Attaboy, Richard Park!

The NHL watched another miracle, at the center of which stood a Korean-American player named Richard Park.

The Minnesota Wild, which has worked out miracles up along the postseason games, made a history and secured a ticket to the Western Conference finals. The Wild took on the Canucks in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinal held yesterday in British Columbia, Vancouver.

People began to think that the Wild would lose the game after allowing two goals in the second period. But, the Wild would not give up, and started catching up in the third. Wes Walz tied it 2-2 at 8:05 of the third period for the Wild.

Then came the savior Richard Park, who sank down the powerful Colorado Avalanche in Game 6 of the quarterfinals. Hendrickson took a drop pass from Richard Park just inside the Vancouver blue line and sent a long, low slap shot into the net. He made another golden assist two minutes later. Pascal Dupuis, who received Park`s assist, made it 4-2 with 2:33 left.

Two assists of Park turned the game over for the Minnesota Wild. Up to this game, Park had not recorded any score. Park proved yet again that he is a man of "critical moment" with his two assists.

The rally completed the Wild`s second comeback from a 3-1 series deficit to win in these playoffs. No team had done that twice in the same year, but the 3-year-old Wild have made history in their first trip to the postseason.

The sixth-seeded Wild will host Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against No. 7 Anaheim on Saturday. If the Wild comes out as a winner, it will vie with the winner of the Eastern Conference for the Stanley Cup.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com