Predators head to Ottawa missing a defenseman and a goalie

The Nashville Predators visit the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, the next stop on a road trip that opened with a 5-2 win over Montreal on Thursday. ESPN+ carries the game nationally, and Scripps Sports streams it in the Nashville market. Read more: Predators Senators preview.

Nashville arrives down a defenseman and a goaltender. Justus Annunen went on injured reserve October 6 after getting hurt in practice. The team has not disclosed the injury or a return date, and it recalled goalie Matt Murray from AHL Milwaukee to back up Juuse Saros.

William Trudeau followed him to injured reserve October 9, a day after he left Thursday's win over Montreal in the first period with an upper-body injury. He played just 4:39 over seven shifts before exiting. He is week-to-week, and IR rules keep him out until at least October 17, when Nashville hosts St. Louis.

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Center Mavrik Bourque, day-to-day with an upper-body issue, is expected back tonight, according to ESPN's injury tracker.

Daily Faceoff lists Saros and Ottawa's Linus Ullmark as the projected starters, but neither was confirmed as of Saturday morning. Saros is 2-1-1 with a .916 save percentage this season. Ullmark has been sharper, posting a .956 save percentage and a 1.13 goals-against average across three starts.

Ottawa has injuries of its own

Ottawa is the market's favorite, but the Senators have their own injury problems. Winger William Eklund is out long-term with an ankle injury. ESPN's tracker does not expect him back until early January. Defensemen Artem Zub and Jake Sanderson, winger Andre Burakovsky and defenseman Cameron Crotty are all day-to-day or on injured reserve.

Zub and Burakovsky wore regular jerseys before Thursday's win over Philadelphia, a step coach Travis Green called "always a good sign" for Zub. Burakovsky is "closer" to returning, Green said, though both stayed out. ESPN's tracker expects Zub, Sanderson, Burakovsky and Crotty back Saturday, but none of those returns was confirmed as of Thursday.

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DraftKings has Ottawa at -162 on the moneyline through ESPN's Pickcenter, with Nashville at +136. The puck line sits at Ottawa -1.5 (+160) and Nashville +1.5 (-192). The total is 5.5 goals, with the over at -130 and the under at +110, down from an opening line of 6.5.

Both teams by the numbers

Nashville is 2-1-1, with wins over Dallas and Montreal, a loss to Minnesota and an overtime loss at Toronto. Steven Stamkos leads Nashville with six points, three goals and three assists; Roman Josi has five on defense. Ottawa is 3-1 after wins over Toronto, Boston and Philadelphia and a loss at Detroit; Tim Stutzle leads Ottawa with six points.

Nashville's back end will look different again on October 17, when Trudeau is first eligible to return for a home date with St. Louis. Until then, Matt Murray is the only goaltender behind Saros, and the group in front of him is missing one of its regular defensemen five games into the season.