Predators center David Legwand did not skate during the team's optional practice Sunday and his status remains in question for Monday's game against Detroit.
The Red Wings lead the Predators 2-0 in this best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal playoff series. Legwand has missed 14 straight games with a deep bone bruise on his left foot. The team has been hopeful he'd return for Game 3.
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"He skated four days in a row and (the foot) sort of flared up just a little bit,'' Predators Coach Barry Trotz said. "We're just letting it settle it down a little bit.''
Trotz said Legwand would not participate in Monday's morning skate and that a decision on his status would be made closer to game-time.
Trotz said if Legwand is not available, the Predators would consider recalling either forward Josh Langfeld or Antti Pihlstrom from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League.
Legwand said it was not a big deal that he didn't skate on Sunday.
"We're just giving it a couple days off,'' Legwand said. "It's just a matter of getting it comfortable in the skate. We'll see how it is (on Monday).''
Quick recovery: When Predators forward J.P. Dumont went limping off the ice and headed straight to the locker room during Saturday's game, it looked as if he might be out of action for a while.
Instead, he was back in less than five minutes.
It's a situation that has happened in the past to Dumont. He takes a hard hit and his leg goes almost completely numb, but quickly regains feeling.
"My hip hit the board and just went numb right away,'' Dumont said. "I was scared because I couldn't even hold my leg up. But (the feeling) came back right away, so it was more just a bad bruise than anything.''
Dumont suspects he has some sort of nerve issue in the hip region.
Change in the works?: Nashville's top line of Jan Hlavac, Jason Arnott and Dumont has been shut down offensively in the first two games of the series.
The Predators are hoping that home-ice advantage, with the opportunity to have the second line change, will allow Nashville's top scorers some better matchups.
Almost every time the threesome has been on the ice, the Red Wings have countered with their top line of Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom, along with all-star defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski.
"I'm not going to lie ? it's been hard playing against Lidstrom and Rafalski, two candidates for the Norris Trophy,'' Dumont said.
"They're really smart. They read the play very well ? But we definitely have to score goals to be successful.''
More matchup questions: Trotz said he was considering various options to combat Detroit's top line. But there's no guarantee it will look the same in Monday's game.
Wings Coach Mike Babcock told Detroit media Sunday that he is contemplating splitting up Zetterberg and Datsyuk to make it more difficult for the Predators to match their top checkers against both.
"They practiced (on different lines) today, but we've been consistent all year long and over the last two years,'' Babcock said.
"Sometimes they're together, sometimes they're apart, whichever allows us to get the best matchup and have success. They'll start together, though.''
Another Chelios visit: Detroit defenseman Chris Chelios set an NHL record by playing in his 248th playoff game on Saturday, but it's unlikely that will earn him a warm response in Nashville, where he is far from a fan favorite.
"He enjoys warmups there,'' Babcock said. "I don't even know if he gets warmed up, he just exercises his jaw."
"I think that comes from being an icon of the sport. Anybody who's played as many playoff games as him deserves some attention and all the power to him.''
The Red Wings lead the Predators 2-0 in this best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal playoff series. Legwand has missed 14 straight games with a deep bone bruise on his left foot. The team has been hopeful he'd return for Game 3.
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"He skated four days in a row and (the foot) sort of flared up just a little bit,'' Predators Coach Barry Trotz said. "We're just letting it settle it down a little bit.''
Trotz said Legwand would not participate in Monday's morning skate and that a decision on his status would be made closer to game-time.
Trotz said if Legwand is not available, the Predators would consider recalling either forward Josh Langfeld or Antti Pihlstrom from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League.
Legwand said it was not a big deal that he didn't skate on Sunday.
"We're just giving it a couple days off,'' Legwand said. "It's just a matter of getting it comfortable in the skate. We'll see how it is (on Monday).''
Quick recovery: When Predators forward J.P. Dumont went limping off the ice and headed straight to the locker room during Saturday's game, it looked as if he might be out of action for a while.
Instead, he was back in less than five minutes.
It's a situation that has happened in the past to Dumont. He takes a hard hit and his leg goes almost completely numb, but quickly regains feeling.
"My hip hit the board and just went numb right away,'' Dumont said. "I was scared because I couldn't even hold my leg up. But (the feeling) came back right away, so it was more just a bad bruise than anything.''
Dumont suspects he has some sort of nerve issue in the hip region.
Change in the works?: Nashville's top line of Jan Hlavac, Jason Arnott and Dumont has been shut down offensively in the first two games of the series.
The Predators are hoping that home-ice advantage, with the opportunity to have the second line change, will allow Nashville's top scorers some better matchups.
Almost every time the threesome has been on the ice, the Red Wings have countered with their top line of Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom, along with all-star defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski.
"I'm not going to lie ? it's been hard playing against Lidstrom and Rafalski, two candidates for the Norris Trophy,'' Dumont said.
"They're really smart. They read the play very well ? But we definitely have to score goals to be successful.''
More matchup questions: Trotz said he was considering various options to combat Detroit's top line. But there's no guarantee it will look the same in Monday's game.
Wings Coach Mike Babcock told Detroit media Sunday that he is contemplating splitting up Zetterberg and Datsyuk to make it more difficult for the Predators to match their top checkers against both.
"They practiced (on different lines) today, but we've been consistent all year long and over the last two years,'' Babcock said.
"Sometimes they're together, sometimes they're apart, whichever allows us to get the best matchup and have success. They'll start together, though.''
Another Chelios visit: Detroit defenseman Chris Chelios set an NHL record by playing in his 248th playoff game on Saturday, but it's unlikely that will earn him a warm response in Nashville, where he is far from a fan favorite.
"He enjoys warmups there,'' Babcock said. "I don't even know if he gets warmed up, he just exercises his jaw."
"I think that comes from being an icon of the sport. Anybody who's played as many playoff games as him deserves some attention and all the power to him.''
