The Ottawa Senators are back in town this weekend to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs for another edition of the Battle of Ontario.

Ahead of Saturday’s showdown, Senators head coach Travis Green hopped on Leafs Morning Take on Friday. His Ottawa group find themselves in a similar situation to Toronto right now, battling for a playoff spot in the home stretch of this season.

“I think this year it seems tighter than ever that I’ve seen it before,” Green said. “A lot of teams lumped in, you’re coming down the stretch. The importance is there, the players know it. I think part of our job as coaches is not getting too far ahead of ourselves. Not letting the moment be too big, but also playing our best.”

Entering Saturday night, the Senators are just one point ahead of the Leafs, with a game in hand. Both are currently bottom-three in the Atlantic, and have considerable ground to make up to be in contention for a wild card spot. Fighting for those crucial points, Green said there’s no doubt they’re keeping an eye on scores around the league nightly, but it’s also important to keep a level head.

“I’d be lying if I said we aren’t watching the standings, after the games seeing where we are at,” Green said. “You tend to look at it more when you get a point than when you don’t get a point. The one thing you gotta always remember so you keep an even keel, you’re not gonna win every game. You’re gonna have games where you don’t get any points. You gotta make sure you keep your composure through the hard times as well.”

The playoffs are starting to feel out of reach for the Leafs after a disastrous return from the Olympic break, and that may soon reach the Senators as well. With both Ottawa and Toronto struggling to stay afloat in the Atlantic, Saturday night may very well turn into a sink or swim contest.

“Just keep your eye on the next game, that’s really all you can control,” Green continued. “Win or lose, we reset and get ready to play the next game. It sounds like a cliche, but that’s all you can do. If you start worrying too much it can really affect your game. … We want guys that love playing, that love the competitive part of it, and love pressure.”

Listen to Green’s full interview with Nick Alberga and guest host David Pagnotta, and be sure to tune into Leafs Morning Take weekdays at 11 a.m.!