And on the ice, Wild takes care of business vs. Wings

Jerry S. Mendoza, Associated Press

Minnesota's Marian Gaborik, center, looks through the Detroit defense during the first period of Thursday's NHL game.

By KENT YOUNGBLOOD, Star Tribune

Last update: January 11, 2008 - 12:05 AM

DETROIT — Meanwhile, in Michigan ...

St. Paul wasn't the only place bursting with Wild news. On the road, a few states away from where the franchise was changing hands, there was a good bit, too. Consider:

• Marian Gaborik was named to the All-Star team for the second time in his career, then went out and scored once, assisted twice and scored the clincher in the shootout in a 6-5 victory over the Red Wings.

• The Wild made room for center Mikko Koivu's return tonight in Chicago by waiving Dominic Moore.

What a game to get lost amid the Wild sale. It was fast-paced, with goals coming and leads going all night.

The victory also was crucial for the Wild, which started this road trip 0-2.

"This means a lot," Gaborik said. ''We haven't been successful against these guys all year."

The Wild got two goals from its fourth line -- including Todd Fedoruk's first and Matt Foy's third of the season. It got Martin Skoula's second goal.

Then there was Eric Belanger, redirecting the puck out of the air with his glove, then scoring with 48.4 seconds left in regulation to tie the score 5-5 only 19 seconds after Dan Cleary had scored what appeared to be the game-winner at the other end. Both Brian Rolston and Gaborik scored in the shootout for the Wild, which totaled six goals in Detroit for the first time.

But it wasn't easy. The Wild led 3-1 in the first period. And again, 4-2, in the second period before starting goaltender Niklas Backstrom allowed two soft goals -- the first being a shorthanded goal by Dallas Drake, the ninth the Wild has allowed this year -- and Josh Harding replaced Backstrom after Niklas Kronwall's goal tied the score 4-4 at 8:38 of the second.

Harding stopped 26 of 27 shots the rest of the way.

"He played really well," Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said of Harding. "If he wouldn't have made all the saves he did, there is no way."

And more help is on the way. After missing 24 games because of a broken leg incurred Nov. 16 in Vancouver, Koivu will be in the lineup tonight.

To make room, the Wild decided to waive Moore, who had seemingly earned a regular role centering the team's checking line.

According to Doug Risebrough, Wild president and general manager, a few reasons dictated the move. First, Lemaire wants to keep Pavol Demitra at center, so with Koivu's return, Moore becomes the odd man out. And Risebrough said he doesn't like veteran players to sit too much.

The Wild also wants to see more of Foy, who played after being scratched for 11 of the past 13 games and responded with a goal and an assist. He was a plus-2.

Moore, meanwhile, played against the Red Wings knowing it could be his last game with the Wild for a long time, or forever. He admitted he was stunned by the news, which he got after the pregame skate.

"I certainly wasn't expecting that at all," he said. "It seemed like the coaching staff had been very positive of late. I'm sure a lot of things go into it, though. Stuff beyond my control."

Gaborik's return to the All-Star game -- he was the team's first All Star in 2002-03 -- is the product of good play and (finally) good health. The game will be played Jan. 27 at Philips Arena in Atlanta.

Gaborik has played in 38 of the Wild's 43 games and leads the team with 22 goals and 43 points after missing significant chunks of the past three seasons because of injuries.

Gaborik said he would appreciate the trip more this time.

"The first time was very exciting," he said. "[But] this time, after a couple seasons where I didn't play a lot of games, this has been the first I've played most of the games in the first half -- knock on wood. It's definitely exciting."

Staff writer Michael Russo contributed to this report.

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