Is He Nik of Time for Russia?

The gold medal-winning goaltender from the 1994 Olympics, Tommy Salo of Sweden, played the first period for the World All-Stars on Saturday against their North American rivals in the NHL’s annual All-Star exercise.

The gold medal-winning goalie from the 1998 Olympics, Dominik Hasek of the Czech Republic, played the second period for the World team.

Does that mean Nikolai Khabibulin of Russia, who stopped all 20 shots in the third period of the World team’s 8-5 victory at Staples Center, is the next golden goalie in waiting?

It’s not at all far-fetched.

The lure of playing for the legendary Viacheslav Fetisov at the Salt Lake City Winter Games has brought many reluctant Russians back to the fold, creating the country’s strongest roster since the Soviet dynasty ended with a last-gasp gold medal as the Unified Team at the 1992 Albertville Games. Khabibulin, Russia’s third goalie at Albertville, declined to play at Nagano four years ago to protest the Russian federation’s iron-fisted control of the Olympic team. He changed his mind only after Fetisov, who ended a splendid playing career with the Devils and Red Wings, was put in charge.

“I was watching the Olympics in Nagano and I saw how excited the players were,” Khabibulin said. “It was really awesome to watch.

“Then I saw Slava Fetisov would be the general manager and maybe the coach, and he has a tremendous amount of respect among the players and the fans. I was very excited to hear about that, and it made easier my decision.”

For Russia, as for every team, goaltending will be the key in the short Olympic tournament. But if Khabibulin remains as sharp as he has been all season for the Tampa Bay Lightning and was again Saturday in becoming only the fourth All-Star goalie to record a scoreless period, he and his teammates could be painting the town red at Salt Lake City.

Khabibulin downplayed the suggestion his performance Saturday provided an indication of what to expect at the Olympics.

“It’s almost like summer hockey, you know, when everybody just goes out and has fun,” Khabibulin said.

World and Russian forward Sergei Fedorov was also quick to discourage that notion, but for different reasons.

“I know what you guys are getting at,” he told reporters, smiling. “I don’t want to put too much pressure on him. I don’t want you to write about how great he is before the Olympics. It’s better to write about how great he is after the Olympics.”

There might be occasion for that.

The Soviet hockey machine produced a score of great forwards and defensemen but has developed merely one great goalie, Vladislav Tretiak. Khabibulin, 29, is the best goalie his country has produced since Tretiak led the then-Soviet Union to 10 world championships and Olympic gold in 1972, 1976 and 1984 and silver in 1980.

“We had some great goalies before,” World and Russian Olympic teammate Alexei Yashin said, “and I think Nicky just represents his generation. He is probably the best goaltender from Russia and he will be a big part of the Olympic team, especially because in a tournament where one game can decide a lot of things, goaltending is very important.

“I hope he is capable and talented enough. I hope he can do it.”

Yashin knows Khabibulin’s capabilities as well as anyone. The two grew up in Sverdlovsk, in what was then the Soviet Union, and played hockey together as kids. They sometimes played floor hockey in Yashin’s home, destroying more chairs and tables than even the U.S. hockey team did in its dorm at Nagano.

“We broke a lot of furniture in his apartment when we were young,” Khabibulin said. “We broke a lot of glass there too.”

Said Yashin: “We played a long time. Too bad it was my apartment.”

Their careers have followed strong parallels. Both were drafted in 1992, Yashin second overall by Ottawa and Khabibulin 204th by Winnipeg. Both later were involved in long and celebrated contract disputes: Yashin missed the 2000-01 season before Ottawa traded him to the New York Islanders, and Khabibulin sat out nearly two seasons before the Phoenix Coyotes--who had moved south from Winnipeg--traded him to the Lightning last March.

“He was very good for many years,” Yashin said. “It’s great to see him doing well, great to see him back in hockey.... I don’t think it’s really a surprise. If you have the talent, it’s not a problem.”

Khabibulin also brings strong motivation to Salt Lake City.

As Russia’s third goalie in 1992, he was entitled to a gold medal--but then-coach Viktor Tikhonov appropriated the medal meant for him. If Russia wins at Salt Lake City, no one will be able to take Khabibulin’s medal away.

“I think we have the same chance as five or six other teams do,” he said. “There’s so many good teams there with all those great players. It’s very hard to predict anything.”

Said Fedorov: “Hopefully, we will do well. We will come with an open mind.”

And better than that, with a hot goalie.