Pounding doesn't stop Parrish

Many players would probably check into a hospital. Some in the Wild dressing room would probably miss a month or two.

By Michael Russo, Star Tribune

Last update: November 23, 2007 - 8:10 PM

Many players would probably check into a hospital. Some in the Wild dressing room would probably miss a month or two.

Mark Parrish would have been less abused Friday if he had stood stationary during the Running of the Bulls rather than playing in the Wild's 4-0 loss to Columbus.

His battered day began at the end of the first period when he got tangled with the Blue Jackets' Rick Nash. He threw Parrish off, took out his legs and Parrish landed hard on his right arm. Parrish lay awkwardly on the ice for several moments before trainers helped him off.

"I landed funny," Parrish said. "I [didn't hurt] my arm. It was everything else."

Remarkably, Parrish returned at the start of the second. During his first shift, he crashed face-first into the boards. In the third, he took Kurtis Foster's slapshot off the right leg.

"When it rains it pours," Parrish said.

Asked why he routinely plays through injuries when many players won't, Parrish said, "It's no fun watching."

Radivojevic scratched

With Todd Fedoruk's addition, Branko Radivojevic's time with the Wild could be coming to and end.

Radivojevic was a healthy scratch for the first time in two seasons with the Wild. He played 103 in a row.

Fedoruk made his Wild debut wearing No. 17. Coincidentally, when NHL.com originally put Fedoruk on the Wild's roster, which filters onto Wild.com, Fedoruk's number was listed as 92, Radivojevic's number.

Fedoruk showed a glimpse of what he may add when on one shift, he clobbered Adam Foote and Jared Boll on the forecheck. It's the type of game Radivojevic was supposed to bring.

"Some guys don't like to get hit and if you hit the right guys, sometimes they'll shut her down for the night," Fedoruk said. "I like to intimidate. Sometimes with hitting, you can do that."

Fedoruk also took two minors on one second-period shift, one trip, then an undisciplined rough.

"I wasn't thinking," Fedoruk said. "The first one was a trip and frustration sets in. I've got to be smarter there. Nine times out of 10 I am. I won't let that happen again."

Voros' weird holiday

Thanksgiving was a wacky day for Aaron Voros, who was reassigned to AHL Houston so the Wild could fit Fedoruk on the roster.

Voros packed his gear, returned to his nearby hotel, packed his clothes and called a cab to take him to the airport.

"[Assistant GM Tom Lynn] called and said, 'Go on your path to Houston, but keep your ringer on loud because we might turn you around," Voros said.

Finally, after Petteri Nummelin (head, nose) was put on injured reserve, Lynn called back and said, "Cancel the cab and get your gear back to the rink. You're in tomorrow," Voros said. "I screamed a little bit. I was so happy.

"It was an emotional roller coaster, but it's funny. I didn't even leave 50 yards from the arena."

Friday, Voros had an active day from the penalty box.

Columbus scored twice with him in there. On the third, he emerged to crush an unsuspecting Jiri Novotny.

Missing players

With Pavol Demita (groin), Mikko Koivu (broken leg) and Wes Walz (indefinite leave) missing, Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock understands why the Wild is struggling.

"I don't think any team can absorb significant players," Hitchcock said.

"You look at what Minnesota is missing, those are really, really significant players and when you start giving that ice time to other people, over time, it starts to wear."

Michael Russo • mrusso@startribune.com

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