Injury scare can't stop Getzlaf

VANCOUVER — Canadian forward Ryan Getzlaf was cleared to play in the Winter Olympics on Monday after recovering from a sprained left ankle he suffered in a National Hockey League game last week.

Getzlaf served notice he was ready for action by scoring two goals and adding two assists Sunday for the Anaheim Ducks in a 7-3 NHL victory over Edmonton in the final game before the league's two-week shutdown for the Vancouver Games.

But it was not until Canada general manager Steve Yzerman tested Getzlaf's ankle Monday morning that he approved the 24-year-old forward to join the team and take part in the team's first full workout session in the afternoon.

"Today was the greatest relief in the world," Getzlaf said. "This last week has been tough. It was one of the hardest and scariest things I've ever had happen. It was a big relief to get out here on the ice with the guys."

Getzlaf had missed two games for the Ducks but came back strong against the NHL-worst Oilers and showed he was fit to take the ice when Canada opens Olympic play Tuesday against Norway.

"It feels great. The medical staff did a great job for me," Getzlaf said. "The nature of the injury scared everybody. It was a high ankle sprain. I was lucky enough that it was able to heal properly."

Getzlaf's stellar NHL performance Sunday made the choice an easy one.

"There's a reason he was selected to Team Canada," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "He went out and proved he's quite capable of playing to a high level, and he's to be commended. It's just amazing. It was all up to him."

Getzlaf noted he could not put his desire to play for his country in the Olympics on home ice ahead of the needs of his NHL club, which stands one point out of the final Western Conference playoff spit.

"I had to put that ahead of my own priorities," Getzlaf said. "They put a lot of money into me. I had to be ready to play for a whole season, not just two weeks."

Jeff Carter, a forward for the Philadelphia Flyers, had spent the weekend in Vancouver preparing himself to replace the wounded Duck on the Canadian roster if Getzlaf was unable to return.

"His situation, it was a tough one," Getzlaf said.