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Senators look to overcome offensive struggles vs. Devils

Oct 21, 2006 - 2:23 PM New Jersey (4-2-1) at Ottawa (2-4-0) 7:00 pm EDT

OTTAWA (Ticker) -- These are not the Ottawa Senators most people expected to see when the season began.

The Senators try to break a five-game home losing streak and post their first home triumph of the campaign Saturday when they host the New Jersey Devils in the first of four meetings this season.

Ottawa led the league with 314 goals in a season that saw the Senators tie the franchise record with 52 victories before losing to the Buffalo Sabres in five games of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

However, Ottawa is last in the league with 11 goals this season and has gone 32 consecutive power-play chances without scoring, lowering their mark to 1-for-34 with the man advantage this season.

After scoring 50 goals last season, Dany Heatley needed six games to record his first of this campaign when he came through midway through the third period of Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

New Jersey has lost two of its last three games and is playing its third contest in four nights. The Devils have split their four road games this season.

Brian Gionta scored twice, including the tying goal with 12 seconds left in regulation Thursday for New Jersey, which suffered a 4-3 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators.

The teams split their four encounters last season, with New Jersey posting a 3-2 victory over Ottawa on March 28, when Scott Gomez scored the shootout clincher.