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Edmonton Oilers @ Ottawa Senators Game Preview

McDavid’s chase for 100 continues tonight

Edmonton Oilers v Florida Panthers
All eyes on 97
Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

Edmonton Oilers (32-36-5) (6th, Pacific)

Ottawa Senators (26-35-11), (7th, Atlantic)

530 PM MT

Canadian Tire Centre

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: SilverSeven

BREAKDOWN:

The Oilers took advantage of a sleepy Hurricanes team in Raleigh on Tuesday by scoring seven times in a 7-3 romp over Carolina. Leon Draisaitl had a four point night. Pontus Aberg had three, Ryan Strome had two, and Jesse Puljujarvi had a goal for himself. Connor McDavid reached 90 points on the season, the Oilers look to make it two in a row as they visit the Senators near the Capital tonight.

Let’s go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

“As a top-six guy, you always get measured by what you produce, at the end of the day. It’s about contributing and producing. I think I can speak for a lot of guys that are supposed to contribute. You have to stay positive. Some nights the bounces don’t go your way, the next night they will go your way”

Source

That’s Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl after Edmonton’s 7-3 victory over the Hurricanes on Tuesday night.

Draisaitl’s four point effort gives him 66 in 69 games. A four point night away from McDavid is refreshing, the club continues trying various players on top line RW at this time.

The Senators are saying:

“From the beginning...We weren’t good enough. ... We gave an opportunity to some players to have more minutes or better roles, a little more ice time, and it was tough for them. It’s an eye-opener for a few guys”

Source

That’s Senators coach Guy Boucher after yielding seven goals to the Panthers in Tuesday’s 7-2 loss at home.

The Senators have just 63 points on the season, five more than last place Buffalo.

Have some of this

  • SEVEN AND THE RAGGED TIGER: Seven goals is a pretty good total, and I’d be frankly shocked to see any major movement in the lineup today. The Oilers did recall Brad Malone yesterday, he might make a fourth line appearance.
  • CLUB MUM: Has anyone heard about Zack Kassian? Team is pretty quiet on his injury sustained in Florida over the weekend against the Panthers.
  • McDAVID WATCH - Another assist for Connor McDavid in Tuesday’s game puts him at 90 points on the season. He’s got ten more points to go in nine games. Did I mention to you that the Senators are struggling this year?
  • NUMBERS, ETC: The Senators are scoring 2.74 goals per game, good for 24th in the league. Only the Islanders allow more goals per game than Ottawa’s 3.39 average. The Senators rank 26th in power play efficiency (16.9%), their PK ranks 28th with a 75.1% success rate.
  • DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGNUS? Fomer 2009 Oilers first round pick Magus Paajarvi was picked up by the Senators from the Blues’ waiver wire earlier this season. Since joining the Sens, he’s got six points (5-1-6) in 25 games.
  • Expect Cam Talbot to start tonight for the Oilers. (27-27-2, .908 SV%, 2.98 GAA). Craig Anderson will get the nod for the Senators (21-21-6, .901 SV% / 3.26 GAA / 2 SO)
  • SICK BAY: Andrej Sekera (foot) is day-to-day. Oscar Klefbom (shoulder) is out for the season. Zack Kassian (undisclosed) and Kris Russell (undisclosed) are day-to-day. For the Senators, Erik Karlsson is (personal) day-to-day. Ryan Dzingel (upper body) and Mark Stone (leg) are also day-to-day, while Chris Wideman (hamstring) is out.