Wild left wing Zach Parise leaves game with lower body injury

Minnesota’s leading goal scorer, Zach Parise, took a hard hit during Thursday’s game that resulted in a lower body injury.

Cross your fingers and hope for good news, Wild fans.

Minnesota’s leading goal scorer, Zach Parise, took a hard hit from Predators left wing James Neal in the opening minutes of Thursday’s matchup at the Xcel Energy Center that ultimately knocked him out of the game. 

Parise turned his back to Neal as the two collided, and fell hard to the ice. He was visibly shaken and limped back to the bench. 

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Parise played a few more shifts in the period, but was not on the bench to begin the second, and the team announced that he would not return. Parise registered 4:59 time on ice in the game. 

The 31-year-old has been scoring early and often this season, and has accumulated seven goals and two assists for a total of nine points in 11 games. Losing Parise for an extended period would be a huge blow to the Wild, who are off to a 7-2-2 start, thanks in part to the Minnesota native’s play.

– Mark Garbino