NHL: Hot Oilers, Senators face off in last game before Christmas

On By Littum

Two hot teams will look to create even more sparks on Sunday night at Rogers Place before both sides take the holidays.

The Edmonton Oilers have risen in the National Hockey League standings all month with a 9-2 record over their last 11 games, including two 3-2 overtime wins in their last two contests entering Sunday’s date (6 p.m.) with the visiting Ottawa Senators.

The Senators (18-13-2) won their sixth straight game Saturday night in Vancouver, a 5-4 win over the Canucks.

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Sunday morning that the Senators bring a little bit of everything to the ice, but especially the hot goaltending of Linus Ullmark.

The 31-year-old netminder has won his last seven starts with a .965 save percentage and two shutouts in those games. The Swede is 12-3 this season with a 2.37 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.

“They’ve got a lot of speed. They’ve got dynamic defensemen. Their top two lines are really good. Offensively, defensively, they’ve got speed. A little bit physical. But I think right now the run they’re on is (due to) to) their starting goaltender,” Knoblauch told the media.

“A lot of things are going well for that team, and it’s not just (Ullmark), but I think he’s been the biggest reason why they’ve played so well.”

Sunday’s game against Ottawa is Edmonton’s last before Christmas. The Oilers (20-11-2) return to NHL action on Saturday in Los Angeles against the Kings. The Senators also have a five-day break after facing the Oilers and will play the Jets in Winnipeg.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman skates with the puck as San Jose Sharks forward Mikael Granlund chases him during NHL action on Dec. 21, 2024, in Edmonton. (Timothy Matwey/The Canadian Press)The Oilers have seen their fortunes turn in several ways since the start of their winning ways in the third week of November, one of which is forward Zach Hyman’s resurgence.

Like much of the team, Hyman — who scored a team- and personal-high 54 goals last season for Edmonton — struggled to start the 2024-25 NHL campaign, but has blossomed recently, scoring nine goals in eight games since returned from injury in December. 5. That includes goals in each of his two games after taking a puck shot by teammate Evan Bouchard off the nose, breaking it and inflicting a full one. face shield.

Hyman has 12 goals and six assists for 18 points in 28 games played this season.

Knoblauch said Hyman, like several of his teammates, generated as many scoring opportunities early in the season as he is now.

“He had as many scoring chances as he’s ever had, but they just didn’t go in.”

But now…

“Part of (our recent) success is getting offense from our top players, and Zach is one of those guys,” Knoblauch said.

Expected Oilers lineup

Forward

  • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins • Connor McDavid • Zach Hyman
  • Vasily Podkolzin • Leon Draisaitl • Kasperi Kapanen
  • Viktor Arvidsson • Adam Henrique • Corey Perry
  • Jeff Skinner • Mattias Janmark • Connor Brown

Defense

  • Mattias Ekholm • Evan Bouchard
  • Darnell Nursing • Troy Stecher
  • Brett Kulak • Ty Emberson

Goal

  • Stuart Skinner • Calvin Pickard