Tension building over Gaby's absence

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: December 31, 2008 - 11:56 PM

Print this story

More from Minnesota Wild

Marian Gaborik, expected to be held out of the first two games after the holiday break to rest his sore groin, missed a third consecutive game on Wednesday night.

On Tuesday, the Wild said Gaborik would participate in Wednesday's morning skate and decide if he would play against the Sharks. But Gaborik never skated with the team after skating with strength coach Kirk Olson.

"It was decided he needed to get a good skate in first without pain to move into full practice, and after his "feeling out" skate, the decision on [Gaborik not practicing] was made," assistant GM Tom Lynn said.

Translation, according to the team: Gaborik felt pain.

In fact, something is clearly wrong. According to sources, Gaborik flew to Colorado in recent days to have detailed ultrasounds taken of his troublesome groins.

Asked if that was true, Lynn said "maybe," then declined comment.

Gaborik declined to be interviewed. In the past, he has stated he doesn't want to play unless "100 percent."

Asked if Gaborik is a player not willing to play unless 100 percent, coach Jacques Lemaire said, "Well, [Owen] Nolan is not 100 percent, and he asked me to play tonight."

Asked if that was an indictment on Gaborik, Lemaire backtracked, saying, "Nobody knows how he feels. ... I know he wants to play."

Nolan, who has not practiced fully since Dec. 4, did return after missing 10 games because of a leg injury and scored a first-period goal.

Gaborik has missed 30 of 36 games. He played four games, scoring twice, before being sat again. There has been tension building between the Wild and Gaborik, and witnesses told the Star Tribune that Gaborik and GM Doug Risebrough had an animated conversation near the Zamboni entrance two hours before Sunday's game against Chicago.

It's clear Lemaire is getting frustrated with the disappearing acts.

"I don't want to think [about Gaborik] 'til he comes on the ice with us," Lemaire said. "I started to think about him: Where's he going to play? Who's he going to play with? When's he going to play? And now he's out, he's out."

Nolan's injury 'a fluke'

Nolan said while he was not 100 percent, "It's good enough to go. It was definitely a fluke injury. I had no symptoms whatsoever. I've never had that injury before."

Asked if he could divulge the injury, Nolan said, "I don't want to get in trouble."

Asked if that's possible at this stage of his career, Nolan said, laughing, "Always. Jacques' yelling at everybody right now."

Lemaire rants

In a way only Lemaire can, he ranted comically after Wednesday's 3-2 overtime victory over San Jose about a waved-off goal by referee Stephane Auger.

With Mikko Koivu and Andrew Brunette jamming at a puck, Auger, who lost sight of the puck, blew his whistle right before Brunette scored. Replays showed the puck was never covered.

"Everyone crashes the net," Lemaire said. "How many goals we got against us by them crashing the net and we're waiting for the whistle? This is what gets coaches upset.

''Now you get one after you tell your guys for two months that this is the game now -- 'You've got to go there' -- and then we finally get one, they blow, no goal.

"That's why we get upset." ...

Etc.

• Defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron ("lower body"), who's missed five games, skated in sweats Wednesday. Kim Johnsson returned after missing a game because of a family emergency.

Recent Minnesota Wild stories

Sullivan scores 2 goals, Rinne makes 20 saves for Predators - December 31, 2008

Sullivan scores 2 goals, Rinne makes 20 saves for Predators - Steve Sullivan scored two goals and Pekka Rinne made 20 saves to lead the Nashville Predators to a 2-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night. More