Penguins at Senators
When captain Sidney Crosby is scoring points at a rate best suited to the days of firewagon hockey, the Pittsburgh Penguins are difficult to beat - and the last 2 1/2 weeks are proof of that. Crosby and the Penguins look to extend their winning streak to eight Monday as they face off against the host Ottawa Senators in the final game for both teams before the three-day holiday break. Crosby is coming off a three-point effort in the Penguins' 4-3 victory over Calgary on Saturday.
Crosby will go into the break as the NHL's leading scorer, and has saved his best work for December. The 26-year-old has seven goals and 11 assists in 10 games this month and is on a 10-game point streak during which Pittsburgh has gone 9-1-0. Monday marks his first meeting of the season with the Senators, who have lost three consecutive games while allowing 13 goals over that stretch.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), RDS (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (27-10-1): Pittsburgh's blue line is one of the most banged-up units in hockey, a development that has forced rookie Olli Maatta into a major jump in ice time. The 19-year-old has registered more than 21 minutes in five of his last seven contests, but coach Dan Bylsma cautions against expecting that trend to continue. "He's a guy who played a lot of games in junior hockey," Bylsma told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "He's played a lot of hockey. I don't think you're going to see him averaging 28 minutes come the end of this season."
ABOUT THE SENATORS (14-17-7): Monday wraps up what has been a grueling stretch for Ottawa. The Senators already have played 12 games in the month, with no more than one day of rest between any of them. Clarke MacArthur said a little rest may do the team some good - and so will some perspective, despite its recent struggles. "We're not sitting here thinking we're a great hockey team right now, we're working at it, trying to get better," he told the Ottawa Citizen. "You look at the standings and, as bad as it's been, we're still right there."
OVERTIME
1. Pittsburgh ousted Ottawa in five games in the Stanley Cup playoffs last season and have won three straight regular-season meetings.
2. Crosby has six goals and 19 assists in 24 career games versus the Senators.
3. The Penguins have won 10 of their last 11 road games vs. teams with a home winning percentage below .400.