Senators at Devils
The Ottawa Senators attempt to post their longest winning streak in nearly two months when they wrap up their five-game road trip against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. After scoring a total of two goals in losing the first two games of its trek, Ottawa looks to make it three wins in a row, which would be its lengthiest run since capturing four straight from Nov. 19-25.
The Senators could be without leading goal scorer Mike Hoffman (20) and Kyle Turris, however, as both missed Wednesday's practice with upper-body and undisclosed injuries, respectively. New Jersey also seeks its third consecutive victory after topping Calgary 4-2 on Tuesday. Points leader Mike Cammalleri (36), who returned from an eight-game absence because of a hand injury to notch an assist versus the Flames, could be out of the lineup again after skipping practice Wednesday with the flu. The Devils are vying to sweep the three-game season series after registering wins at Ottawa on Oct. 22 and Dec. 30.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN5, RDS (Ottawa), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (22-18-6): While Hoffman and Turris are question marks, defenseman Marc Methot definitely will miss Thursday's contest - his second in a row - with a lower-body injury. Ottawa is hoping Bobby Ryan is heating up as the right wing has tallied in two straight games after scoring in one of his previous 10 contests. The Senators have five players with double-digit goal totals and three others one tally away from joining the club.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (23-19-5): New Jersey likely will have the services of Jacob Josefson, who has not played since Dec. 26 because of a bone bruise in his left foot. To make room on the roster for the 24-year-old Swedish center, right wing Brian O'Neill was assigned to Albany of the American Hockey League. Andy Greene needs one goal to tie Ken Daneyko (36) for sixth place on the Devils' all-time list among defensemen after passing the veteran for sixth in points (179) with a tally Tuesday.
OVERTIME
1. Senators G Craig Anderson, who is expected to make his fourth straight start, needs one victory to reach 20 for the fourth time in his career.
2. New Jersey LW Reid Boucher has scored the winning goal in each of the team's last two games.
3. Ottawa announced it has loaned D Mikael Wikstrand, its seventh-round pick in the 2012 draft, to Farjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League for the remainder of the season.