Following Friday's morning skate, Nashville Predators head coach Barry Trotz announced that hulking 6-foot-7 blue liner, Hal Gill was not going to dress for Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Gill has yet to play in a game this series.
On Thursday, Gill participated in his first full practice session with the team since being removed from the lineup with a lower-body injury. Trotz was optimistic at the time that Gill may be able to return.
"He skated the whole practice and he felt pretty good," Trotz said (via the Predators official website). "We will see where he is tomorrow. That’s really his call."
Ultimately, Gill decided that it would be best if he sat out Game 5. He last played on April 5 in the team's second to last game of the season against the Dallas Stars.
Despite Gill's absence, the Predators have handled the Red Wings just fine, currently holding a 3-1 series lead. If the Wings are unable to pull one out on Friday night in Nashville, their season will effectively be over.
For more on the Detroit Red Wings, check out Winging It In Motown. For more on the Nashville Predators, head over to On The Forecheck. More on the NHL in general as the playoffs continue can be found over at the SB Nation dedicated NHL hub.