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Wild’s Parise could return next week after scary collision

By The Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise will likely miss the next three games with bruising and swelling around his eye from a high stick to the face that led to blows to the head as he fell.

Parise was struck Tuesday by Washington’s Tom Wilson before he crashed into the knee of another opponent, Jay Beagle, and then slammed onto the ice. Parise needed assistance getting to the locker room and didn’t return, causing plenty of concern for the team.

Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said Parise came away from the scary collision with his vision intact and perhaps on track to return next week.

“A little sore in his upper body, but I don’t think he’s going to be out for a long period of time,” Boudreau said.

Parise probably won’t play Thursday against Ottawa, but Boudreau said he wouldn’t be surprised if Parise were ready to return after the weekend following games against Nashville and Colorado. While the blow to the eye was initially frightening, the contact with Beagle and the ice was more responsible for his absence.

“You just pray that it’s not a serious injury,” Boudreau said. “We’ve seen it in all sports, and it becomes a little more personal when you know the person and he’s on your team, but that’s what we were thinking, and when he was struggling to get to his feet we were a little worried.”

Parise has only 17 goals and 20 assists in 64 games, and his minus-5 rating is the second-worst on the team. He missed six games with a lower body injury and six games because of illness, including three for the mumps virus, earlier in the season.

Playing both wing spots, Parise has been bumped at times from his usual spot on the first line, but Boudreau has consistently expressed confidence in his game despite the substandard production. Parise is second on the team with 181 shots on goal, playing 12 fewer games than Wild leader Eric Staal (196).

“That’s why we have depth. That’s why you have players coming in,” captain Mikko Koivu said. “I believe he’ll be back soon.”

The Wild had a busy day Wednesday, signing former University of Minnesota forward Justin Kloos to a two-year entry-level contract before recalling goalie Alex Stalock from their AHL affiliate in Iowa.

Kloos, who will play for Iowa on an amateur tryout agreement for the remainder of the season, is a native of Lakeville who played in all 155 games of his four-year career with the Gophers. The two-time captain had 63 goals and 87 assists.

With starter Devan Dubnyk and backup Darcy Kuemper both struggling, Stalock could take the net Thursday. The 29-year-old has a 2.31 goals against average and a .924 save percentage in 45 games for Iowa in the AHL this season. Dubnyk has given up 26 goals over his last eight games, and the Wild are 3-10-2 in March.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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