The Predators arrive in Ottawa on a nasty winless slump, with three losses and three overtime losses in their last six games.
There's nothing more dangerous than a hungry Predator.
On Saturday night at Canadian Tire Centre (7 pm; SN1, TVAS2), the Ottawa Senators will host the Nashville Predators, a team that's gone winless in their last six games (0-3-3). The Predators are 7-14-6 and sit 31st in the NHL. And Steven Stamkos, their crown jewel free agent signing has 13 points in 27 games.
But the Senators aren't good enough to spend an ounce of energy wondering if their opponent will be good or bad, inspired or beat up. Like former Alabama football coach Nick Saban said this morning on ESPN's College Game Day, that's like "worrying about mouse manure when you're up to your ears in elephant s**t."
Sens head coach Travis Green says he's expecting a team that's going to be desperate.
"Every game's a tough challenge, and tonight's going to be no different," Green told the media at the morning skate.
The Sens will need to be equally desperate. Despite a nice 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, Ottawa still has a ton of ground to make up in the Eastern Conference playoff chase. Entering play tonight, the Sens are four points and six teams out of a playoff spot.
More Juggling: Sens forwards Adam Gaudette and Ridly Greig must be wondering if Green likes their game or not. Green has a clear preference for a top-five forward group in Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson, Claude Giroux, and Josh Norris. But he's having a devil of a time deciding on his sixth man in the upper group and cant seem to settle on whether Gaudette or Greig is the guy.
After playing fourth-line right wing on Thursday night, Gaudette is expected to flip back to the top six tonight while Greig flops back to the fourth line. Statistically, it's no contest. With 12 goals and one assist, he might get some Cy Young votes, but Gaudette been much better than Greig, who has just 2 goals and 7 points.
Senators projected lineup
Brady Tkachuk–Josh Norris–Drake Batherson
Claude Giroux–Tim Stutzle–Adam Gaudette
Nick Cousins–Shane Pinto–Michael Amadio
Noah Gregor–Zack Ostapchuk–Ridly Greig
Jake Sanderson–Travis Hamonic
Thomas Chabot–Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven–Jacob Bernard-Docker
Linus Ullmark (starter)
Anton Forsberg