Let’s just say that Devils rookie center Zach Parise capitalized on his opportunity to make a good first impression. In the first period of his first NHL game on October 5, Parise connected for a goal against the Penguins to begin what is certain to be a lengthy and prosperous career in New Jersey.

“It was more of a blur than anything,” Parise stated. “I just got a couple whacks at it. When it went in it was just excitement. It was an unbelievable feeling.”

The 5-11, 185-pound centerman couldn’t contain his excitement afterward. “We had a power play,” he continued. “I was in the front of the net. I saw the puck go out to (Brian Gionta) and like we’ve been practicing, I went to the back door and got a couple of whacks at it.

Penguins goaltender Jocelyn Thibault stopped the first one and I just lifted the second one over his pad. It found the back of the net. It was awesome. I can’t really describe it.” Parise joined select company by notching a goal in his first career Devils contest. He became only the 12th New Jersey player ever to accomplish the feat, joining Jeff Madill, Scott Pellerin, Denis Pederson, Petr Sykora, Steve Sullivan, Pascal Rheaume, Brendan Morrison, Pierre Dagenais, Jiri Bicek, Josef Boumedienne and Michael Rupp.

“That’s a lot better than any other goal I’ve scored,” Parise said at the time. “It’s definitely something you think about growing up. You want it to happen the sooner the better. It was a great feeling.”

Looking back more than a month later, Parise still smiled when discussing his milestone marker. “It was nice to get it out of the way,” he said. “You don’t want to have that lingering in the back of your mind. It’s real nice to get it out of the way in the first period of the first game, but now I have to get more.”

He has, including a key goal in Washington on November 11 to help the Devils top the Caps, 4-3. Parise surprised some when he made the Devils roster coming out of training camp. The 21-year-old was New Jersey’s first-round choice (17th overall) in the 2003 Entry Draft.

After a distinguished high school career in Minnesota and collegiate success at the University of North Dakota, Parise spent 2004-05 with Albany after attending his first pro training camp. He finished second on the River Rats with 40 assists and 58 points and played in last season’s AHL All-Star Game.

While happy to have climbed the ladder so quickly, Parise knows nothing but hard work will be acceptable going forward. “I’ve kind of worked my way up through every level, but of course I’m happy that it’s now instead of four years down the road,” he said. “I got kind of lucky and fortunate. I love being here. It’s awesome. Sometimes I can’t believe I’m here, but now, I want to continue to improve my game so I can stay here and become a better player.”

One area that Parise says needs his constant attention is where he places himself on the ice. “The most difficult thing is the positioning,” he said. “If you’re just one foot out of position it could mean such a big deal. That’s why I’m learning every day and watching video. If I can even cause one or two more turnovers by being in the exact right spot, that’s what we’re looking for. One little mistake could cause a breakdown. You just have to be real responsible at all times.”

Obviously the first two months of anyone’s career carries with it some trials and tribulations. “It’s going all right,” Parise said. “There have been a lot of ups and downs, but I’m getting better and figuring things out. I’m trying to get a lot better defensively.”

Teammate Erik Rasmussen, in his seventh season, knows the NHL learning curve is steep. “You don’t just come into the league and dominate right off the bat, especially here,” Rasmussen said. “He needs time to learn, but he’s going to learn the game and be so much better for it. In the long run it’s going to benefit him.”

Devils Coach Larry Robinson also admitted that Parise is a work in progress, but that he’s headed in the right direction. “He’s young. It’s easy to be critical of a young kid who you don’t know much about,” Robinson said. “We think he can be better, but we’re certainly not disappointed at all. He brings us speed and grittiness, and sometimes gets too aggressive. They’re more mistakes not through a lack of trying, but through a lack of experience and getting used to the NHL.”

Parise believes he can be every bit the two-way hockey player that Robinson is seeking. “I’d like to think I’m a highenergy offensive guy that likes to create chances and tries to generate offense,” Parise said. “At the same time, I feel like I’m responsible in my own end. Sometimes it might not look like it, but I feel like I’m a good twoway player.”

Parise sure has the bloodlines for NHL success. His father, Jean-Paul (J.P.), played 14 seasons with Boston, Toronto, Minnesota, the Islanders and Cleveland. The elder Parise is mostly remembered for his playoff overtime goal in 1975 while with the Islanders that eliminated the rival Rangers.

“Every time I go to Madison Square Garden someone says something to me about my father having broke their hearts in the ’70s,” the younger Parise smiled. Parise said having a former NHL standout on his side sure has helped a lot. “It’s good having him around,” he said. “That’s a definite advantage having him to go to. Especially now during a rookie year when things aren’t always going to go smoothly. He helps me kind of keep an even keel and not get too high or too low.”

While it’s going to take a lot of hard work, Rasmussen said that the sky’s the limit for Parise. “Zach is going to be a very, very good player in this league,” he said. “He has a lot of skill, but he also has a lot of character and heart. You can see it in the way that he plays. He’s not just a finesse player. He gets in there and grinds and likes to get a little dirty.”