GAME PREVIEW: Edmonton Oilers @ Ottawa Senators

Edmonton Oilers (22-16-2), 6th, Pacific)

Ottawa Sentors (13-21-4, 7th, Atlantic)

31 January 2022

Canadian Tire Centre

530 PM MT

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Silver Seven

FOUR IN A ROW

The Oilers are winners of four in a row after defeating a depleted Habs squad on Saturday by a 7-2 score. The story? The third line. Zach Hyman picked up a pair of goals and an assist in Edmonton’s win, Nugent-Hopkins had a goal, even Zack Kassian picked up an assist in the win. Stuart Skinner had just 23 shots to contend with, he picked up his fifth win of the season. Evander Kane scored in his debut. The Canadiens looked like a club that had eight wins in half a season, and the Oilers escaped the Bell Centre with two easy points.

Oilers look to settle some unfinished business with Ottawa this evening as they look for five straight wins. Can they avenge a dreadful loss suffered in Edmonton a little more than two weeks ago?

Let’s go to the tape.

“All in all, a pretty good team effort and good to get the first one on a road trip.”

Source

That’s Oilers head coach Dave Tippett after his club’s 7-2 win over the Habs.

All but two Oiler forwards scored at least a point in Edmonton’s 7-2 win over the Habs. The Canadiens (with just eight total wins so far) are ready to hit the fast forward button to the draft.

THE SENATORS ARE SAYING

“You can come up with reasons why you don’t score or come up with different excuses. We had 45 shots and plenty of good looks, so he’s (Ducks goaltender John Gibson) the difference.”

Source

That’s Senators coach D.J. Smith on running into a goaltending wall versus Anaheim. The Ducks defeated the Senators by 2-1 on Saturday night.

Can’t blame this loss on a lack of effort. The Ottawa Senators are not to be trifled with.

HAVE SOME OF THIS

• The Oilers would likely enjoy nothing more than to defeat the Senators by a large margin tonight. This one might have a little extra spin on it, as the Oilers will surely remember the 6-4 loss to Ottawa a little more than two weeks ago. A five goal third period for Ottawa helped the Senators climb back in the two clubs most recent hookup on January 15th, the Oilers would love to pay it all back tonight.
• Tyler Ennis is 3-1-4 in his last three games. The former Oiler has 17 points in his 33 games this year (5-12-17), which is exactly what you’re looking for in a bottom six player that makes under a million.
• Expect Mikko Koskinen (15-8-1, .900 SV% / 3.18 GAA) to go for the Oilers in net. The Senators are countering with Matt Murray (3-6-2, .906 SV% / 2.94 GAA / 1 SO). Koskinen was off for Edmonton’s 7-2 win in Montréal, and I’d be surprised if the club didn’t start him tonight.
• PRESS TO REGRESS?: Are the Oilers out of the woods yet when it comes to goals scored? Team is averaging 4.5 goals per game over the course of their winning streak. If you don’t count the Montréal game, the Oilers still averaged more than a goal per game more than over the course of their 2-11-2 ugly spell. The Oilers would do good to score a bunch of goals tonight, then score a bunch more against Washington on Wednesday.
• The Senators will be without their leading scorer in Drake Batherson. Batherson suffered an ankle injury after Sabres goaltender Aaron Dell laid an ugly elbow as Batherson skated past. Batherson is expected to be out for a couple of months at least.
• BACK AT IT? A win tonight could put the Oilers back to fourth in the Pacific.