First period proves to be a real pain

By Michael Russo, Star Tribune

Last update: January 16, 2007 - 11:18 PM

Don Fuller likes to keep a low profile, but in the first period Tuesday night against Edmonton, Fuller is just lucky he didn't sprain his knee.

The way it was going for the Wild, it's a shock he didn't.

Let's put it this way: Fuller, the Wild's medical trainer, sprinted onto the ice five more times in the first period than Derek Boogaard, who didn't see a shift.

In the most bizarre and potentially devastating period of the season, the Wild started with 18 skaters and left with 14. One player, Keith Carney, had to be helped from the ice twice.

By the end of the first, the Wild's bench looked the size of the Timberwolves' bench.

"We lose -- I don't even know how many guys we lost -- four within seconds almost," Brian Rolston said after the Wild lost 2-1. "It was probably minutes, but it seemed like seconds."

First, Carney's back seized up. Then, on back-to-back-to-back shifts, the Wild lost three key players -- forwards Todd White and Mark Parrish and defenseman Kurtis Foster.

White crossed the offensive blue line, dumped the puck in the far corner and was clobbered by big Oilers defenseman Matt Greene. White, who suffered a broken left leg last March, had to be helped off the ice. He didn't put any weight on his right leg and didn't return.

Then, Parrish was high-sticked across the right side of his face by hard-hitting Raffi Torres' blade. He was lost for the rest of the period but returned in the second.

On the ensuing power play, Foster was crushed by defenseman Jan Hejda along the right-wing wall. Foster took an about-face and scurried to the bench in visible pain with a "lower body" injury. He didn't return.

Later in the period, in Carney's first shift back, he crumpled to the ice again because of back spasms, which led to Joffrey Lupul's power-play goal. Carney didn't return again. Assistant GM Tom Lynn said Carney is "day to day."

As for White and Foster, Lynn said: "I don't want to tell you anything except I believe they're out for the weekend [Chicago and Dallas]. Honestly, the doctors don't want to opine until they get MRIs [today], so it will be useless for me to prognosticate."

Lynn said the team would know more today or Thursday.

Defenseman Petteri Nummelin, who has missed 14 games because of a hip injury, is expected to return Friday in Chicago. If Carney can't play, the Wild likely will recall Erik Reitz or Clayton Stoner. Defenseman Kim Johnsson (groin) continues to be day to day.

Etc.

• Parrish was back after missing three games to a hip flexor injury. He had scored nine goals and 13 points in the 14 games before getting hurt, but because the Wild had won three in a row in his absence, he joked, "They figured out what the problem was and made sure the ice in Calgary was nice and bad so I could pull something."

• Winger Joel Ward was returned to AHL Houston. Wyatt Smith was scratched.

• Right wing Pierre-Marc Bouchard's first-period tripping minor was his first penalty since Oct. 12.

• Center Wes Walz has goals in three of the past four games. Marian Gaborik's assist gave him six points in four games.

• Lemaire confirmed that goalie Niklas Backstrom was a surprise starter last week in Calgary because Manny Fernandez suffered a "slight injury" in the morning skate.

• Edmonton's Toby Petersen, a Minneapolis native, played his first-ever game at Xcel Energy Center. He played six shifts.

Michael Russo • mrusso@startribune.com

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