Predators at Senators
The Nashville Predators wrap up their brief Canadian road trip with a visit to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. The Senators finished a three-game Western Conference trek and are returning to Ottawa, where they have one regulation loss in their first eight games (4-1-3). Nashville sits atop the Central Division after demolishing the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, improving to 2-0-0 against Atlantic Division opponents.
Pekka Rinne is expected to start for Nashville with an opportunity to improve on his league-leading 12 wins. Ottawa is expected to go with Robin Lehner, who has allowed nine goals in two November appearances. The Senators allow 34.8 shots per game, which will be dangerous against a Predators team that leads the league in even-strength goal differential.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Tennessee, RDS2, TSN5
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (12-4-2): Rookie Filip Forsberg has 14 points in eight November contests and leads the team with 22 points. Gabriel Bourque was a healthy scratch Tuesday after failing to record a point in 12 games. Nashville is the most disciplined team in the league, averaging 7.2 penalty minutes.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (8-5-4): Defenseman Marc Methot participated in Monday’s practice alongside captain Erik Karlsson and is close to returning from a back injury. Bobby Ryan has points in four of his last five games. Karlsson is having a slow November, with two assists in his last five contests and four points in the month.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville is 6-3-1 on the road.
2. Three of the last five meetings between Ottawa and Nashville required overtime or a shootout, including both contests last season.
3. The Senators have one win in their last five games.