Richard Park on Fire

After the time clock hit zero in the fourth period, the crowd hollered out the Korean hockey player’s name “Park Yong Soo” (28) at the NHL regular season game between the Minnesota Wild and the Chicago Blackhawks. Park became the spotlight of the 7-4 victory of the game after scoring one goal and an assist as a right wing for the Wild. Park total points for the season increased to 16 with seven goals and nine assists.

As Park’s shooting senses build up and now in his prime, he notched an assist with an accurate pass, at 4:32 left in the second period with his team trailing 1-3, with the putt ending up in Chicago`s net.

Soon after, Park scored the go-ahead goal at 3:02 in 3rd period with the score tied 3-3, with an assist by Brunet and turned things around. With the help of Park’s efforts, Minnesota held off and won, combined with a goal from Dupuis and Laaksonen respectively.

Park Yong-soo is the second Korean NHL player ever after Baek Ji-sun, who played

for the Penguins in the early 1990s as a defender winning two Stanley Cup Championship rings.

Park`s family immigrated to the U.S. in 1979, and Park first set foot on the ice in 1984. He signed a contract with Pittsburgh in 1994, but due to his physical stature he was sent down to the minor leagues in 1998 as he suffered many difficulties.

Park, who returned to Korea in 1999 and played a couple of seasons for Hyundai Oilbanks in the Korean league, headed back to the U.S. and became a member of opening season Minnesota Wild team in 2001. After his comeback, Park put his name on the national player list in 2002 and is currently enjoying the best days of his career.

ssoo@donga.com