Predators could be shorthanded

Apr 20, 2008 - 4:17 PM NASHVILLE (Ticker) -- The Nashville Predators could be without two key players on Sunday when they try to force a seventh game in their Western Conference quarterfinal series against the Detroit Red Wings.

Jason Arnott has been battling an illness while fellow center David Legwand is still bothered by a deep bone bruise that caused him to miss 14 games, including the first two of this series.

Both players missed Friday's 2-1 overtime loss that gave the top-seeded Red Wings a three games to two lead in the surprisingly competitive series in which the home team has won every contest.

Arnott, the Predators' second-leading scorer, visited a doctor on Saturday and participated in the team's optional skate.

"It seems like the flu or food poisoning, or something like that," Predators coach Barry Trotz told The Tennessean. "But hopefully he'll be fine (on Sunday) and ready to go."

The Predators will make a game-time decision on Legwand, who is still walking with a boot on his foot.

Legwand told the newspaper that it was a "mutual" decision to keep him out of Game Five.

"You push and push and push," Legwand said. "We did that with Game Four and it went well. Hopefully, I will be ready."

With Arnott and Legwand out of the lineup Friday, center Radek Bonk scored the Predators' lone goal in the final minute of regulation.

If the Predators win Sunday, the seventh game of the series will be played back in Detroit on Tuesday.