Nashville Begins Four-Game Road Trip This Afternoon in Canadian Capital
After collecting three out of a possible four points at home to begin the 2025-26 campaign, the Nashville Predators are set to start their first road trip of the season when they take on the Ottawa Senators from the Canadian Tire Center at 12 p.m. CT today. This afternoon’s contest on Canadian Thanksgiving is Ottawa’s home opener and the first of two meetings between the clubs this season.
The Predators began their season with a 2-1 victory over Columbus on Thursday before falling to the Utah Mammoth, 3-2, in overtime on Saturday night. Now, Nashville is hoping to build on plenty of good they’ve seen in their game across the first two outings and find success on the road.
“That first road trip, it’s always an important road trip,” Preds Captain Roman Josi said Saturday night. “Just getting on the road with the guys and getting together and you’re playing four games, so it’s a big road trip for us, especially [this early in the] season. It would be good for us to get on the road and get some wins on the road.”
“I just think we need to keep going,” Preds forward Erik Haula said. “That’s where you always look for, that first road trip, that your intensity and the level of your play doesn’t dip at all. If anything, you simplify and get better. I think that’s going to be key for us.”
The Predators did not practice on Sunday prior to their flight to Ottawa.
Filip Forsberg and Haula both found the back of the net on Saturday night, while 18-year-old Brady Martin collected his first NHL point – an assist on Forsberg’s goal – in just his second professional game. Luke Evangelista, who made his season debut on Saturday, assisted on Haula’s goal in the second period, and Juuse Saros made 20 saves in net.
Forsberg and Haula each have a goal and an assist through two games to share the team lead with two points. Ryan O’Reilly and Michael Bunting have also tallied once, while Josi and Jonathan Marchessault have each added a helper thus far. Saros has started both games for Nashville and has a .935 save percentage to begin the season.
The Senators began their season last Thursday with a 5-4 win in Tampa before falling to the Florida Panthers by a 6-2 count on Saturday night. Shane Pinto already has four goals and five points through two games for Ottawa; Artem Zub, Claude Giroux and Dylan Cozens have also tallied for the Sens, and Brady Tkachuk has three assists in two games. Linus Ullmark has started both games for Ottawa with a save percentage of .808 in those outings.
The Preds are 19-13-(0)-5 all-time against the Sens, including an 8-7-(0)-4 mark in Ottawa. Nashville is 2-1-2 in their last five meetings at Canadian Tire Centre. The 2024-25 campaign saw the Predators (0-2-0) drop the regular-season series to the Senators for the first time since 2011-12, going 13-5-5 against Ottawa during that span.
Steven Stamkos has posted 46 points (19g-27a) in 53 career games against the Senators. Stamkos recorded a six-game point streak against Ottawa from Dec. 16, 2021-Nov. 4, 2023 (2g-8a in 6 GP).
Jonathan Marchessault has recorded 21 points (12g-9a) in 20 career games against Ottawa. His 12 goals are tied for the third-most he has tallied against a single franchise. He has found the scoresheet in four of his past five games against the Senators (3g-1a).
Roman Josi posted a five-game point streak (4g-4a) against Ottawa from Feb. 8, 2018-Jan. 19, 2019. He’s tallied 24 points (8g-16a) in 23 career meetings with the Senators.
Predators Pro Development Coach Mark Borowiecki played in 375 games for the Senators from 2012-20, recording 51 points (15g-36a) and 647 penalty minutes.
Ryan O’Reilly is three power play goals from 100 in his career.
Tyson Jost is three games from 500 in his NHL career.
Michael Bunting is four goals from 100 in his NHL career.
Steven Stamkos (228) is five power play goals from passing Dino Ciccarelli (232) for the 10th-most in NHL history.
Coverage for this afternoon’s contest begins at 11:30 a.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on FanDuel Sports Network South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic and Chris Mason will have the call on the television side. Max Herz and Hal Gill will call the game on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network.
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