The Nashville Predators welcome the 7-8-3 Calgary Flames to Bridgestone Arena tonight, and the Predators lineup is likely to look a bit different than in recent games. Cody Glass left Monday night's game against the Colorado Avalanche late in the third period and is considered week-to-week with an upper body injury. Tonight Juuso Pärssinen will move to center in place of Glass. Forward Luke Evangelista was a healthy scratch on Monday night but will return to the lineup and skate with Pärssinen and Kiefer Sherwood.
Andrew Brunette addressed the forward changes after morning skate.
"I'm just trying to find chemistry," Brunette said. "It seems like we've been most of the season trying to find groups that can feed off each other and get the best out of each other. It's been a little bit of a process."
"We'll try Pärsy [Pärssinen], Woody [Kiefer Sherwood], and Luke [Evangelista] is coming back in and they've had some chemistry. With the injuries right now, some guys have to step up."
"It's our job to play. It doesn't matter who we play with," Kiefer Sherwood said after practice. "It's important to try to focus on making an impact no matter who you play with, how much you play, where you play. It doesn't matter. You've got to make an impact."
The defense may also look a little differently tonight as Brunette is hopeful the Predators will see Ryan McDonagh back in the lineup after missing seven games with a lower body injury. At morning skate McDonagh practiced with Roman Josi while Alexandre Carrier and Jeremy Lauzon worked together and Spencer Stastney and Tyson Barrie paired up.
""Fabs [Dante Fabbro] has played solid, and unfortunately he's the odd man out tonight," Brunette said.
Brunette also said that Luke Schenn is getting closer to a possible return but is not expected to play tonight. He was on the ice for practice this morning again with the team.
Lines at morning skate looked like this:
Filip Forsberg - Ryan O'Reilly - Gus Nyquist
Kiefer Sherwood - Juuso Pärssinen - Luke Evangelista
Yakov Trenin - Colton Sissons - Liam Foudy
Phil Tomasino - Michael McCarron - Cole Smith
Roman Josi - Ryan McDonagh
Jeremy Lauzon - Alexandre Carrier
Spencer Stastney - Tyson Barrie
Juuse Saros was first off the ice this morning and is expected tog et the start in net for the Predators.
Nashville faces Calgary tonight at Bridgestone Arena. It is a later start with puck drop scheduled for 8:00 pm CT.
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