Not to be trifled with, Nolan goes where goals are

The Wild imposes a dress code on the road. Most of the players take pride in their appearance. Those who violate the code are subject to fines.

So imagine the Wild's young players with their knotted ties and pressed slacks glancing at each other when veteran Owen Nolan shows up for a trip looking like the bad guy in a Clint Eastwood western, with his blue jeans, gray stubble and gunmetal glare.

"Guys leave him alone, that's for sure," defenseman Nick Schultz said. "On the road, you've got to wear a collared shirt. He's got no collar. You're supposed to fine him, but we just let it go. He shows up wearing blue jeans, which we're not supposed to wear, and nobody says anything. We just kind of let him be."

Kind of like opposing defensemen. Sunday, Nolan stole the spotlight and a victory in what was supposed to be a celebration of Marian Gaborik's return, driving to the front of the net to score the first two goals in the Wild's 3-0 victory over Edmonton at the X.

In terms of the Wild's real-world plus-minus rating, it was a mixed day. Gaborik returned, Nolan excelled and the Wild won to pull to within one point of a playoff spot. But Mikko Koivu, whom coach Jacques Lemaire called his "best player" this season, left the game because of a knee injury that might prove serious.

After the game, the players listened to the song "Hurts So Good" in the locker room. Nolan probably has that phrase stenciled somewhere on his body. In a league supposedly filled with tough guys, few are as successful as Nolan at withstanding the beating that comes with standing in front of the net; few are as successful at producing goals while under seige.

Sunday, the Wild managed just two first-period shots. With Gaborik looking dangerous but rusty and Koivu leaving the game in the second period, Nolan took over, jamming home a loose puck in the second and then making one of those deft, pretty plays that seem to elude most NHL players in the third.

"A lot of players would have stayed there to get the puck there and make another pass," Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said. "He wants to score, so he goes quick in front. You want to send it to me? Send it in front.

"That's exactly what happened."

Sheppard zipped a pass in front, and Nolan put it away. Why does it seem so easy for him and so difficult for everyone else?

"In the offensive zone, he's in good position, always, to tip the puck, get the puck from the defenseman, even from the corner," Lemaire said. "He positions himself very well.

"He knows the game. He's got quick hands, and he knows where to go to get that puck. And he is a strong man."

"You've got to be willing to take a beating," he said. "It's not a fun area to sit, but definitely, the rewards are there."

Does he get battered as much as he did when he was a youngster? "I think you still get it," he said. "But at the same time, even though you're on offense, you can still dish it out, as well."

The Wild signed Nolan to add grit and experience to a young roster that figured to rely heavily on Gaborik, Koivu and defenseman Brent Burns. Gaborik has played seven games, Koivu could be out for the rest of the season and Burns is still out because of a concussion. It's Nolan, at 37, who leads the team in goals, grit and glares.

"We've got a lot of fight left in us," Nolan said. "We're not just going to lay down and watch it happen."