Senators at Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers haven’t looked like a favorite to reach the Stanley Cup Final in their last two games but hope to find their top form again when they host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. The Oilers received a hat trick from reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid to win their season opener but since have dropped contests to Vancouver and Winnipeg.
“We have a young group that is learning how to do it day in and day out,” Edmonton coach Todd McLellan told reporters. “Sometimes, the willingness to do it gets away on you a little bit and you try to cheat your way to a win and it doesn’t work.” The Oilers had four days off to prepare for the matchup with the Senators but likely will be without Leon Draisaitl, who is suffering from an eye injury sustained in the loss to Winnipeg. Ottawa has earned at least a point in all four games this season and produced its best performance in Friday's 6-0 victory at Calgary as Craig Anderson turned aside all 25 shots he faced. The Senators have done it with balanced scoring and solid defense (seven goals allowed) as two-time Norris Trophy-winning blue-liner Erik Karlsson continues to recover from offseason foot surgery.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, CBC, TVA
ABOUT THE SENATORS (2-0-2): Center Derick Brassard notched a goal and an assist in the victory at Calgary to push his team-leading total to five points, but three players are close behind with four apiece. Mark Stone, who is in that trio, scored his team-leading third goal Friday and Kyle Turris chipped in with three assists while Mike Hoffman recorded his first tally of the season despite registering 11 shots in the opening three contests. Anderson has been outstanding in the first four games, stopping 104-of-111 shots, but could give way for the first time this season to backup Mike Condon (19-14-6, five shutouts, .914 save percentage last season).
ABOUT THE OILERS (1-2-0): If Draisaitl can’t go, 19-year-old rookie Kailer Yamamoto reportedly could get a shot on McDavid’s line along with Patrick Maroon. Ryan Strome (zero points), who has played on McDavid’s wing at times this season after being acquired from the New York Islanders for Jordan Eberle, is likely to begin Saturday’s contest as the third-line center. “Strome has been most productive at the center-ice position,” McLellan told the Edmonton Sun. “He’s getting better on a daily basis. He’s got some creativity at center, and he’s had the puck more in those situations. We have to be prepared to still tinker with our lineup, though.”
OVERTIME
1. The Senators have won three straight at Edmonton, including a 2-0 triumph to help sweep the season series in 2016-17.
2. Oilers RW Drake Caggiula (undisclosed) also is day-to-day after missing the game against Winnipeg on Monday.
3. Ottawa recorded three power-play goals on Friday after going 0-for-16 with the man advantage in the first three games and is 11-for-11 on the penalty kill.