Goals are hit, and more are set

On one single play, Marian Gaborik dramatically hit the 40-goal plateau for the first time, set a franchise record with his 80th point and put the playoff-bound Wild oh-so close to its first division title by hoisting the Wild to a 3-2 overtime victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

It was a heck of a finish for the 18,568 delirious fans Sunday night at Xcel Energy Center, but Wild coach Jacques Lemaire (a k a Ebenezer Scrooge) couldn't give one iota about Gaborik's milestones.

"How many [goals and points] does he have?" Lemaire sarcastically solicited after the Wild's season-high fifth consecutive home victory and the 499th regular-season victory of his coaching career.

When told "40 goals, 80 points," Lemaire said, "Oh, good for him. ... You saw Gaborik tonight, the first period, how he backchecked? That's what I like."

Well then, maybe fittingly, it was an exceptional defensive play by Gaborik, linemate Pavol Demitra and a pressuring Nick Schultz that led to Gaborik's third overtime winner of the season.

"[Colorado] was on a three-on-two and the defenseman [Scott Hannan] was joining," Gaborik said. "We got back and intercepted the pass and broke on a two-on-one."

Gaborik snagged the puck just outside the Wild blue line and hit his jets as Demitra glided to his left.

Gaborik's pass to Demitra deflected off defenseman Jeff Finger's skate, causing the puck to bounce like a pingpong ball. To the left of the goalmouth, Demitra slid it through the crease for a reaching Gaborik, who buried it for Minnesota's record fourth consecutive victory over Colorado.

"He laid it flat, and I had an open net," Gaborik said. "Feels good to get 40 goals, especially in a big win for us. Hopefully we'll get the division title now. It would be awesome to get the third seed there and start at home."

The Wild, leading the Northwest Division with 95 points, moved four points ahead of Colorado and five ahead of Calgary, which visits St. Paul on Thursday.

It was a big victory, although the Wild officially clinched a playoff berth just as warmups came to an end. That's because eighth-place Nashville lost to Detroit in overtime at that moment.

"It's special to be in the playoffs and be playing for the Stanley Cup," said Brian Rolston, who hit the 30-goal mark for the third season in a row and fourth time in his career. "But I don't think there was any doubt in any of our minds that we were going to make the playoffs."

The Wild jumped to a 2-0 lead on first-period goals by Rolston and Gaborik 3 minutes, 24 seconds apart. On Rolston's goal, Mikko Koivu won a puck battle along the wall, which enabled Rolston to slide Kim Johnsson's rebound into an open net.

On hitting 30 goals again, Rolston said: "Consistency in this game is paramount. To get back to 30, I'm happy about it."

Gaborik's goal came just as a long five-on-three expired off a Brent Burns pass, but things changed from there.

Maybe the Wild learned it made the playoffs and popped the champagne early, but there was a 27-minute letdown in which the Wild was outshot 17-3 as Finger and Ruslan Salei tied the score 2-2.

However, the Wild came out with a strong third period and carried the momentum into OT.

"I like very much what we did in the third," Lemaire said. "When a team comes back from a two-goal deficit, they're on the run. They feel good, feel they can win the game. You have to respond, and we did."

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