Oilers at Senators
The Ottawa Senators dealt with plenty of adversity a year ago when goaltender Craig Anderson's wife was battling cancer and now are facing tragedy again this season. Captain and star defenseman Erik Karlsson will not be in the lineup for a second straight game when the Senators host the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.
Karlsson posted on Twitter about the circumstances surrounding the stillborn death of his son, expressing thanks for the love and support he and his wife received during the couple's ordeal. "Everybody's heartbroken. It's awful," Senators coach Guy Boucher said. "We definitely feel for Erik and his wife and his family and as a group in there. It's been a tough year. There's been all kinds of things that have been tough, but I think this is a real personal, devastating blow." Edmonton is wrapping up a four-game road trip in Ottawa, improving to 2-1-0 on the trek with a 7-3 rout of Carolina on Tuesday night. The Oilers have struggled against the Senators, dropping a 6-1 decision at home on Oct. 14 to extend their losing streak in the series to four games.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Edmonton), RDS, TSN5 (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE OILERS (32-36-5): Leon Draisaitl eclipsed the 200-point mark by scoring one goal and setting up three others to draw him within 11 of matching last season's personal-best total of 77. Pontus Aberg, acquired at the trade deadline from Nashville, was scratched for two games for what coach Todd McLellan said were "for reasons beyond his play." Aberg, who reportedly missed a practice, returned to the lineup in Carolina and had a goal and two assists for his first three-point game.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (26-35-11): Defenseman Patrick Sieloff etched his name in the record books Tuesday, becoming the first player in history to score in each of his first two NHL games while playing for different teams, yet all that earned him was a demotion to Belleville of the American Hockey League. Marian Gaborik, acquired in a trade with Los Angeles in mid-February, has scored in three of the past four games. He has a strong track record against Edmonton with 26 goals and 57 points in 59 games.
OVERTIME
1. Oilers captain Connor McDavid has yet to score in five games versus the Senators, although he has six assists.
2. Ottawa has outscored Edmonton 17-5 over the past four matchups.
3. The Oilers acquired University of Michigan F Cooper Marody from Philadelphia in exchange for a 2019 third-round draft pick.