Semenov Makes Return a Triumphant One : Hockey: Duck center scores in first shift since returning from injury, leading 3-1 victory over Jets. Selanne injured.

The injury the Mighty Ducks couldn’t afford happened, and on Wednesday night, they celebrated surviving it.

Anatoli Semenov was the Ducks’ leading scorer--and really, their only offensive threat--when he dislocated his left elbow on Dec. 7 by being caught in a check by his own teammate, Stu Grimson.

Seven weeks later, the Ducks had a 9-10-2 record without him, and he returned to the ice with the team still in the chase for a playoff spot.

He picked up where he left off, scoring a goal on his first shift, less than two minutes into the Ducks’ 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets.

The Jets suffered a crucial injury when right wing Teemu Selanne partially tore his right Achilles tendon on the skate of Duck defensemen Don McSween in the second period.

Selanne will undergo surgery in the next few days, and early estimates are that he will miss 6-8 weeks.

Selanne has 25 goals after scoring 76 as a rookie in 1992-93.

A sellout crowd of 17,174 at Anaheim Arena saw the Jets become the first team to be swept by the Ducks in a season series. The Ducks beat Winnipeg four times.

Their success started when Semenov found his stride a few weeks into the season, centering a line with Garry Valk and Peter Douris. Coach Ron Wilson reunited that line Wednesday, and Valk brought the puck around from behind the net and found Semenov open in front at 1:51 of the first period for his 10th goal of the season.

It was the Ducks’ 19th victory of the season, but only their sixth at Anaheim Arena.

They started strong, limiting Winnipeg to three shots in the first period.

The Ducks extended their lead to 3-0, with McSween scoring his first NHL goal on a power-play at 17:58 of the first period and center Shaun Van Allen adding his third goal of the season at 3:11 of the second.

McSween, 29, hadn’t appeared in an NHL game in more than three seasons before the Ducks signed him this month. His goal, assisted by Peter Douris, came in his 16th NHL game, including nine in previous seasons with Buffalo.

Van Allen last scored on Dec. 2. He came to the Ducks with a reputation as a minor-league scorer, but has only 19 points, mostly on assists since coming to Anaheim.

Winnipeg didn’t score until late in the second period, when it had a two-man advantage for 54 seconds because Duck defenseman David Williams was called for holding with McSween already off for holding.

Darrin Shannon made good on the opportunity with a goal from the slot at 17:42.

That was the only goal allowed by Guy Hebert, who has played in the Ducks’ last seven games and started the last six. He has lost only once in his last four starts, tying twice.

Duck Notes

Defenseman Sean Hill missed a ninth consecutive game because of a sprained left shoulder, but could return as soon as Friday against the New York Rangers. Another defenseman, Myles O’Connor, has returned to Anaheim from a conditioning stint with minor-league affiliate San Diego after a lengthy personal leave. . . . Winnipeg enforcer Tie Domi did not play after suffering a bruised knee against the Kings on Tuesday. . . . Friday’s game against the Rangers is a sellout, the ninth in a row at Anaheim Arena.