GAME PREVIEW: Edmonton Oilers @ Ottawa Senators

Edmonton Oilers (26-30-7) (6th, Pacific)

Ottawa Senators (22-36-5) (8th, Atlantic)

5:30 PM MST

Scotiabank Place

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Silver Seven

BLOT IT OUT OF YOUR MIND

The Oilers would probably enjoy it very much if you would forget all about last night’s 6-2 debacle in Toronto. The Oilers and Leafs were hanging around each other at the end of one when it was knotted up 1-1, but a four goal second period blew things wide open for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Leon Draisaitl scored his 39th goal of the season and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored one late in the third to make it 20 on his year, but the Oilers did not look very good as the game went on. Mikko Koskinen was pulled for Alex Stolarz after allowing the fourth goal, and the game could not end fast enough.

Which brings us to today, a Thursday. Edmonton visits the Scotiabank Place near Ottawa to see if they can start to put together a couple of wins on this road trip. Can the Oilers pick up the W tonight?

Let’s go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

“We had a really good first period,...We came to play, we outworked them, played in the offensive zone and did all the things we were supposed to do, and then it was almost like we decided to go into a skill game instead of a work game in the second period and it cost us big.”

Source

That’s Oilers winger Milan Lucic on dropping a 6-2 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

A skill game would’ve been great, Milan. Too bad the Leafs seem to have most of it. Edmonton has 3 wins in their last 16 games.

The Senators are saying

Mistakes cost us goals right now. We’ve got to learn. It’s going to be like this the whole way. It’s not going to be easy for us, any game now. We need to grab the wheel here and come together. We can’t fold. We’re not going to fold

Source

That’s Senators forward Magnus Paajarvi on his club’s 7-2 loss to the Capitals on Tuesday.

See, the Oilers aren’t the only ones getting embarrassed against playoff-bound NHL clubs.

HAVE SOME OF THIS

• The Oilers should start Alex Stolarz tonight. Mikko Koskinen got blown out of the water last night, and I want to see what the fruits from the Cam Talbot trade look like in a sixty minute game. Goalies are voodoo.
• Honestly, no kidding. I think the Oilers have a chance at this one tonight. If they get beat like they did in Toronto last night, it’s gonna be a long week.
• The Oilers are slogging through yet another disappointing season. The Senators...well, they might be the club I feel bad for. They’re en route to the worst record in the NHL, and if they win the lottery, Colorado will get their pick from the Matt Duchene trade in 2017. Yeesh.
• You’ll be surprised (at least I was) to find that Ottawa ranks in the middle of the pack in goals scored per game (13th overall, 3.00 GPG). You will not be surprised to find that they allow the most in the NHL (31st overall, 3.73 GA/G).
• HOTSAM BATCHO: The Senators traded Matt Duchene. They’re also out of Ryan Dzingels and Mark Stones. Who’s their leading scorer? That’s right. It’s Thomas Chabot, with 47 points (13-34-47) in 55 games.
• Leon’s 39th goal in last night’s debacle keeps 50 goals within reach. That’s going to be a day when they get some top six wingers for that dude.
• SICK BAY: The Oilers are without Jesse Puljujarvi (undisclosed) and Jujhar Khaira (undisclosed). The Senators are without Marian Gaborik, who has been on IR for the entire 2018-19 season.