Gaborik's impact still a key
By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune
April 13, 2008
http://www.startribune.com/s****ts/wild/17647544.html
DENVER -- Jacques Lemaire didn't hesitate when asked after Sunday's
practice if he felt fortunate that the Wild-Avalanche series stands at
1-1 when Marian Gaborik has yet to get going.
"Yes! Yes!" Lemaire exclaimed.
Two games into the quarterfinals, Gaborik has no points and three
shots. He has been smothered by the Avalanche defense, which was
supposed to be its weakness.
"There's not a lot of room out there, so I've got to try to create
room by skating, by changing my game up a little bit," Gaborik said.
"I have to find the room. I have to. There's always an Avs sweater on
you. I have to work for [space]."
Lemaire said the Avalanche is doing to Gaborik what the Wild is trying
to do to the Peter Forsberg-Paul Stastny-Milan Hejduk and Andrew
Brunette-Joe Sakic-Wojtek Wolski lines.
"We do have some results over a few of them, but some of them, they
manage to still get the goals," Lemaire said. "Gabby needs to do the
same."
Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville has tried to get defensemen Adam
Foote and Kurt Sauer out against Gaborik, and the key is always
keeping Gaborik in front of them.
"He's a dangerous player, and you've got to make sure your gap is
tight on him, be it off the rush or those quick little turnovers in
our zone," Quenneville said. "He and [Pavol] Demitra are pretty good
at reading and feeding off each other, so I just think you've got to
respect them for how dangerous they can be. They don't need much of an
op****tunity to turn it against you."
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- Scott Smith: scott.smith@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/choppersmith
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