Coach Mike Babcock was evasive when asked about Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg centering their own lines at practice and if that means they'll play apart in Monday's Game 3 in Nashville.
"We've been consistent over the last two years, sometimes they're together and sometimes they're apart -- whatever allows us to get the best matchup and get success," said Babcock. "We'll just see how the game goes. They'll start together."
"They'll start together" -- not saying they'll play together -- and the fact that they practiced apart means to me that Babcock will shuffle the lines and have the Heavenly Twins both at center. It's a matter of whether they'll be split apart early or midway through the game.
In preparation for Games 1 and 2 -- when Datsyuk and Zetterberg played together the whole time -- they practiced together.
Plus, it just makes sense to see what the Predators will do with two lines to match up against and which center they choose to put their match-up units against.

Also, Aaron Downey, Justin Abdelkader, Derek Meech and Brett Lebda were worked hard after the others left the practice ice, indicating that they will all be healthy scratches for the third consecutive game.