Predators optimistic ahead of visit to Senators

The Nashville Predators and Senators will be looking to bounce back from losses when they meet at Ottawa on Monday in a Canadian Thanksgiving matinee.

It will be the Senators' home opener and the third game of the season for each squad.

The Predators fell at home to the Utah Mammoth 3-2 in overtime on Saturday night, while the Senators dropped a 6-2 decision on the road to the Florida Panthers.

Nashville led Utah 2-1 midway through the third period but Jack McBain's goal with 8:23 left in regulation tied it. Dylan Guenther scored 2:56 into overtime to seal the Predators' fate.

"I thought we played a pretty good game," Predators' defenseman Roman Josi said. "I thought the first two periods were pretty good. I think the last period in the first 15 (minutes), we kind of gave them a little too many looks. But even after the score, I thought we had some good looks to get that winning goal. Overall, I thought it was a pretty good game."

Filip Forsberg and Erik Haula each scored a goal for Nashville and Juuse Saros made 20 saves. Brady Martin, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 draft, assisted on Forsberg's goal for his first career point.

"Lots of fight from our group," Haula said. "Four lines. Like I said, there's lots of good all over. (Saros) is playing great, giving us a chance to win. Overall, a good spot to keep moving forward."

Monday will be Luke Evangelista's second game of 2025-26. The Predators forward made his season debut on Saturday with an assist and two shots in 13:28 of ice time. He sat out the opener after missing training camp and signing a two-year, $6 million contract on Oct. 4.

Unlike Nashville, Ottawa struggled to find anything positive about its effort Saturday.

"Not good enough to win, that's for sure,'' Senators coach Travis Green said. "That's a good team over there, we know that. We weren't good enough to win. It's that's simple. Lots of challenges. (The Panthers) are the back-to-back champions. If you are going to beat a team like that in their building, you're going to have to play better than we did."

Shane Pinto scored both of Ottawa's goals for his second consecutive two-goal game. He's the first player in franchise history to start a season with back-to-back multi-goal games.

Goaltender Linus Ullmark stopped 21 shots.

The Senators fell behind 2-0 in the first period when Brad Marchand and Evan Rodrigues scored 3:46 apart. Pinto made it 2-1 with 2:27 remaining in the opening period.

But the Panthers scored the next three goals, all on the power play.

"Obviously we need to be better, too many penalties," Pinto said. "Quick turnaround, play Monday and get back on track.''

It also wasn't Ullmark's best contest.

"Awful,'' Ullmark said of his effort. "It's one of those days where you are trying your best, and the puck still finds its way to trickle in. Nothing to really say about that. I always try my best and never quit, play a 60-minute game. ... More weird plays than not. I've said it before, but, ‘Mind of a goldfish.'"

---Field Level Media