His leadership has continued in the postseason. Parise, 30, totaled 7 points in a first-round victory over the St. Louis Blues, tied for second best in the league. In Game 1 of the second round against the Chicago Blackhawks last week, the Wild trailed by 3-1 in the second period before Parise added a goal and an assist to tie the game. But Minnesota lost, and the team trails, two games to none, going into Game 3 at home Tuesday night.

“With Zach, the pressure of being a star player and having to maintain that level was really difficult with what he was going through,” said the Wild radio broadcaster Tom Reid, a former Minnesota North Star who gave the eulogy at J. P. Parise’s funeral. “But he really didn’t waver at all. Even when his dad was going through the tough times, and even near the end, I don’t think his game ever faltered.”

Early this season, Wild Coach Mike Yeo offered to allow Zach Parise to skip practice to spend time with his father, who was hospitalized a few blocks from Xcel Energy Center. Parise instead stopped in before or after practice.

The Wild endured a 2-11 swoon from mid-December through mid-January, but Parise scored 19 goals in 39 games after Jan. 15, tied for fifth best in the league in that span.

“Once the puck drops, I don’t want to say his brain shuts off, but it goes into a certain mode,” Yeo said. “Maybe at that time, that was the escape that he needed, and his level of play gave him something to feel good about.”

Parise at least had a chance to say goodbye to his father. Bob Suter died unexpectedly of a heart attack, with Ryan almost 300 miles away at an informal preseason practice.

“A lot of people have lost people,” Ryan Suter said. “It is difficult to go and do your job and not think about. Our coaching staff has been great. All of our teammates have helped us. It’s not me helping him or him helping me. It’s kind of everybody coming together in here.”