{"id":512452,"date":"2026-03-03T22:13:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T22:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/512452\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T22:13:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T22:13:08","slug":"ottawa-senators-edmonton-oilers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/512452\/","title":{"rendered":"Ottawa Senators @ Edmonton Oilers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sens Start Four-Game West Coast Trip Against McDavid and Company<\/p>\n

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\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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\u2019t walk the line of physicality carefully. The play of some of the team\u2019s top instigators may need to be quieter tonight, especially when it comes to extracurriculars after the whistle.<\/p>\n

The Sens and Oilers\u2019 last 10-game records are heading in opposite directions, with the Sens at 6-3-1 and the Oilers at 4-6-0. We\u2019ll 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\u2019 next four games are against Pittsburgh twice, the Washington Capitals, and the Los Angeles Kings. Scoreboard watching is never comfortable \u2014 needing two things to happen instead of just a Sens win.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

You can watch tonight\u2019s game on Sportsnet West, TSN5, and RDS2.<\/p>\n

Senators projected lineup<\/p>\n

Drake Batherson \u2013 Tim St\u00fctzle \u2013 Claude Giroux<\/p>\n

Brady Tkachuk — Dylan Cozens — Ridly Greig<\/p>\n

Nick Cousins — Shane Pinto — Michael Amadio<\/p>\n

Stephen Halliday — Lars Eller — Fabian Zetterlund<\/p>\n

Jake Sanderson — Artem Zub<\/p>\n

Thomas Chabot — Nick Jensen<\/p>\n

Tyler Kleven — Jordan Spence<\/p>\n

Linus Ullmark<\/p>\n

James Reimer<\/p>\n

Scratched:\u00a0Kurtis MacDermid<\/p>\n

Injured:\u00a0Nikolas Matinpalo (undisclosed), David Perron (sports hernia)<\/p>\n

Oilers projected lineup<\/p>\n

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — Connor McDavid — Zach Hyman<\/p>\n

Vasily Podkolzin — Leon Draisaitl — Kasperi Kapanen<\/p>\n

Trent Frederic — Jack Roslovic — Matthew Savoie<\/p>\n

Curtis Lazar — Adam Henrique — Josh Samanski<\/p>\n

Jake Walman — Evan Bouchard<\/p>\n

Mattias Ekholm — Spencer Stastney<\/p>\n

Darnell Nurse — Ty Emberson<\/p>\n

Connor Ingram<\/p>\n

Tristan Jarry<\/p>\n

Scratched:\u00a0Isaac Howard, Connor Murphy<\/p>\n

Injured:\u00a0Mattias Janmark (shoulder)<\/p>\n

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