Good win -- and bad luck for Wild

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Gaborik's return against the Oilers was the story -- before Mikko Koivu's knee became a new concern.

By BRIAN STENSAAS, Star Tribune

Last update: March 22, 2009 - 11:56 PM

If it's true you have to take the good with the bad, the Wild surely endured plenty of each Sunday against Edmonton.

Good news first.

By defeating the Oilers 3-0, the Wild moved into 10th place in the Western Conference, one point back of idle Nashville for the final playoff spot. Goaltender Niklas Backstrom picked up his franchise-record 16th career shutout. Franchise mainstay Marian Gaborik returned for the first time since Dec. 23 and played as well as could be expected after missing 38 games. And Owen Nolan again proved that at 37 years old, he's still got what it takes by scoring a pair of goals, for a team-high 22 this season.

Now the bad.

The Wild likely took a direct hit on its hopes for postseason action when forward Mikko Koivu left the game because of a knee injury.

After exiting the penalty box midway through the first period following what replays showed to be a phantom interference call, Koivu's next move was into the Edmonton zone, where he got tangled up with Ales Kotalik. Koivu fell backward as the two battled for position. Koivu twisted awkwardly and his right knee appeared to buckle.

He did not leave immediately, playing the rest of the first period and 4 minutes, 31 seconds in the second period but nothing after that.

Koivu, who leads the team with 62 points this season, will be re-evaluated today. But there wasn't much optimism being thrown around by Wild personnel after the game.

"Mikko's been our best player game in and game out," coach Jacques Lemaire said. "He hasn't had too many days off this year. Losing him, it's a huge loss for our team. But, you know, as I always say, if you're going to lose players -- and sometimes you lose your top players -- somebody's gotta step up and do some of his work."

Several candidates emerged Sunday. Centers Dan Fritsche and James Sheppard each played solid games. And of course, there was Gaborik.

He played a crowd-pleasing 17:43 in his return, putting six shots on former teammate Dwayne Roloson.

"I felt pretty good for the first game out there," Gaborik said. "I still have to get my hands back. After the first period I was a little tired, but then as the game went on I felt better and better. A big win. I'm very happy I could chip in."

If Koivu's injury is serious, the type of intensity and explosiveness the Wild showed the final 40 minutes against Edmonton will be of paramount importance in the 10 remaining regular-season games.

After only two shots on goal in the first period, Minnesota threw a single-period franchise-record 23 shots on Roloson in the second.

A team that has been without its dynamic scorer in Gaborik for most of the year and has dealt with injuries to such other pertinent pieces as Brent Burns, Andrew Brunette and Nolan for stretches now likely will be forced to keep up the intensity minus one of its biggest parts. Again.

"A lot of guys are going to have to contribute and step up," Fritsche said. "It's a team game."

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