Senators seek boost on offense against Oilers (Jan 08, 2017)

OTTAWA -- The slumping Ottawa Senators should have Bobby Ryan back in the lineup when they face the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night at Canadian Tire Centre in the second of back-to-back games for both teams.

Ryan was a late scratch in the Senators' 1-0 loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday, which extended their winless stretch to four games. Because Ryan participated in the morning skate and because he was benched for a period earlier this season after showing up late for a team meeting, coach Guy Boucher was asked if Ryan is indeed injured,

"I'm hopeful he's playing (Sunday)," Boucher said coyly.

The Senators (20-14-4) could use the help offensively as they managed only one goal in their last two games, three in their last three and six during the four game drought.

All four losses have been by one goal.

"I think right now the recurrent theme is we're a little snakebitten for the back of the net," Boucher said. "It's been four games now, we've played four really good games and we're just missing goals. We hit posts, we missed the 2-on-1, and stuff like that. That's where the games are."

Captain Erik Karlsson came the closest to scoring Saturday, but his point blank slap shot rang off the crossbar.

"It's hard, but I think every team goes through stretches when they lose a few games in a row," said Karlsson, the team's leading scorer. "We're there right now. We've got to try and find a way to snap out of it as fast as possible, and hopefully get on the other side of things."

The Oilers (21-13-7) arrive in Ottawa with a two game winning streak and a 2-1 overtime victory in New Jersey on Saturday. Mark Latestu was the hero against the Devils, scoring at 3:59 of overtime on a power play.

The stop in Ottawa concludes a four-game road trip for Edmonton.

"Sometimes when you are at the end of a trip like we are, for me, it's the easiest one to play because you know you are going home and you can just empty the tank with an off day coming up," Letestu said. "We know (Ottawa) is playing (Saturday) night, too, though without the travel; but we have to have the same jump we had (against the Devils) so that we can grab another two points."

The Oilers won 7-2 when they were at Canadian Tire last season, and defeating the Senators again Sunday would allow them to return home with three wins from the four games on the current tour.

The Oilers are 12-6-5 on the road this season.

"I think it just comes from the guys being so tight," center Connor McDavid said. "We have a really close group here; and when we're on the road and having a good time together, we seem to rally around that being together all the time"