"Coach Dan Bylsma said Friday that left wing Chris Kunitz "is getting close" to returning from a lower-body injury that has cost him 13 straight games. Kunitz has not played since Nov. 12.

His return will present Bylsma with an interesting decision on which forward to scratch.

"It's a luxury I've been looking forward to having for a while," he said of having available, for the first time, all 13 of his expected regular forwards, which he would upon Kunitz's return."