GAMEDAY: Next up for the Senators is Connor McDavid and ...

23 Dec 2024

Ottawa Citizen

GAMEDAY Next up for the Senators is Connor McDavid and

The Senators will close out the pre-Christmas schedule with this back-to-back series against the Canucks and Oilers. While the NHL has a mandated three-day"...

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Published Dec 22, 2024 • Last updated 11 hours ago • 2 minute read

Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl celebrates his second period goal against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre Tuesday night. Getty Images — Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl celebrates his second period goal against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre last month.

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Senators (18-13-2) at Oilers (20-11-2)

Sunday, 8 p.m., Rogers Place Arena

TV: TSN5 Radio: TSN 1200 AM

Odds: N/A

GETAWAY NIGHT

It will be no holiday for the Senators until the final buzzer sounds in Edmonton on Sunday night.

The Senators will close out the pre-Christmas schedule with this back-to-back series against the Canucks and Oilers.

While the NHL has a mandated three-day break, the Senators will have five days off for the holidays before reconvening in Winnipeg on Dec. 27 to prepare to face the Jets on Dec. 28.

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The Senators won’t return home until Jan. 9 against the Buffalo Sabres as the longest road trip in franchise history continues with Ottawa hosting the 2025 IIHF world junior championship on Boxing Day.

Coach Travis Green did shuffle his deck against the Canucks by switching around the top two lines.

TOUGH TASK

This is the club’s second, and final, game against the Oilers this season.

Ottawa dropped a 5-2 decision to Connor McDavid and the Oilers on Nov. 19 at the Canadian Tire Centre.

McDavid led the way with two goals and three points, while Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard chipped in with three goals each.

The challenge for the Senators is to find a way to shut the Oilers duo down and not many teams have been able to do it.

McDavid has 13 goals and 45 points in 25 career games against Ottawa. It should be noted many of those came during the club’s year in the Canadian Division.

As for Draisaitl, he has 20 goals and 37 points in 25 games against the Senators.

The Oilers are coming off a 3-2 overtime victory against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday at home. Draisaitl’s 24th of the season only 18 seconds into the three-on-three secured the win.

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BACK TO LINUS

Linus Ullmark be back in the pipes for this one?

Probably because he’ll have five days off, which means there will be plenty of time to get some rest.

Ullmark heads into this game with an 8-0-1 record over his past nine starts. During that span, Ullmark has a .960 save percentage and a 1.43 GAA.

He comes into this game with a 3-3-1 lifetime record against the Oilers in eight career appearances. He has a 3.39 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage.

The club opted to give Leevi Merilainen the start against the Canucks and that was his NHL debut this season.