Oilers at Senators
Connor McDavid showed no rust in his first game back after missing three months with a broken clavicle and tries to produce another big performance when his Edmonton Oilers visit the struggling Ottawa Senators on Thursday. The dazzling rookie produced a goal and two assists in a 5-1 victory over Columbus on Tuesday as the Oilers snapped their three-game slide.
“I definitely didn’t expect to do that, or play that type of game,” McDavid, the first pick in the 2015 draft, told reporters. “I was very happy with how I felt. The timing and all that felt pretty good.” McDavid joins All-Star Taylor Hall, who is riding a six-game point streak, as Edmonton attempts to make a run at the postseason. Ottawa is fading out of playoff contention with four losses in the last five games after giving up 44 shots in a 6-5 setback at Pittsburgh on Tuesday. “You can’t give up 40-odd shots and expect to win any game, really,” Senators forward Mark Stone told reporters. “The goals were there for us, but we just couldn’t find a way to keep it out of our net.”
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Edmonton), TSN5, RDS (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE OILERS (20-26-5): Hall has registered two goals and six assists during his streak, giving him a team-best 49 points, and 20-year-old center Leon Draisaitl has 38 after tallying in three of his last four games. McDavid centered Jordan Eberle and Benoit Pouliot in his first game back, pushing his point total to 15 in his first 14 NHL contests. Defenseman Justin Schultz (illness) was back at practice Wednesday after missing the Columbus game, while Cam Talbot stopped 36-of-37 shots Tuesday and has allowed a total of 16 goals in his last nine games.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (23-22-6): Ottawa has surrendered 20 goals in its last four losses and its penalty-killing unit has given up six tallies in a five-game span to drop to last in the league (74.8 percent). The Senators have had little trouble scoring as captain Erik Karlsson leads all NHL defensemen with 53 points – eight in his last seven games. Stone snapped an eight-game point drought with two on Tuesday, while Bobby Ryan has registered three goals in the last four contests and has 18 overall – four behind team leader Mike Hoffman.
OVERTIME
1. Ottawa D Marc Methot (lower body) will be a game-time decision after missing the last six contests.
2. Edmonton D Adam Clendening notched an assist in his debut Tuesday after being claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh.
3. The Senators won both meetings last season, scoring a total of 11 goals.