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We all know who the best of the best are in the NHL: Vinny Lecavalier, Jarome Iginla, Jaromir Jagr, and the like. We watch in awe at the continued development of young snipers like Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Rick Nash. We see these players shine at the highest level, and we either love them, or love to hate them for it.
Tonight, Minnesota was treated to one of those special nights where a dominant player showcases that skill with a rare and purely incredible performance. In a stunning 6-3 victory over the visitng New York Rangers, Marion Gaborik was involved in every Wild goal, scoring 5 of them, and assisting on the other. To shed light on this accomplishment, it's been 11 years since a player scored 5 times in a game. Sergei Fedorov did it in a 5-4 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals in December of 1996.
After falling behind 1-0 halfway through the first period, it quickly became Gaborik's show. Under three minutes after Michal Rozsival gave New York the lead, Marian went to work, scoring at the 13:33 mark in the first, and twice more early in the second period at 3:47 and 5:38. Martin Straka scored to make it a close game but the Wild would not let their superstar's performance go to waste. Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored the game winner at 10:56 in the second period.
After Nigel Dawes made it a one goal game again by scoring at a bad angle after defenseman Martin Skoula fell in his own zone while carrying the puck, Gaborik went back to work scoring two more. His final, and perhaps most exciting goal came after he stole a pass from Chris Drury meant for Fedor Tyutin at the Wild blue line and bolted the other way on a breakaway, beating Henrik Lundvist high stick side.
The Rangers outshot the Wild by a fair margin, 35-22 (Gaborik accounted for 10 of those 22 shots. Yeah, it was just his night). Unfortunately for New York, Lundvist has been struggling of late and let in 6 goals on 18 shots. Backup Stephen Valiquette ended the game, making the final four stops in a losing effort. Josh Harding played between the pipes for the Wild, playing in relief of Niklas Backstrom who may still be suffering from the flu.
The Rangers outshot the Wild by a fair margin, 35-22 (Gaborik accounted for 10 of those 22 shots. Yeah, it was just his night). Unfortunately for New York, Lundvist has been struggling of late and let in 6 goals on 18 shots. Backup Stephen Valiquette ended the game, making the final four stops in a losing effort. Josh Harding played between the pipes for the Wild, playing in relief of Niklas Backstrom who may still be suffering from the flu.
Keep on celebrating Marian, it was a hell of a game.
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