sections of seats. An army of workmen in hard hats and safety goggles scampered around the building setting up the goal posts and doing final repairs.
It still hasn't been decided if the roof will be open for the game.
B.C. Premier Christy Clark will participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Edmonton head coach Kavis Reed said his team won't be distracted by the hoopla of the Lions returning home after playing the last 15 months at a temporary facility.
"I've always said the pomp and the circumstance is for the fans and the others who are not on the field," said Reed.
"For us, once we walk on the football field it's about football. The big scoreboard and the natural lighting won't have any affect on the football game."
Lions placekicker Paul McCallum has a chance to write some history.
McCallum has been successful on 26 consecutive field goals. He needs three more to break the CFL record of 28 in a row set by Dave Ridgway of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1993.
"I'm thinking about we need points on the board and not what record I might get," said McCallum. "I am going to focus on hitting the ball properly."
Of the 32 field goals McCallum has kicked this year 26 have come from the 40-yard-line or closer.
Wally Buono, the Lions coach and general manager, said he wants to see McCallum continue this streak.
"If the game's on the line and Paul has to try a 52-yard field goal, he tries a 52-yard field goal," said Buono.
"There's times you can be sensitive about it, but when it's all said and done records mean nothing to me. Our job is to win games, not to set records."
The 41-year-old McCallum already holds the CFL record for longest field goal, a 62-yard kick he made against the Eskimos on Oct. 27, 2001 when he played for Saskatchewan.
After the Lions' horrible start few fans expected the team to be battling for a home playoff game in the final third of the season.
"When we were 0-5, I think today was the furthest thing from our mind," said McCallum.
"To go and take it one game at a time like we have just shows the character of the team. We never give up. We still have a little ways to go."
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