Scott Nichol (lower body) practiced Thursday and he hopes to return before the end of the regular season.

"It's frustrating because it feels good and you want to push it, and then you have to take a step back," said Nichol, who has been out of commission since April 1 due to a lower-body injury. "So, I'm trying to be patient. But if you sit out too long it's kind of hard to jump on a moving train. So I'm hoping to get back soon."

Nichol will miss his third straight game tomorrow vs. the Predators. It is unlikely that he will join the Blues on their road trip, so he won't play on Thursday or Friday either.

Scott Nichol won't play Thursday because of "general soreness."

He didn't take part in the team's morning practice. "He hasn't skated for two days, we'll see how he feels tomorrow," said coach Ken Hitchcock. "Hopefully he's back up and running by the weekend."