Wild: Short wait for payback

Bruce Bisping, Star Tribune

Marian Gaborik scored a short-handed break-away goal against Dallas goalie Marty Turco in the first period of Thursday's NHL game.

The Wild feasted with four first-period goals -- a much better beginning than in its previous meeting with Dallas -- then scrambled to hang on.

By MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune

Last update: January 6, 2008 - 11:31 PM

Eight days ago, the Dallas Stars handed the Wild a painful parting gift -- a four-goal third period and a five-goal loss.

In Thursday night's rematch, the Wild shook off the shame and returned the favor, registering a four-goal period. Only it was the Wild greeting the Stars with a punch to the gut in the first 20 minutes, not the last, en route to a 6-3 victory.

"It was a tough loss in Dallas," said Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who had a goal and two assists for his fifth multi-point game in eight. "It was a pretty bad beating out there and guys were ready tonight. You can tell guys were skating and wanted this win."

Marian Gaborik scored twice and had an assist for his 23rd career three-point game to extend his home point streak to 10 games (11 goals, 17 points), while Pavol Demitra, Eric Belanger and Mark Parrish also scored.

Defenseman Brent Burns, who has 11 points in his past 10 games, had his first career three-assist and three-point game. He now has 25 points in 40 games, matching his career high set in 77 games last season.

Bouchard is also sizzling, scoring 15 points in 10 games, but coach Jacques Lemaire, always wary of talking up the two confident youngsters, only would say wryly, "They're playing fine."

It looked like the Wild was going to run away with this one, but it stumbled late in the second when Steve Ott and Matt Niskanen scored goals. But the Wild played a strong third to finally beat one of the top teams in the West.

Outscored 35-13, the Wild had been 0-5 against Detroit, Dallas and San Jose -- the three teams with the most points in the West.

"We've been looking for that all year," Lemaire said.

Lemaire talked Thursday morning about how he can see a difference in the Wild's game since last week's humiliation. It's won three of four since Dallas, where it returns Monday.

"It was a good lesson for us that we have to play 60 minutes," Gaborik said.

The Wild, wanting a better start, had surrendered the first goal in its previous six home games. While the Wild didn't explode out of the gate Thursday -- it didn't have a shot until 8:40 in -- it erupted in the final 10 minutes of the first to send Marty Turco to an early exit after three goals on four shots.

Gaborik got it started with the team's first shorthanded goal since Oct. 13. Taking a pass from Demitra, Gaborik tapped the puck ahead of defenseman Trevor Daley to create a breakaway.

Gaborik turned on his jets and when Turco lunged for the puck, Gaborik slipped it over the fallen goalie.

"I don't usually play shorthanded," said Gaborik, a subtle poke at Lemaire because he feels he should play the penalty kill. "It was good to get out there. Feels good that I'm on the ice in those situations. Hopefully I'll see ice there more. It's not my decision."

It was the first of three goals in 3:24 as Demitra and Bouchard scored. Then, with Mike Smith in goal, Gaborik answered Stu Barnes' goal four minutes later for the eventual winner, his 21st of the season. Belanger checked Steve Ott, then forced a turnover when Ott tried to get by Todd Fedoruk. It was sweet revenge for Belanger, who was checked from behind by Ott earlier in the first.

"We'll take two points against anybody, but we need to gain some confidence against those top teams," Parrish said.