Senators at Predators
The Ottawa Senators look to rebound after letting a late lead slip away in their last contest when they visit the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Ottawa seemed poised to pick up its season-high fifth consecutive victory on Wednesday before Paul Stastny scored with 2:20 remaining in the third period and set up defenseman Tyson Barrie 33 seconds into overtime in a 4-3 loss to Colorado. The Senators, who opened their four-game trek with a 4-3 victory over Montreal, wrap up the road trip in Minnesota on Tuesday.
Hard-luck losses are nothing new for Nashville, which suffered a 4-3 setback to Anaheim on Thursday to fall for the ninth time in 12 contests (3-6-3). The Predators yielded all four goals in the second period and never recovered. Paul Gaustad scored his seventh goal this season for his 200th NHL point.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (19-18-8): Clarke MacArthur extended his goal-scoring streak to four games and captain Jason Spezza tallied in his return from a hip flexor injury versus the Avalanche. While MacArthur has failed to tally in five career contests against Nashville, Spezza scored a pair of goals and added an assist to lead Ottawa to a 4-3 victory over the Predators in their last meeting on Feb. 9, 2012. That game in Canada's capital marked the return of Mike Fisher, who was traded to Nashville nearly one year prior.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (19-20-6): Injured goaltender Pekka Rinne has been cleared to begin weight-bearing exercises as he recovers from a hip infection. The two-time Vezina Trophy finalist will be monitored daily and there is no scheduled timetable for his return. Rookie Marek Mazanec made 24 saves on Thursday and absorbed his first regulation defeat in six starts (3-1-2).
OVERTIME
1. Nashville C Craig Smith continued his red-hot play by recording his seventh goal - and 11th point - in 11 games.
2. Ottawa has dropped five of its last six on the road (1-3-2).
3. Predators C Filip Forsberg rejoined the team after winning MVP honors while playing for Finland in the World Junior Championships.