Tverdovsky Plays, Keeps Streak Alive at 259 Games

The streak lives.

Defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky overcame back spasms to play Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild, his 259th consecutive game. It’s the league’s second-longest active streak, behind that of Chicago’s Tony Amonte, who has played in 293 in a row.

Tverdovsky was injured after a tough hit along the boards Sunday against the Colorado Avalanche. He made it through the first period but could not continue. He did not practice Monday or Tuesday.

“I just needed a couple of days off,” he joked after participating in Wednesday’s morning skate. “I had to organize some stuff in my home. Seriously, I didn’t know if I could play until right now.”

Tverdovsky appeared to be in great pain Sunday but skated freely Wednesday. He joined Pavel Trnka to form the Ducks’ top defense pairing against the Wild.

*

Defenseman Ruslan Salei was not as lucky as Tverdovsky, sitting out his second consecutive game because of symptoms that sound like post-concussion syndrome.

“I have a headache, I’m a little bit dizzy and it’s hard to concentrate,” said Salei, who was said Sunday to have been suffering from a migraine.

The team’s medical staff put Salei through a battery of tests and “I did fine, my brain work is fine,” he said.

Salei said he began to experience the symptoms after he hit his head on the ice during the Ducks’ victory Jan. 17 over the Atlanta Thrashers. He felt worse after Shane Doan of the Phoenix Coyotes cross-checked him in the head Friday.

*

Winger Marty McInnis won’t join the Ducks for a two-game trip to play Friday against the Detroit Red Wings and Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. McInnis suffered a groin strain Sunday, but he said Wednesday he believes it’s unrelated to the injury that forced him to undergo off-season abdominal surgery.