(Sports Network) - The Ottawa Senators will try to stretch their longest winning streak of the season to five games when they visit the New Jersey Devils for tonight's clash at Prudential Center.
It's a game that you can catch on TSN2 starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. The game is also available on TSN2HD.
However, Ottawa will have to try and continue the streak without Pascal Leclaire as the starting goaltender will be sidelined for at least the next four weeks with a broken cheekbone.
The freak injury was sustained while Leclaire was sitting on the bench during Monday's overtime win over Washington. Leclaire is 8-5-1 in 16 games for the Sens this season.
Brian Elliott will take over the primary starting duties with Leclaire out and is coming off a win Monday against the visiting Capitals. Elliott allowed three goals on 28 shots and improved to 4-1-2 on the season.
However, it was Mike Fisher's redirection goal 1:14 into overtime that lifted the Senators to the dramatic 4-3 win over the Caps at Scotiabank Place.
Peter Regin, Chris Neal and Alexandre Picard scored for the Senators, who are currently first in the Northeast Division and one point ahead of Buffalo.
Elliott is expected to get the call in net tonight, while Mike Brodeur, who was recalled from the team's AHL affiliate in Binghamton earlier this week, serves as the backup netminder.
The Sens will also be without forward Alex Kovalev again tonight as the veteran has yet to return from his home nation of Russia following the death of his mother-in-law. Kovalev, who has four goals and six assists this year, has missed the last two games for Ottawa.
Meanwhile, the Devils will try to find the win column again after losing their last three contests on the heels of a season-high, eight-game winning streak. After beginning the season with a 9-0-0 record on the road, New Jersey went winless (0-2-1) on a recent three-game trip.
The Devils picked up a point in last Thursday's shootout loss in Nashville, but were handed a 5-3 setback Saturday in Dallas. Stephane Robidas tallied two goals and two assists as the Stars skated to the win at American Airlines Center.
Brian Rolston scored twice, and Zach Parise's six-game goal streak was snapped for the Devils. Parise did record an assist to extend his point streak to seven games.
Travis Zajac also scored, and Yann Danis allowed three goals on nine shots in the first period before Martin Brodeur gave up two goals on 17 shots in the final two periods to receive the loss.
"We've played some pretty good teams," Parise said of the losing streak. "We're losing to good teams. It's not an excuse; I thought we had our chances."
Rob Niedermayer, Jay Pandolfo, Johnny Oduya, Paul Martin and Dainius Zubrus are all still out with injuries for the Devils and head coach Jacques Lemaire has stated he doesn't expect any of those players to return this week.
The Devils are 5-4-0 as the host this year and have won four straight in the Garden State. Ottawa is 3-3-0 on the road and has dropped two in a row away from Canada's capital city.
Ottawa lost a 3-2 home decision against the Devils on November 7 and has dropped seven straight and 10 of its last 12 encounters with New Jersey . The Sens have also lost three straight and five of six as the visitor in this series.