Boogaard keeps fists in check on two Avs foes

DENVER — Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard would love to fight Ian Laperriere for using Marian Gaborik's melon as a punching bag in the regular-season finale.

He'd love to drop the mittens with Cody McLeod, who has continually run Wild players during the teams' ongoing playoff series -- the most blatant being Eric Belanger in Game 3.

But he can't find a taker. "They have guys on their team whose job is to open their mouths and try to get us to take penalties on them, and I mean, it's just not going to happen," said Boogaard, who ended up taking a 2-minute roughing and 10-minute misconduct in the second period and another roughing penalty in the third period of the 5-1 loss Tuesday.

Boogaard said he's particularly tired of McLeod.

"I'm going to laugh when the instigator [penalty] is out this summer because I'm pretty sure [McLeod's] ... going to be a lot more quiet next year," Boogaard said. "[The way he plays] is not hockey. That's not the way it's supposed to be played. It's supposed to be played with respect. He doesn't show respect."

Of course, if Boogaard thinks the instigator penalty is going to be abolished, he is probably dreaming, but nevertheless, Boogaard continued: "They complain that the TV ratings, that nobody watches the games because of the dirty hits and stuff. Get rid of the instigator rule and you won't get any of those dirty hits. I guarantee it."

Asked if he was telling McLeod he had no respect during a second-period jawing duel, Boogaard smiled and said, "Well, that's the short story."

Wild: We aren't goons

A Denver Post column on Tuesday accused the Wild of "goon-it-up" hockey. "I think we're playing hard, we're playing fair and so is the other team," said bruiser Chris Simon.

Veteran Pavol Demitra said the Wild has done nothing "dirty" but said, "We have the three toughest guys in the NHL [Boogaard, Simon and Todd Fedoruk] in the lineup. That's good for our team."

Added Gaborik, "I don't think a lot of teams like to play against us."

Bouchard a gunner

Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who set a Wild record with 50 assists this season, averaged 1.59 shots per game in the regular season. Through three playoff games, he had 13 shots (4.33 a game), including his first playoff OT goal. "The game out there is way tighter in the playoffs, so we have less time to make plays," Bouchard said. "I think shots are never the wrong play."

TV hit

The Wild's Game 3 victory had an 11.1 preliminary rating and 24 share on KSTC (Ch. 45).

The rating means that an average of 189,444 households watched and helped the Wild beat all programming, including "Dancing with the Stars" on ABC and "CSI Miami" on CBS.

Monday's game did not end until 12:03 a.m. Central time, when Bouchard scored in overtime.

Monday's rating was slightly behind the 11.3 rating KSTC generated for Game 1 but well ahead of the 8.1 number that FSN North had for the second game on Friday night.

Etc.

• After being held to three shots in the first two games, Gaborik had nine Monday. He still was looking for his first point in Tuesday's Game 4. "I'm just trying to skate, create some chances," he said. "I think it was good, and if I continue this, they eventually have to go in."

• The Wild, which had the fourth-best penalty kill during the regular season, held Colorado scoreless on six power plays Monday and scored a shorthanded goal.

• Former Gophers defenseman Jordan Leopold played in his first playoff game Tuesday, replacing former St. Cloud State star Jeff Finger, whose gaffe on an icing in overtime led to Bouchard's winner. The Wild made no lineup changes from Game 3.