Gaborik-Demitra combo has found its game again

For a three-week stretch, Wild coach Jacques Lemaire issued a restraining order to keep Marian Gaborik away from Pavol Demitra -- and vice versa.

On the ice at least, the chummy, high-scoring Slovaks were forbidden from coming within breathing distance of each other because -- at the time -- Lemaire bemoaned, "nothing was happening, except goals-against."

Lately, Lemaire has lifted the Gaborik-Demitra ban, and the result? A lot's happening, like plenty of goals-for.

"We needed a little break from each other," said a grinning Demitra, who brings three consecutive two-point games into tonight's clash with the NHL's best team, the Detroit Red Wings. "Sometimes it helps when you play with different guys. All of a sudden, you get more excited when you play together again. And we're excited.

"Finally, me and Gabby have started clicking a little bit and we're helping the team win games."

There's no better example of Demitra and Gaborik "clicking" than Saturday's 4-1 victory at Columbus.

Gaborik, fourth in the West with 28 goals, scored two goals in 79 seconds, the second coming after Demitra and Gaborik played host to a party with no other invites.

Cycling out of the corner, Demitra passed to Gaborik, and he gave it back. So Demitra passed it back to Gaborik only for him to pass it back.

Guess what happened next? Demitra passed back to Gaborik in the slot, only this time Gaborik buried the nail in the Blue Jackets' coffin off the fifth "give and go" between the two.

"That goal was one of the nicest goals we've scored together," Demitra said. "It was like total domination for 25 seconds, 30 seconds. Just me and him. It was like nobody was even around us or something. It's always nice when we score a goal like that."

If this is a sign of things to come, this could be quite the final third of the season for the Wild, which has won seven of its past 10 games.

"Hopefully, we can keep it up," said Gaborik, who hasn't gone without a point at home since Nov. 23 (13 goals, 23 points in 14 games). "We have to prove that we can do it constantly. That way we can stay together and help the team win. That's what's important."

Last season, the Wild went 27-7-5 in its final 39 games in large part because Gaborik and Demitra caught fire after Gaborik returned from a lengthy groin injury. After Jan. 11, Gaborik and Demitra combined for 40 goals and 87 points, and Demitra assisted on 20 of Gaborik's 30 goals last season.

This season, Demitra has assisted on only 10 of Gaborik's 28 goals for two reasons. Demitra missed 13 games because of two groin injuries, and they have often been split.

"Now I'm healthy," Demitra said. "I don't have to worry about my groins anymore. Last little while, I'm feeling good and we're finding each other. I think that chemistry's always there, but it's tough to be hot all season."

Demitra jokes that he and Gaborik can read each other's mind because they use one brain -- his. "Gabby got no brain," Demitra cracked. "He's got the quick feet."

Said Gaborik: "He's the playmaker and I can finish it. But I have a head of my own, too. I can make plays as well. I look for him and he looks for me."

In the past month, Demitra has played a solid all-around game, especially defensively. With nine consecutive years of at least 20 goals and seasons of 93, 83 and 78 points, Demitra is below his normal offensive pace --10 goals and 33 points in 39 games. Some of that can be attributed to playing center in Lemaire's system.

"Playing center is the most responsible spot on this team and probably the hardest job, too," Demitra said. "I want to go offense, but I've got in my head that I have to be the first guy back."

Still, General Manager Doug Risebrough is delighted Demitra's offense is coming.

"Marian's been on this roll for a while," Risebrough said of Gaborik, who has 21 points in his past 15 games. "Pav is getting there. It's good, because we need Pav. I can see his confidence growing."