Game 34 Preview and Open Thread: Ottawa Senators @ Edmonton Oilers

There are no two NHL teams on a burner quite like the Ottawa Senators and the Edmonton Oilers right now.

The Senators are 8-1-1 in their last 10, only having lost twice in December – don't check the day of the week those games were on – and on a six-game winning streak.

The Oilers are 8-2-0 in their last 10, with losses to the Golden Knights and Panthers sandwiching an impressive five-game winning streak.

Both teams earned overtime victories yesterday, with the Oilers winning 3-2 at home in a 42-shot effort against Yaroslav Askarov's Sharks.

Lineups

As a reminder, here's how the Sens lined up last night against the Canucks. Linus Ullmark will be back between the pipes, and we might see Cole Reinhardt in for Michael Amadio after the latter entered concussion protocol after taking a hit from Vincent Desharnais in the third period.

Meanwhile, here's how Edmonton lined up against San Jose. We expect the only change to be in goal, with starter Stuart Skinner back in net over Calvin Pickard:

Game Notes

• While Shane Pinto is the forward on a hot streak for Ottawa, it's the big boys getting it done for Edmonton: Zach Hyman (nine goals in eight games), Connor McDavid (eight-game point streak), and Leon Draisaitl (had a seven game point streak of 2+ until yesterday).
• With Amadio questionable, I wonder if Green puts Giroux down with Pinto and Cousins for matchup duty or goes best-on-best with Tkachuk and Giroux taking faceoffs on their strong sides.
• Oilers with >58% of the shot attempts and expected goals when they're on the ice at 5-on-5: Bouchard, Ekholm, McDavid, Podkolzin, Arvidsson, Draisaitl, Hyman.
• That's a well-balanced top-six when Knoblauch wants to shorten his bench; generally, he starts the game with Arvidsson shit-disturbing on L3, RNH with skill up top, and Kapanen's speed helping Draisaitl and Podkolzin in transition.
• 30-year-old Brett Kulak is the embodiment of what the Sens would like Travis Hamonic to be on the ice. Holds down the third-pair with rookie Ty Emberson, but has the ability to take shifts with Bouchard when Kris Knoblauch wants to win a matchup.

Catch tonight's game at 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT) on TSN5, Sportsnet West, or RDS.