Wild's Parise to miss 'next couple of games' with injury

Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise has been ruled out for the "next couple of games", coach Mike Yeo announced on Friday.

The news comes one day removed from Parise suffering a lower-body injury following a hit from Nashville Predators forward James Neal during the first period. Yeo told reporters that he didn't believe Parise will have a long-term absence, but was awaiting the results of an MRI.

"We can rule him out of the next couple of games but we don't have much of an idea after that," Yeo told the team's website. "I can say it's something that's not month-to-month. I shouldn't guarantee that, but that's the word that I’ve gotten so far."

As for the short term, Parise has been ruled out of Saturday's game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Parise was playing the puck near the boards before Neal lowered the boom. The 31-year-old Parise was able to play five more shifts before retreating to the locker room.

Parise has a team-leading seven goals to go along with two assists this season. The 17th overall pick of the 2003 draft, Parise collected 281 goals and 294 assists in 703 games for the New Jersey Devils and Wild.