Owen Nolan Still Scoring at 37

Veteran forward Owen Nolan showed on Friday that even at age 37 this 400 plus goal scorer still has plenty of gas left in the tank. This former 1990 Quebec Nordiques first overall pick registered two goals including the game winner on Friday night as the Minnesota Wild ended an ugly spell with a pivotal 3-2 win again the New York Islanders. Heading into play Minnesota who are only six points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference was in the midst of a four game losing streak that saw them go 0-2-2. Nolan who now has 410 career goals led by example as he scored the winner with only 67 seconds left and also made some pivotal shot blocks. Minnesota who were called out a few days earlier by coach Todd Richards following an ugly loss to the Phoenix Coyotes were all fired up on this night as they outhit the Islanders by a 23-6 count after two periods. Nolan who is the oldest player on Minnesota scored his first goal in the first period for the Wild’s 12th first period goal in 22 games this season. “He’s been a leader by example. It’s every day in practice,” Richards said. “You ask the players to do things out on the ice, and he’s the first one doing it.” Meanwhile the Islanders who have been one of the pleasant surprises lost their first in six games. The glaring statistic that jumped out at Islanders coach Scott Gordon was that his team got shutout in six power play opportunities. “I thought that we had some great chances that we just didn’t cash in on,” Gordon who has his captain Doug Weight out of the lineup said. “If we cash in on them, point-blank opportunities, we’re not even talking about giving up a bad goal in the third.” After winning only one of their first 10 games New York has played some solid hockey as they’ve gone 3-1-2 in their last six games. This night however belonged to the grizzled veteran Nolan who showed his tremendous heart. “This game is the way it is sometimes,” Islanders goalie Martin Biron whose team had a 2-1 lead after two periods said. You let some opportunities slip, and you lose these types of games. Come April the Islanders who are currently in a log jam for that eighth and final playoff spot might look back on this game and shake their heads if they fall one or two points short of qualifying.