MIGHTY DUCK NOTEBOOK / ELLIOTT TEAFORD and ROBYN NORWOOD : Exhibition Finale Against Sharks Could Have Some Bite to It

So far this exhibition season, the Mighty Ducks have a victory, two losses and a tie against the NHL’s old guard. Tonight, in their final exhibition game, they play another relatively new team.

When the Ducks play the San Jose Sharks at 7 tonight at Anaheim Arena, it also will mark the first time Duck General Manager Jack Ferreira faces the team he helped launch in 1991-92.

Ferreira doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it--it is just an exhibition--but don’t be surprised if the Ducks and Sharks become big rivals once the regular season begins. They play for the first time Oct. 28 at San Jose, then meet five more times this season.

The Ducks, coming off a 2-2 tie Friday with Vancouver, have beaten the New York Islanders and lost to the Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins. San Jose is 2-3-1 after skating to a 3-3 tie with Chicago on Saturday.

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Lonnie Loach, who scored 10 goals and 23 points in 50 games with the Kings last season, could become an ex-Duck if he is chosen in today’s NHL waiver draft.

The Ducks exposed two players--Loach and right wing Joel Savage, already assigned to Ft. Wayne of the IHL. Teams are allowed to protect 18 skaters and two goaltenders. The Ducks’ other unprotected players have exemptions because of limited professional experience.

Though Loach, 25, is considered a scorer, which the Ducks need, he has not shown those skills during the exhibition season.

The Ducks have the fourth pick in the draft. Any team that makes a claim must then expose a player who was previously protected.

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Coach Ron Wilson said it before the Ducks’ first practice and he said it again last week: They need to keep their games low-scoring if they want to win.

“We want to keep it close,” he said. “If we’re not capable of scoring a lot of goals, then we have to be doing the job defensively.”

So far, he’s been pleased with the defense, which has given up an average of three goals per game. Scoring, he hopes, will come with confidence over a period of time.

“With a few exceptions--(Terry) Yake thinks he’s a goal-scorer--but the others don’t,” Wilson said. “You have to practice to score. We’re good defensively because we work on it. We’ve got to work on goal scoring.

“In fairness to our players, a lot of the guys were third- or fourth-line players. Their job was to go out and not get scored on. It was drilled into their heads.”

Now, Wilson wants to get them to open up, to be more creative on offense.

Wilson said he knew little about defenseman Mark Ferner but calls him one of training camp’s biggest surprises.

“I’d never seen him play before, but he’s showed he belongs in the NHL,” Wilson said.

Ferner split time last season with San Diego of the IHL and New Haven of the AHL.

Wilson also has been impressed with wingers Joe Sacco and Patrik Carnback.

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The Ducks didn’t exactly win over a couple of young fans Friday night in Vancouver.

“They’re OK,” said Alex Langley of Vancouver.

“Just like any other team,” said his brother, Jacob.

“Yeah, they’re OK, just like these peanuts,” Alex said.