Gaborik supplied the goals, but several set the foundation

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: December 20, 2007 - 11:52 PM

Marian Gaborik stole the spotlight with his five-goal performance during Thursday's 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers, but the unsung heroes were plenty for the Wild.

• Let's start with Brent Burns, the multiple-tooled defenseman who absolutely hammered the Rangers' Petr Prucha into the glass in the second period with the Wild up 2-1.

Then, when Fedor Tyutin came to his teammate's defense, Burns threw the 6-3 defenseman down as if he were 5-3.

As the replay was shown over and over on the Jumbotron, the electric crowd revved.

"The crowd was spectacular, and I'm feeling confident right now," Burns said.

The Rangers wound up with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and Gaborik, clearly in the zone, drove to the net and roofed a dazzling backhander overtop Henrik Lundqvist.

• Next, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Mark Parrish. Snakebit lately, Bouchard scored his first goal since Nov. 11, a span of 18 games, through a Parrish screen for a 4-2 second-period lead. Parrish, goal-less since Nov. 15 and robbed again on four shots, had his first point since Nov. 28 on one of Gaborik's goals.

• Next, Pavol Demitra, who had two assists and showed glimpses of the chemistry he had with Gaborik last season.

"Finally, you know," Demitra said. "Last two games, we got a lot of chances. Hopefully everything's going to come now."

• Next, Josh Harding made 32 saves and is on a 4-0 run with a 1.75 goals-against average and .942 save percentage.

• And finally, the Stephane Veilleux-Branko Radivojevic-Dominic Moore line. The trio played a strong defensive game against the Jaromir Jagr-Martin Straka-Scott Gomez line.

In fact, the top line's only goal by Straka came when the Rangers caught the Wild's checking line on the bench.

Radivojevic also helped create Gaborik's first goal and he wasn't even on the ice when he scored. On a one-man forecheck, Radivojevic pinned the puck long enough in New York's end for Demitra and Aaron Voros to swoop in and create a beauty 2-on-1 finish for Gaborik.

Block party

Tuesday against Nashville, the Wild had 19 shots blocked. In two games earlier this season, Colorado blocked 23 and 21 Wild shots.

The NHL won't release team blocked shot stats, but more and more coaches and players say it seems there are more blocked shots than ever.

"Everybody's learning how to play goal," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "We used to say, 'Get in the lanes,' and before guys were like, 'I ain't blocking no shot.' Now it's a part of everybody's game."

Wild defenseman Sean Hill, sixth in the NHL last season with 202 blocked shots, said there's a good reason.

"The slot area, the house area is where all the action's at," Hill said. "Everyone's teaching, 'Back to the house now.'"

Some players, such as St. Louis' Jay McKee and Nashville's Greg Zanon, attach plastic or Kevlar protection to their skates. On the Wild, Veilleux, Keith Carney and Kurtis Foster have extra foam in their shin pads.

"Watch old games. You didn't see many guys blocking shots because it hurt," San Jose Sharks coach Ron Wilson said. "They played upright because if hit by a shot, you might break your ankle or your foot or your leg. All you had to do was fake a shot to get a guy to stand straight up and flinch and then you could beat them one-on-one.

"Now you wind up and the guy might dive in front of you. Not on his knees, but sideways."

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