Devils-Senators Preview

Coach Dave Cameron should be happy to return home, where the Ottawa Senators are on the cusp of their longest winning streak in almost six years.

The New Jersey Devils are just trying to win back-to-back games for the first time in seven weeks.

After their struggles on the road continued, the Senators seek a bounce-back effort Wednesday night against the Devils.

Ottawa (18-13-6) is 10-4-4 at home this season, winning seven of its last eight and five in a row. The Senators haven't put together a longer winning streak as host since a seven-game run from Jan. 19-Feb. 11, 2010.

Their recent home success has been undermined by losing eight of their past nine road games, including six in a row after falling 7-3 at Boston to split a home-and-home set Tuesday.

"I hate losing and I lost, so it was a bad taste," Cameron told the team's official website. "Upset, whatever, I hate losing."

Ottawa has done that in the last two matchups with New Jersey (18-14-5), squandering a two-goal, third-period lead to fall 5-4 in a shootout Oct. 22.

Lee Stempniak set up Adam Henrique's goal before scoring himself with 32 seconds left in regulation and netting the decisive shootout attempt. That gave New Jersey its third victory during a season-high four-game winning streak.

The Devils have only managed to string together back-to-back wins on three separate occasions since, most recently Nov. 12 and 14.

New Jersey has a chance to do it again after scoring twice in the third period to beat Carolina 3-2 on Tuesday.

"We talked about wanting to get back to our identity, play hard and play for each other," said defenseman David Schlemko, who scored the go-ahead goal with 3:05 remaining. "We thought our game was alright tonight and we stuck with it."

Kyle Palmieri scored the equalizer Tuesday and has a goal in three straight games. The right wing is one game shy of the longest scoring streak of his career, set from Dec. 4-11.

He also has a personal-best and team-leading 16 goals.

Palmieri, though, has only one assist in four career meetings with Ottawa.

Cory Schneider is 4-1-1 with a 1.61 goals-against average against the Senators, making 35 saves and turning aside three of four shootout attempts Oct. 22.

He should be back in net after being rested Tuesday in favor of Keith Kinkaid, who had 24 saves.

The Senators may counter with Andrew Hammond after Craig Anderson made 30 saves against the Bruins. Hammond lost his only meeting with the Devils in October, stopping 28 shots before giving up goals on two of four shootout tries.

Mike Hoffman scored his team-leading 18th goal Tuesday, snapping a five-game drought. The left wing has seven goals and five assists during a seven-game point streak at home. He's tallied twice in three home meetings with New Jersey, getting one in October.

Erik Karlsson ranks fourth in the league and tops all defensemen with 41 points, collecting nine during a seven-game streak. He's totaled 11 while recording at least one point in five straight home games.

Karlsson, though, has failed to get a point in the last two matchups with the Devils after he had seven over the previous five.