Hot NHL matchup between Oilers, Senators their last action before holiday break

December 22, 2024 Canuck

Two hot teams will look to create even more sparks Sunday night at Rogers Place before both sides take a holiday break.

The Edmonton Oilers have been rising 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, heading into the Sunday date (6 p.m.) with the visiting Ottawa Senators.

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

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Sunday morning the Senators bring a bit of everything to the ice, but particularly hot goaltending from 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 do have a lot of speed. They have dynamic defencemen. Their top two lines are really good. Offensively, defensively, they have the speed. A little bit physical. But I think right now the run they’re on is (due to) their starting goaltender,” Knoblauch told 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 they’ve played so well.”

Sunday’s game vs. 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, too, have a five-day break after facing the Oilers and are slated to 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 around in several ways since the start of their winning ways in the third week of November, one of them being the resurgence of forward Zach Hyman.

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 flourished recently, scoring nine goals in eight games since returning from an injury Dec. 5. That includes goals in each of his two games after taking a puck shot by teammate Evan Bouchard off his nose, breaking it and donning a full 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 just as many opportunities for goals early in the season as he is now.

“He had just as many scoring chances as he’s ever had but they just weren’t going in.”

Now, though …

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