“I can’t say enough and I can’t thank them enough for how good the team has been from the top down,” Harding said Sunday after he stymied the Stars. “I’m not just talking about the players, I’m talking about management, I’m talking about everybody. It’s one of the reasons I signed back here. This is a family, and I can’t say enough about each and every guy in here.”
And so it was that the story of the 28-year-old backup ended up overshadowing the first goal for the most hotly-anticipated signing in franchise history.
“I can’t say I’m surprised with how well he played,” said Parise, who skated with Harding frequently at the University of Minnesota during the NHL lockout. “He’s been looking good for a while.”
Watch: Christine Simpson’s feature interview with Josh Harding
(with files from AP)