Antoine Vermette scored for the first time in 20 games the last time out for Ottawa. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The Ottawa Senators begin the first of eight consecutive road games when they battle the Philadephia Flyers on Tuesday night.

With the nation's capital hosting the world junior hockey championships, the struggling Senators won't play a home game until Jan. 10. By that time, the club may know if it has a chance to climb out of 12th and into the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.

Ottawa (12-14-5) is currently eight points off the playoff pace.

"We can either build on [the last game] and move forward or be the opposite, which is going to dig us a huge hole," centre Mike Fisher told the Ottawa Sun.

The Senators are coming off a 5-4 overtime victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday, and it will soon be known if that was the beginning of a new-found offensive punch or more about the shoddy goaltending of the Stars.

Defenceman Jason Smith scored the winner, his first in an Ottawa uniform. Daniel Alfredsson, Antoine Vermette, Alex Picard and Jason Spezza had scored earlier for the Senators.

Fisher and Nick Foligno each had two assists.

The Senators converted on half of their six power-play chances.

Auld to start in net

Martin Gerber, who played well in three previous starts in December, was not up to par against Dallas. Gerber finished with 25 saves but was negligent on the third goal and got caught, along with his teammates, being a spectator on the second score.

As a result, the Senators will turn to Alex Auld on Tuesday. Auld has not been particularly sharp in his last three starts, allowing 14 goals.

Ottawa is plagued with injuries. Filip Kuba, who tops defencemen on the team in points, is foregoing the road trip with a groin injury. Jesse Winchester and Chris Neil are also not expected to play.

Alfredsson is questionable after being slammed into the boards by Jere Lehtinen on the Dallas Stars. Meanwhile, Dany Heatley and some of his teammates are battling sickness, as many teams are.

The Senators played one of their best games of the season against the Flyers. Ottawa limited Philadelphia to 18 shots and received balanced scoring in the 4-1 victory on Nov. 6.

The Flyers have earned points in seven of their last eight games, but lost their last game, 3-2 to New Jersey in a shootout on Sunday.

Carter 'getting some good breaks'

Jeff Carter scored his NHL-best 25th goal, with linemate Joffrey Lupul also finding the mark for Philadelphia (18-8-7).

"I always knew that I could score," Carter said Monday during an NHL conference call. "I think this year I just started to play with a lot of confidence right off the bat, which has kind of helped me. I've been getting some good breaks, some good linemates, and things have been going well."

Rugged winger Scott Hartnell has typically filled out the line with Carter and Lupul.

Antero Niittymaki had a strong weekend in net for Philadelphia, stopping 71 of 74 shots. He made 47 saves as the Flyers drubbed Washington 7-1 the day before the New Jersey game.

The Flyers lost Scottie Upshall as a result of their last game. The team later said Upshall will be out up to two weeks with a right knee sprain.

Ottawa will return to action after the holiday with a game in Calgary on Saturday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 10 p.m. ET).