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NASHVILLE -- Nashville Predators forward Mike Fisher has a ruptured Achilles tendon that likely will cause him to miss at least the start of the upcoming season. In a statement released by the team Monday, Predators general manager David Poile said Fisher underwent surgery Thursday after rupturing the tendon during a training session. "We expect Mike to make a full recovery in four to six months, and look forward to his return to the ice," Poile said. The Predators open the season Oct. 9 against Ottawa. Fisher, 34, served as Nashvilles alternate captain last season and had 20 goals and 29 assists in 75 games. He has 226 goals and 255 assists in 887 career regular-season games. Fisher tweeted, "Setbacks are opportunities for growth," on Monday and included a picture of his bandaged lower leg in a walking boot. The injury seriously hinders Nashvilles plans to boost its offence under new coach Peter Laviolette. After missing the playoffs for a second straight season, Poile fired coach Barry Trotz and replaced him with Laviolette, emphasizing the need to add more scoring punch to a franchise that traditionally has prided itself on defence. The Predators have spent much of the off-season attempting to boost that offence. They acquired forward James Neal from the Pittsburgh Penguins and signed free-agent centre Olli Jokinen to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. But the Predators would suffer a major blow if they have to spend much of the season without Fisher, one of the teams top offensive threats since coming to Nashville in a 2011 trade with the Ottawa Senators. Mondays news continues the Predators recent run of bad luck with injuries to key players. Star goaltender Pekka Rinne played just 24 games last season because of an E. coli infection in his surgically repaired left hip. Rinnes injury may have cost the Predators a playoff berth, as they finished the season three points out of eighth place in the Western Conference. SAN DIEGO -- Andrew Cashner pitched a two-hitter for his third career shutout and the San Diego Padres scored on Cody Asches fielding error in the second inning Monday night to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0. Cashner (4-7) allowed two hits, struck out seven and walked one in winning for the second straight time after going winless since April 16 against Colorado. Cashner has a franchise-best 17 straight home starts where hes allowed two or fewer earned runs. Jerome Williams (3-2) limited the Padres to an unearned run, three hits and two walks in 7 2-3 innings. The Padres scored in the second, when Rene Rivera opened the inning with a double. He scored when Cashner hit a hard grounder to Asche at third. Asche tried to backhand the ball, but was unable to do more than knock it down in drawing the error. Cashner, who blanked the Tigers on April 11, retired the first 11 batters before Chase Utley walked. Cashner had a no-hitter going until Dominic Brown bunted safely down the third-base line with one out in the fifth, with the Padres deploying a shift on the left-handed hitter. Brown got a long look from Cashner after he reached first. Wil Nieves followed with a pop up to JJedd Gyorko, with Brown running on the pitch.dddddddddddd Brown was doubled off when he neglected to re-touch second returning to first base. The Phillies threatened in the seventh when Marlon Byrd singled and tried to advance to second on a flyout. Byrd was thrown out for the Padres second double play in four innings. TRAINERS ROOM Padres: RHP Joaquin Benoit (sore right shoulder) took Monday off after throwing on Sunday. Benoit could throw again on Tuesday. Manager Bud Black said it was important to Benoit to return before the year is over. "You want to end the season competing," Black said. . RHP Tyson Ross will skip his start on Thursday for "general arm soreness," Black said. He will be replaced in the rotation by LHP Robbie Erlin. Phillies: SS Jimmy Rollins remains out of the lineup with a strained left hamstring. Rollins is increasing his baseball activities, according to manager Ryne Sandberg. UP NEXT Phillies RHP A.J. Burnett (8-16, 4.34 ERA) will try for his second win this season against the Padres when he faces RHP Ian Kennedy (10-13, 3.77). Kennedy has pitched at least six innings in 21 of his 30 starts this year. ' ' '