Old-man Nolan leads injured Wild

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With six regulars out, the veteran scored twice, including the game-winner.

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: November 21, 2009 - 12:10 AM

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WILD 3, N.Y. ISLANDERS 2 • Up next: vs. Boston • 7 p.m. Wednesday • Xcel Energy Center • TV: Ch. 45 (830-AM)

With many spectators eager to witness the first Twin Cities visit of the New York Islanders' star taken first overall in last June's NHL draft, the old man taken No. 1 the same year John Tavares was born turned out to be the hero.

Owen Nolan, the grizzly 37-year-old vet with the scariest scowl and meanest goatee in hockey, scored the game-winning goal with 67 seconds remaining Friday night to lift the severely short-handed Wild to a 3-2 victory.

With the Wild winless in four games, demolished by injuries and in dire need of a player to follow, Nolan, the first pick by the Quebec Nordiques in 1990, also scored the Wild's first goal and bravely lunged in front of a Trent Hunter shot on a late third-period Islanders power play.

"That's the oldest guy on the team diving in front of a shot," coach Todd Richards said.

Nolan blamed himself for allowing Hunter to get open in the first place, but nevertheless, the clutch play helped keep the Islanders from taking the lead.

Then, as the waning seconds ticked and overtime looking certain, Nolan, standing alone in the slot after being cross-checked to the ice moments earlier, gloved down Eric Belanger's shot, spun and beat goalie Martin Biron with a quick shot.

"I had an idea [Belanger] knew I was in front. I was just waiting for it," Nolan said.

"I knew I had to get it up in the air just in case it would be knocked off," said Belanger. "What a big goal for us, especially with the guys we have out."

With six regulars out, including Martin Havlat and Brent Burns, it took every ounce of effort for the Wild to pull this one out.

"You can't use [injuries] as crutches," Nolan said. "It gives the young guys great opportunities to step up and show what they've got. They've got to bring the energy and they did a great job of that."

Nolan was referring to minor-leaguers Robbie Earl, Danny Irmen and Nathan Smith, but also James Sheppard, who assisted on Nolan's 51st career game-winner. Sheppard was promoted from the fourth line to the second, switched from center to wing and played maybe his best game of the season.

With Burns ill, defensemen were put in positions they're not normally accustomed. Greg Zanon, who's never scored a power-play goal, and Shane Hnidy, who's scored only one, played the power play. Kim Johnsson logged 31 minutes, 48 seconds and had his praises sung by Richards for a play he made prior to Mikko Koivu's game-tying power-play goal, and the composure he showed getting the puck out in the final minute.

Nolan gave the Wild an early 1-0 lead when he banked a pass off Biron's paddle trying to hit Sheppard.

"I give [Sheppard] credit for that goal," Nolan said. "If I don't see him out of the corner of my eye going to the net, I probably don't throw it there."

But the Wild started to cough up the puck, leading to goals by Jon Sim and Josh Bailey. In between, the Wild failed miserably on a 96-second 5-on-3. Koivu, however, ended the Wild's 0-for-21 power-play drought on home-ice by redirecting Marek Zidlicky's pass.

"Everyone on the ice touched the puck in a span of four seconds. Big power-play goal," said Richards.

Big win, too.

"The way things were going, it wasn't much fun at the rink lately," Belanger said. "To have four days to think about this one, I think it could be a big turning point for us."

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