Sens Start Four-Game West Coast Trip Against McDavid and Company

The Ottawa Senators come into tonight’s game trailing the Boston Bruins by five points, needing another two points tonight in this tight race for the final wild-card spot. Some fans may take the opportunity to make it a doubleheader this evening with the 9:00 pm EST puck drop, catching the Bruins’ 7:00 pm game and cheering for a loss. With the heightened urgency to win, and potential trades brewing, there are plenty of reasons to keep our eyes and ears glued to the screen and radio this week.

A week-long west coast trip starts tonight and, just like the changing wind currents of Western Canada, the Senators could come back on a winning jet stream if they continue to execute their dominant defensive play. In their last two games, the Senators have carried over their pre-Olympic break form, controlling the flow by limiting shots and scoring chances against. We will see if they can continue to build off the offensive showcase demonstrated against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

Disciplined play will be key tonight, and the Senators cannot take unnecessary penalties against the Edmonton Oilers, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the league’s best power play. With the Senators owning the second-worst penalty kill in the league, this has the makings of a recipe for disaster if they don’t walk the line of physicality carefully. The play of some of the team’s top instigators may need to be quieter tonight, especially when it comes to extracurriculars after the whistle.

The Sens and Oilers’ last 10-game records are heading in opposite directions, with the Sens at 6-3-1 and the Oilers at 4-6-0. We’ll see if the Senators can continue their point streak after picking up three of a possible four points in their last two games. Picking up points in all of the next four games is crucial. Following the previous OT loss to the Detroit Red Wings, they can likely afford only one more overtime loss on this road trip if they intend to close the gap on Boston. The Bruins’ next four games are against Pittsburgh twice, the Washington Capitals, and the Los Angeles Kings. Scoreboard watching is never comfortable — needing two things to happen instead of just a Sens win.

With Linus Ullmark earning the Senators points in the last two games, I suspect he will start again tonight as he looks to continue his strong play. Growing more comfortable with each game since returning is a positive sign that the team may climb back into the playoff picture. A win tonight against this offensive powerhouse would serve as a major confidence boost for Sens fans, showing that timely goaltending and consistency in tough games can be expected moving forward.

Defensive-zone faceoffs will also be key. The Sens rank third in faceoff wins, with the Oilers right behind in fourth. It will be interesting to see how coach Green deploys his centers in defensive-zone draws, especially against McDavid and Draisaitl. Gaining possession and transitioning quickly will be a focus, particularly when McDavid is on the ice. Another key is scoring first to apply pressure and capitalize on Edmonton’s defensive mistakes and inconsistent goaltending. If the Sens can keep the play to the outside in their own end, win puck battles, and keep their feet moving, their chances of securing a win improve significantly.

You can watch tonight’s game on Sportsnet West, TSN5, and RDS2.

Senators projected lineup

Drake Batherson – Tim Stützle – Claude Giroux

Brady Tkachuk — Dylan Cozens — Ridly Greig

Nick Cousins — Shane Pinto — Michael Amadio

Stephen Halliday — Lars Eller — Fabian Zetterlund

Jake Sanderson — Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot — Nick Jensen

Tyler Kleven — Jordan Spence

Linus Ullmark

James Reimer

Scratched: Kurtis MacDermid

Injured: Nikolas Matinpalo (undisclosed), David Perron (sports hernia)

Oilers projected lineup

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — Connor McDavid — Zach Hyman

Vasily Podkolzin — Leon Draisaitl — Kasperi Kapanen

Trent Frederic — Jack Roslovic — Matthew Savoie

Curtis Lazar — Adam Henrique — Josh Samanski

Jake Walman — Evan Bouchard

Mattias Ekholm — Spencer Stastney

Darnell Nurse — Ty Emberson

Connor Ingram

Tristan Jarry

Scratched: Isaac Howard, Connor Murphy

Injured: Mattias Janmark (shoulder)