The Ottawa Senators started off the season like a house on fire, posting a 15-2 record in their first 17 games. But they've since gone only 22-23-7, and now the defending Eastern Conference champions find themselves fighting for their playoff lives. Meanwhile, Wayne Gretzky's Phoenix Coyotes have exceeded all reasonable expectations, emerging as a surprise playoff contender, but they'll need a win on Saturday night to remain within striking distance of the eighth-place Vancouver Canucks. Check out this intriguing match-up between two desperate teams in brilliant 1080i on HDNet, live at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Senators to Watch

Without question, the Sens' top line is a sight to see. Captain Daniel Alfredsson, playmaking center Jason Spezza, and dynamic forward Dany Heatley are pure magic on the ice, and they are the focal point of the Sens' power play. Spezza 50 assists) is one of the best passers in the game, with adept finishers Alfredsson (37 goals) and Heatley (31 goals) benefiting tremendously from his well-placed dishes. Alfredsson has missed the Sens' last two games with back spasms, and if he's unable to return against the Coyotes, it'll likely be Christoph Schubert taking his place on the top line.

Unfortunately, the team's productivity drops off dramatically after that exciting trio, and pre-deadline addition Cory Stillman (10 points in 13 games, only two goals) hasn't made the impact the Sens were hoping for. Unless Stillman, Antoine Vermette, and Mike Fisher start scoring more consistently down the stretch, the Sens' spot in the playoffs will be in serious jeopardy... and they shouldn't be expected to get past the first round if they do reach the postseason.

Perhaps the biggest surprise in Ottawa has been the team's surprisingly porous defense. They've surrendered 207 goals, second-worst in the Northeast Division and sixth-worst in the entire league, this despite boasting a very impressive cast of rearguards. In the same deal that landed Cory Stillman, the Sens also acquired stay-at-home backliner Mike Commodore, whose start in Ottawa has been quite underwhelming (zero points, minus-seven rating in 13 games).

Things between the pipes haven't been terribly stable either. Heading into this season, it was presumed that Ray Emery had a vice-like grip on the starting job. But a combination of poor play and unsavory behavior opened the door for Martin Gerber to usurp playing time. Though Gerber has been more than adequate (.911 SV%, 2.69 GAA), he alone hasn't been able to make up for the team's litany of defensive flaws. Gerber will start down the stretch, and it's quite possible that this will be Emery's final season in Ottawa.

Coyotes to Watch

It's been a marvelous seasons for Coyotes captain Shane Doan, who has tallied 65 points in 66 games while playing a very solid two-way game (plus-11 rating). And perhaps most importantly, he's quietly and confidently helped head coach Wayne Gretzky lead the team back to respectability, no easy feat given the Desert Dogs' struggles over the past half-decade. Doan plays on the Coyotes' very effective top line, alongside Joel Perrault and rookie Peter Mueller.

Mueller has quietly put together a very strong rookie campaign, tallying 20 goals (and 46 points) in 67 games. The eighth overall pick in the 2006 Entry Draft, Mueller--a native of Bloomington, Minnesota--has tallied 28 points in his last 31 games, very impressive numbers for a 19-year-old still adjusting to the speed of the NHL game.

Stops in Colorado, Carolina, and Chicago didn't work out particularly well for sniper Radim Vrbata, but he's really come into his own in Phoenix. his 27 goals leads the team, and with 53 points in 62 games, he's finally making good on his enormous promise. He currently plays on the 'Yotes' third line, alongside Marcel Hossa and Steven Reinprecht, but gets plenty of power play time during which to showcase his elite-level finishing ability.

Last summer, and in the early part of this season, trade rumors swirled nearly constantly around defenseman Ed Jovanovski. But with the Coyotes' resurgence, and Jovanovski's valuable production (48 points in 67 games), the rumors have died down and he is once again considered an integral piece in the team's puzzle. Jovo-Cop is no longer as feared a presence in the defensive zone as he once was, but he remains one of the game's most complete rearguards, capable of changing the course of a game with his unique combination of speed, skill, and brute strength.

The biggest story in Phoenix this season has been goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. Acquired via waivers back in November, Bryzgalov has delivered a Vezina Trophy-caliber performance since arriving in the desert, posting a stellar .924 save percentage and (more importantly) a very solid 23-16-4 record. Without him, the Coyotes were a lottery team; with him, they're a bona fide playoff contender on the rise.

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