The Senators go for their fifth straight victory on Tuesday night when they play host to the Buffalo Sabres on the eve of the NHL's Christmas break. While neither team had the kind of start to the season they would have liked, both are now piping hot.

The Senators have won four in a row and five of six, while the Sabres, immersed in a 14-year playoff drought, have won six games in a row. So something's gotta give.

This will be the first game back in Ottawa for Josh Norris since the trade that sent him to Buffalo in March. 

The Senators won't change much after Sunday's impressive 6-2 victory in Boston. That includes Linus Ullmark starting in goal against his former team for a second straight game. Ullmark was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week on Monday. Over his past four starts, Ullmark has a .928 save percentage and a 1.74 GAA.

Here's how the chess pieces align on Tuesday night.

Senators Line Combinations

Tkachuk-Stutzle-Zetterlund
Perron-Cozens-Batherson
Amadio-Greig-Giroux
MacDermid-Halliday-Cousins

Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Spence
Matinpalo-Jensen

Ullmark

Sabres Line Combinations

Krebs – Thompson – Doan
Benson – McLeod – Quinn
Ostlund – Norris – Tuch
Greenway – Dunne – Malenstyn

Samuelsson – Dahlin
Byram – Metsa
Power – Kesselring

Lyon