Parise feeling like his old self

It's been a long road back to health for Wild forward Zach Parise. Now that he's finally starting to feel like his old self, he's beginning to play like it, too.
The goals haven't come in bunches yet for the six-time 30-goal scorer, but the scoring opportunities have been regular over the past couple of weeks. Two-on-ones have been almost a nightly occurrence. So have breakaways.

And playing on a line with Matt Cullen and Charlie Coyle, Parise has assisted on goals in three consecutive games, posting a plus-2 against both Arizona and Chicago.

"Ever since they put us together, I think we've played three really good games," Parise said. "Had some really good chances in all the games. We make good plays up the ice. I think we support each other well. Even when there's a turnover, when one of us turns it over, there's a 50-50 puck in the offensive zone, we chase it down pretty well."
The key to Parise's
resurgence
-- perhaps not surprisingly -- has been his skating. After missing half the season and skating on his own for about a month, Parise practiced with the team for only a couple of weeks before making his season debut on Jan. 2 against the Florida Panthers.

For someone who didn't have a normal training camp or a preseason to get into game shape, it should take some time.
"He's skating a lot better right now," said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau after Saturday night's
victory over Chicago
. "He was on two two-on-ones. He was digging in the corners. That's what I remember him as."
Parise's long battle back has been more than just this season, one of the most trying of his professional career. He initially hurt his back almost two years ago, late in the regular season against the San Jose Sharks.
He missed the Wild's run in the playoffs, but rehabbed over the summer and participated in the World Cup of Hockey prior to the 2016-17 season. Various unrelated injuries and illnesses limited him to 69 games last season, but he worked over the course of the summer to get back into form.

All until his back flared up again a couple weeks before training camp. This time, rest and rehab wouldn't get him back, and he underwent microdiscectomy surgery in October.
What was an agonizing decision at the time nearly four months later looks like a good choice.

Now with his legs under him, he's starting to look and feel like the old Parise again.
"I really do. I haven't moved this well in a long time on the ice and it just feels good to be healthy again," Parise said. "I've] been chasing it for a while now. But it's been a couple years since I've felt this good out there."
**Related:**
- [Fighting Back: Parise's road to recovery - Zach Parise on the birth of his son](https://www.nhl.com/wild/video/zach-parise-on-birth-of-his-son/t-277437412/c-57536003) - Dad not far from the minds of Zach, Jordan Parise on mentors trip