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Oilers-Senators Preview

Nov 10, 2009 - 2:38 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Edmonton (8-8-1) at Ottawa (7-5-2), 7:30 p.m. EDT

A resurgent power play helped Edmonton snap a three-game losing streak. The Oilers might have a chance for more success with the man advantage in their next contest.

The Oilers look for a second consecutive victory when they visit the struggling Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.

After going 2 for 18 on the power play in its previous six games, Edmonton (8-8-1) scored four times on seven chances with the man advantage in a 5-3 win at Colorado on Sunday.

"The two things we did were simple," Edmonton center Ryan Potulny said. "We simplified our game and got puck at the net."

The victory snapped a 1-6-0 stretch for the Oilers, who despite their recent struggles on the power play, rank near the top of the NHL with a 23.5 percent conversion rate with the man advantage.

Potulny and Dustin Penner each had a power-play goal and an assist against the Avalanche in the opener of a five-game road trip.

"We probably paid attention a little bit, we moved the puck around," coach Pat Quinn said of his team's improved power play.

Penner's team-leading 10th goal and 11th assist were his first points in four games since a four-point effort in a 6-5 shootout win over Detroit on Oct. 29.

Though Edmonton is 2-5-0 on the road this season and 0-3-1 against the Senators since beating them 3-1 on March 14, 2004, opponents have converted 33.3 percent (7 of 21) of their power-play chances against Ottawa in its last four games. Ottawa's averaging an NHL-high 20.2 penalty minutes per contest.

"We've just got to find a way to stay out of the box," Senators coach Cory Clouston said. "Whatever it may be, whether we feel we're getting the short end of the stick, we've got to find a way to stay out of the box."

The Senators (7-5-2) allowed three power-play goals Saturday while losing for the third time in four games, 3-2 to New Jersey.

Edmonton's Mike Comrie added his second goal in as many games by scoring on the power play Sunday. Comrie is making his first appearance in Ottawa since posting three goals and four assists in 22 games for the Senators last season.

Nikolai Khabibulin made 34 saves against Colorado to improve to 7-7-1 with a 3.18 goals-against average in his first season with the Oilers. The veteran goaltender is 5-8-0 with two ties and a 3.31 GAA versus the Senators.

Ottawa's Pascal Leclaire made 22 saves against the Devils while falling to 5-4-1 with a 2.70 GAA this season. Leclaire wasn't happy with his play, but bouncing back might not be easy against the Oilers. He's 1-2-2 with a 3.44 GAA in his career against Edmonton.

For the sixth time in seven games, Milan Michalek recorded a point by scoring Saturday for Ottawa, which blew a 2-0 lead and dropped to 1-2-0 on a four-game homestand.

"We played a great start of the game and then took too many penalties again," forward Jason Spezza said after the Senators had 10 penalties versus New Jersey. "It cost us, so it was a frustrating loss."

Michalek has a team-leading seven goals in his first season with the Senators, but only three assists in his last 11 games against Edmonton.