Ottawa Senators defenseman Marc Methot is expected to return after missing a 3-0 win at the New Jersey Devils on Thursday because of illness. Forward Bobby Ryan did not attend the morning skate Saturday because of the flu and will be a game-time decision. Goaltender Craig Anderson will start; he's 1-1-0 since returning to Ottawa, following a leave of absence to be with his wife, Nicholle, who was having treatments for cancer. Anderson allowed three goals on 25 shots in a 3-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. "I want to get in there and earn my ice time. I want to make sure physically I'm ready and mentally I'm ready," Anderson said. "At the end of the day, I earn my ice time. If I go in there and play well and instill confidence in the team with the coaches, I'll play more. But if I still have a little hesitation or I'm not playing the way I need to be playing, I'll have to keep working on it in practice to get the confidence back and earn the trust of my teammates." The Senators lead the Boston Bruins by two points for second place in the Atlantic Division, and lead the Toronto Maple Leafs by three points. Ottawa is 3-1-0 in its past four games and 5-2-0 in its past seven road games. The Senators approach will not be affected by Maple Leafs rookie forward Mitchell Marner's upper-body injury, which will keep him out through the weekend, according to coach Guy Boucher. "First of all, we're focusing on ourselves," Boucher said. "We're aware of their strengths and what we have to do against them, but we don't have the last matchup here."
