wild/nhl

The Wild has a 1-2 scoring punch in Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra. Maybe next season, the Wild will have a 1-2 fighting punch in Derek Boogaard and Brent Burns.

Burns would take the middleweights, of course.

Burns' fight in Friday's Game 2 with Ducks winger Chris Kunitz was not only his first brouhaha in the NHL, it was his first in hockey.

The 22-year-old defenseman said he hasn't been in a fight since he boxed at age 12.

But now that he's gotten his first one out of the way, maybe he'll try it more.

"It's like when somebody bungee jumps, it's probably scary the first time and then it's a rush," Burns said. "It wouldn't be fun if you were getting killed, but it was fun when you're not getting hit."

The fight came after Burns went to the defense of partner Keith Carney, who was taken down by Corey Perry.

"Everybody says [Kunitz] was pulling my hair, but I didn't know that," Burns said. "I didn't realize his gloves were off, but one of our guys was yelling at me to drop my gloves, so I did."

Enforcer Boogaard was in the penalty box at the time.

"I was pumped," Boogaard said. "I was yelling and screaming and yelling at him to keep throwing and not stop until he falls over. It was awesome."

Makes no difference

With the Wild having the last line change in Sunday's Game 3, Gaborik got his wish to match up against the Ducks' top line rather than against their checking line.

But Demitra, Gaborik, and center Wes Walz combined for no shots on goal in the Wild's 2-1 loss. Gaborik and Demitra had 10 shots between them in Game 2 playing against the Sami Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer and Travis Moen checking line.

Different viewpoint

Ducks coach Randy Carlyle predictably disagreed with Wild coach Jacques Lemaire's assertion that Anaheim is getting away with obstruction when asked about the subject Sunday morning.

"That's news to me," Carlyle said. "I've watched the game. I don't see the hooking and holding. I see players skating and moving into position."

But after Sunday's loss, Wild winger Brian Rolston said there is no mistaking what the Ducks are doing.

"The hold-ups are just unbelievable. Maybe they're the best team in the league at holding up," Rolston said sarcastically.