Doctor Defends Decision on Gretzky : Stanley Cup playoffs: Kvitne says he didn’t lie about cracked rib. He simply didn’t tell the whole truth.

When most people go to their doctor, they know that the news they come out with--their condition, for example--is theirs and theirs alone.

But Wayne Gretzky is hardly like most people.

If he gets a hangnail, it can turn into a headline.

So imagine the dilemma faced by Gretzky and King team physician, Ron Kvitne, after the opening playoff game in Calgary.

Gretzky had suffered a rib injury on the ice, severity unknown.

What to do?

“There are two options,” Kvitne told Gretzky as Game 1 continued on outside the locker room. “You can go to the hospital, and get X-rays. But you will not play in Game 2, because, once it gets all over what you have, there will be a greater risk of injury.

“Or, we can stay here and treat it because the treatment will be the same regardless of (the exact nature of the injury). And if nobody knows anything, nobody will go after it.”

Outside, a group of reporters huddled. Option No. 2 was decided upon.

When the locker room doors swung open, the waiting media was told that Gretzky had suffered a charley horse.

Kvitne said Friday that was not a lie.

“I didn’t lie,” he explained, “because I didn’t say he had a charley horse and not anything else.”

Actually, Kvitne explained, it doesn’t matter what he decides to say because he is governed by the rules of confidentiality with Gretzky as he would be with any other patient.

“I will only release information that Wayne or the team allows me to release,” Kvitne said. “But it’s my duty to protect him. I cannot disclose information that would make it dangerous for him to play. If I know that other teams know what is wrong with him and he’s at risk, then I can’t let him play.”

There was another fear lurking in the back of Kvitne’s mind that lent further weight to the decision to hide the injury.

“If the other team knew he was injured,” the doctor said, “they might, in trying to hit the ribs, hurt his back, bringing back his old injury. I can’t allow that, so I couldn’t disclose the information to you folks (the media).”

Instead, his secret safe, Gretzky underwent ultrasound treatment, took medication, donned a flak jacket and played in Game 2 and 3 of the Calgary series.

By Game 4, he had no need of the jacket. By the time the Smythe Division finals against the Vancouver Canucks had begun, Gretzky had no need to keep his secret.

The pain had subsided and the old Gretzky was back, flashing the form that made him a legend. He had two goals and an assist in Game 3 against the Canucks on Friday night.

But, according to Kvitne, the injury to the three ribs is still there.

And he still doesn’t know what it is. It could be a a crack, a separation or a muscle bruise. X-rays still have not been taken.