NHL ON TAP: Senators go to 5th straight victory against predators

Welcome to the NHL on the tap, a daily look at the games on the NHL plan. There is a game on the schedule for Monday, which will be sent nationally in Canada.

Today’s game

Ottawa Senators in Nashville Predators (19:30 et; fdsnso, prime, tvas)

The senators (28-20-4) go after their fifth equal victory Monday. They have been led during their current race by Tim Stutzle, which has seven points (two goals, five assists) during a four-game point line. Linus Ullmark will act as a backup goalkeeper for Anton Forsberg; Ullmark has not played since December 22. On the way into that game against Edmonton Oilers, he was 8-0-1 with a 1.43 goal against average and .954 savings percentage in his previous nine starts. Ullmark, who will play for Team Sweden at 4 Nations Face-off from 12-20. February, is 12-7-2 with a 2.38 gaa, .915 savings percentage and three shutouts in 23 games (22 starts) in his first spice with the senators returning to Rookie goalkeeper Leevi Merilainen to Belleville from the American Hockey League On Sunday.

The predators (18-26-7) will try to finish a four-game sliding after winning the previous five. Despite the offseason add-out of forward Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, a lack of offense continues to be a question for Nashville, who lost 3-0 at Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday and has scored the second best goals in the NHL (133), two more than Anaheim Ducks. Stamkos (17) and Marchessault (15) rank the second and third on the predators in goal behind Leader Filip Forsberg (18), and they need more production from Forward Gustav Nyquist, who has scored only nine times in 50 games. Nyquist and Forsberg join Ullmark with Team Sweden at 4 Nations Face-off.