Gaustad ready to return for Predators

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Paul Gaustad will return to the lineup for the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

Gaustad said he’s fit to go after he missed the previous three games with an upper-body injury. He is expected to take his center spot on the fourth line against the Anaheim Ducks.

“It’s good to be back tonight,” Gaustad said. “It wasn’t too long, and it’s good to be a contributor again.”

Nashville gets back one of the top faceoff men in the League and a key penalty killer. Coach Barry Trotz likened it to Vancouver Canucks faceoff ace Manny Malhotra.

“You can dictate where you’re putting the puck and hopefully if you have it, you’re getting out of your zone," Trotz said. "The great thing about 'Goose' is that he’s good on the left, but he’s one of the few guys that switches over the right and takes the right-hand draw.”

Fasth to start?

Anaheim Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau was non-committal on whether goalie Viktor Fasth would make his NHL debut Saturday night against the Nashville Predators.

“I’ll have to go check and see what the goalie coach says,” Boudreau said, in reference to Ducks goaltending consultant Pete Peeters.

Jonas Hiller played Friday in a 5-0 loss to Vancouver. Three of those goals came on Vancouver power plays, but Hiller looked shaky on even-strength goals by Aaron Volpatti and Mason Raymond.

The Swedish Elite League’s Goaltender of the Year the past two seasons, Fasth was signed last May to be Hiller’s backup. His season was interrupted in November because of hip and groin issues and he was sent to the AHL to get playing time earlier this month.

Boudreau has previously suggested that he would like to split the goalie starts in back-to-back situations. The Ducks had an optional skate and, for what it’s worth, Fasth came off the ice first.

Speaking generally on how he manages the starts, Boudreau said, “You do it on feel. You can script out the first five games on who is going to play. But we’ll see how it works out. Viktor played three games last week in the American [Hockey] League last week, so it’s not like he’s totally rusty.”

PREDATORS

Colin Wilson – Mike Fisher – Martin Erat

Gabriel Bourque – David Legwand – Patric Hornqvist

Sergei Kostitsyn – Nick Spaling – Craig Smith

Rich Clune – Paul Gaustad – Brandon Yip

Roman Josi – Shea Weber

Hal Gill – Ryan Ellis

Kevin Klein – Scott Hannan

Pekka Rinne

Chris Mason

Injuries: None

Scratched: Jonathon Blum, Brian McGrattan, Matt Halischuk

DUCKS

Kyle Palmieri – Ryan Getzlaf – Corey Perry

Bobby Ryan – Nick Bonino – Teemu Selanne

Andrew Cogliano – Saku Koivu – Daniel Winnik

Matt Beleskey – Peter Holland – Brad Staubitz

Toni Lydman – Francois Beauchemin

Cam Fowler – Bryan Allen

Luca Sbisa – Sheldon Souray

Jonas Hiller

Viktor Fasth

Injuries: None

Scratches: Jordan Hendry, Devante Smith-Pelly, Rickard Rakell