Senators @ Golden Knights

Who will WIN this matchup?

Ottawa Senators (4-4-1)

@ Vegas Golden Knights (4-5-1)

Starting Goalies:

Craig Anderson (OTT): Confirmed

Marc-Andre Fleury (VGK): Unconfirmed

Current odds:

Ottawa Senators: (+190)

Vegas Golden Knights: (-230)

• The Vegas Golden Knights dropped three in a row at T-Mobile Center only once in their inaugural NHL campaign and look to avoid doing it for the first time this season when they host the Ottawa Senators on Sunday night. The Golden Knights followed up a three-game winning streak by falling to Vancouver in a shootout before losing to Tampa Bay – both by 3-2 scores. Vegas outshot the red-hot Lightning and dominated the final 20 minutes Friday but its offensive woes continued as the team was limited to two goals or fewer for the eighth time in 10 games.

• After tightening up their defense during a three-game winning streak, the Senators again are struggling to keep the opposition off the scoreboard. Ottawa has surrendered 10 goals in back-to-back defeats to Boston and Colorado, and have allowed at least four tallies in each of its five defeats.

• Ottawa lost more than a game in Friday’s 6-3 setback at Colorado as forward Zack Smith will be out for at least month with a broken bone in his face after he was struck by the heel of a skate. Matt Duchene scored twice in his return to Colorado but the Senators were unable to protect a pair of two-goal leads and again could not contain the opposition’s top line. “We didn’t defend well on the rush against their top players,” coach Guy Boucher told reporters. “We have to grow fast enough to be able to defend against the top players.”

• Vegas’ No. 2 line was bolstered by the return of Alex Tuch off injured reserve on Wednesday, but Max Pacioretty exited Friday’s contest with what the team feared could be a concussion. Pacioretty, who was acquired from Montreal in early September, was listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury but is not expected to play against Ottawa. “You hate to lose a player like Pacioretty in the hockey game but that’s what coaching is all about,” coach Gerard Gallant told the media. “You’ve got to mix your lines up and see how it goes.”

• Senators D Thomas Chabot has a team-high 11 points, including at least one in eight of nine games.

• Vegas scored on the man advantage Friday but is a woeful 3-for-32 on the power play for the season.

• Ottawa recalled F Jack Rodewald from Belleville of the American Hockey League.