After missing their game on Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday afternoon when the team takes on the Nashville Predators.
Parise was sidelined on Thursday after he was on the receiving end of an accidental high-stick from Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson on Tuesday night. You can see the incident in the video above.
The injury, which initially looked quite scary, resulted in Parise being “pretty black and blue” but was not as bad as it could have been.
“It’s a scary thing when you get hit in the eye,” said Parise on Friday, via the Star Tribune. “You keep your eyes closed, and you don’t know how bad it is or how much damage was done. Opening your eye for the first time, you’re just praying that nothing happened, nothing too serious. I guess I got really lucky that it wasn’t anything worse.”
He also called the play “one of those accidental things.”
It’s been a tough year for the veteran forward as he has missed 13 games this season due to various ailments, including mumps, strep throat, and two different injuries.
When healthy he has scored 17 goals to go with 20 assists.
The Wild have already secured their playoff spot and seem locked into the No. 2 spot in the Central Division. Their opponent on Saturday, Nashville, is fighting for the remaining playoff spot in the West and could be a first-round opponent.