Oilers Look to Stay Hot at Home as They Face Surging Senators

The Edmonton Oilers aim for their third straight win tonight as they host the Ottawa Senators in their final game before the holiday break. Edmonton’s left wing Zach Hyman has been a key player this month, leading the NHL with nine goals in December. Meanwhile, Viktor Arvidsson is back and has been consistently effective against Ottawa in his career, registering at least one point in his last five games against them. Can the Oilers keep their run alive, or will the even hotter Senators steal a win in Edmonton?

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The Senators are riding high on a six-game winning streak, thanks to a collective effort backed by solid goaltending from Linus Ullmark. Over his last seven starts, Ullmark has posted a .967 save percentage and a remarkable 0.99 goals-against average. He’s playing his best hockey since joining the Senators in an offseason trade from the Boston Bruins.

On the other hand, the Oilers goaltending tandem has also found their groove and Stuart Skinner will get the start. He’s upped his totals in recent games, but he’s still prone to games where he lets in far more goals than he’d like.

The Oilers have found their offensive stride and picked up their production on special teams. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to put up impressive point totals and lead the way, but the Oilers are getting contributions from some of their depth players too. Darnell Nurse is playing the best he’s played all season, and the team is in a good spot, quickly moving up the standings.

Which One of These Hot Teams With Stay Hot?

As both teams enter the game with momentum, it promises to be a fun clash of two teams whose winning streaks will have to come to an end. The Oilers had a hiccup against the Panthers and have had to find ways to win in comebacks versus the Bruins and Sharks. The Senators are playing solid hockey and finally living up to expectations.

“This team has found ways to win,” said Coach Knoblauch on the Oilers’ recent comeback success. “I like how we’ve persevered, stuck with the game plan, and come up with those victories.” Can the Oilers get out to a better start with the Senators coming off a late overtime win?

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