'That’s Why I Stay On The Perimeter And Outside The Crease': Zuccarello Reveals Details Of Recent Surgery In First Game Back

Mats Zuccarello picked up an assist in his first game back since his injury. He also gave a funny quote.

ST. PAUL - It was 13 games that Mats Zuccarello had missed for the Wild. He was out for exactly four weeks with an injury to the midsection. 

Zuccarello, 37, went to the front of the net in a game against the Montreal Canadiens on Nov 14, and was hit with a point shot from Brock Faber, right in the midsection. 

Despite being out for three weeks with no activities, Zuccarello only needed a few practices on the ice before he returned to the lineup. And he instantly made an impact. 

"Of course, there's some timing. You get tired a little bit more quicker. Just a difficult injury. You can't really do much for a long time, but figured it was better to get into a game again to get into game shape," Zuccarello said. "We got some big games coming up before Christmas, so it was good. Linemates, and teammates made it easy for me. So felt OK."

The Wild started the game with a goal in the first by Kirill Kaprizov and added one in the second and third before an empty net goal by Kaprizov in the third to walk away with a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. 

It was huge to have Zuccarello back in the lineup and for Jonas Brodin to be back. They both made an impact in the win. 

"Jimmy and Zuccy made a heck of a difference tonight, holy smokes," Marcus Foligno said postgame. "Brodes, I mean, it's a different game back there. It's so easy for him back there and it's so much easier when he's in the lineup. He breaks us out a lot of times, just his sticks and gaps, you know? 

"Zuccy is just dynamic, right? He gets Kirill open. Kirill is more of the receiver, and not having to be the Disher as much, and it just adds another dynamic offensively to our team. Huge pieces that are back in the lineup and it (was) good to win."

But nobody was happier to have Zuccarello back in the lineup than Kaprizov who picked up his 19th and 20th goals of the year in the team's 30th game. 

"Yeah, big time. I'm not going to lie, he wasn't the happiest," Foligno said on Kaprizov being happy about Zuccarello. "Then he heard Zuccy was skating and he was like a creaky little kid on Christmas morning."

Nonetheless, it was hard for Zuccarello during his injury. 

"It was a rough week, week and a half with pain, but the doctors and everyone did a good job," Zuccarello said. "Obviously, when it happened, a couple of days after that, it was painful. But after a couple of weeks, it felt good. But, still, there’s a lot of physics down there or whatever you say, so like the core, you can’t lift, you can’t do anything. So it’s one of those freak injuries where you just have to listen to the doctors for once."

It was a freak play. Faber just threw a point shot on net and Zuccarello tried to get out of the way before it hit him in the midsection. As for Faber, should he have felt a little guilty?

"Yeah," Zuccarello said. "I hope he’s feeling really guilty."

Zuccarello joked after the game that he won't be going to the net anytime soon but instead will stay away from there and just play on the perimeter.

"I’ve been in front of the net twice. Once I got hit in my head and I was in the hospital for a long time and now I got it in my nuts," Zuccarello said. "So that’s why I stay on the perimeter and outside the crease and let the other guys do the dirty job."

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