Wild plugs in to reserve power source

Wild plugs in to reserve power source

With Gaborik and Demitra sidelined, a suddenly potent power play produced early and
often in the Wild's victory over the Oilers.

By Michael Russo, Star Tribune
November 05, 2007

http://www.startribune.com/wild/story/1530572.html


No Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra?

No problem, at least Monday night against the young, depleted Edmonton Oilers, who
paraded to the penalty box and paid dearly when the Wild exploded for four power-play
goals en route to a 5-2 pounding at Xcel Energy Center.

The Wild entered with the 25th-ranked power play, but Mark Parrish scored twice and
Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Kurtis Foster once as the Wild completed a four-game
homestand (2-2) with consecutive victories.

"We had some pretty goals, some backdoor goals, some ugly tip goals. We had it all
going," Parrish said.

The Wild, second in the Western Conference with 20 points, has five days off before
embarking on a road trip to all four Northwest Division rivals. The team hopes the
hiatus will allow enough time for Gaborik and Demitra, again sidelined by tweaked
groins, to heal.

The Wild built a 3-zip lead by the end of the first period, but the last time the
Wild did that, it bombed like a Pauly Shore movie. But the docile Oilers and the
ferocious Calgary Flames are different animals, and this time, the Wild held on to
beat the Oilers for the 14th time in 18 meetings.

"When we're missing guys like Demo and Gabby, two of our most important pieces, other
guys have to step up," said Foster, who scored the winner. "It was a good team effort
all the way through."

Niklas Backstrom made 22 saves to improve to 6-0 against the Oilers with a 0.83
goals-against average and .971 save percentage. The goalie's shutout streak against
the Oilers ended at 209 minutes, 15 seconds when Dustin Penner scored in the second
period.

Stephane Veilleux also scored for the Wild. Mikko Koivu had his second career
three-assist game, while Petteri Nummelin, a defenseman who played forward because of
injuries, had two assists.

"A lot of situations you don't know where to go," said Nummelin, who played 25 games
at wing for Columbus in 2000-01. "You just go everywhere. You try to work hard, skate
everywhere and probably skate too much. I'm just happy to be in the lineup."

Coach Jacques Lemaire said he would consider playing Nummelin at forward in the
future, perhaps when the team has eight defensemen after Sean Hill's suspension soon
ends.

The Wild's three power-play goals in the first period led to former teammate Dwayne
Roloson's early exit.

Nummelin got it started. Standing along the left-wing wall doing his Bouchard
impression, he sent a perfect cross-ice feed for a Parrish one-timer.

The Wild then scored twice in an 11-second span. First, it was Bouchard. Moments
later, Foster, snakebit with several hit posts and missed nets, scored his second
goal in 44 games while skating past the blue line.

This came soon after he missed an open net.

"It was 10 times easier to put in than the one he scored," Lemaire said. "He missed
the net, I said, 'I don't think he'll ever score -- again.'"

Foster, who scored 10 goals as a rookie, said, "I just came to the bench and tried to
forget about it. On the goal, I was just thinking, 'I've got a bomb here, so why not
shoot one and see what happens.' It snuck in.

"I didn't even know what to do. I put my arms up and was smiling from ear to ear.
It's a sigh of relief. Hopefully it's just the start."


---




- Scott Smith: scott.TakeThisOut@sludgereport.org
Sludge Report: http://www.sludgereport.org
Blue States Rising: http://www.bluestaterising.blogspot.com