Injury-Riddled Ducks Are Shut Out by Flames

The Mighty Ducks are among the bottom five in the NHL in scoring when they’re healthy . So imagine the Ducks without their top three scorers.

That’s what the Calgary Flames got Monday, and they handed the Ducks their ninth shutout loss of the season, 3-0, in front of 17,174 at The Pond of Anaheim.

Calgary goalie Mike Vernon made 27 saves for his third shutout of the season and ninth of his career.

“Look at who’s missing. It’s incredible we won our last two games,” said Duck Coach Ron Wilson, whose team had won six of its last eight before Monday. “We’ve got our three-best scorers out and Tony Semenov is 50%. And we lost to a team I feel has the best chance to win the Stanley Cup.”

The Flames, winners of the Pacific Division, have quietly moved in on Detroit for the best record in the Western Conference. They trail the Red Wings by a point.

It was a 1-0 game after two periods, but Calgary scored twice in the first six minutes of the third.

Theoren Fleury made it 2-0 at 5:28 when German Titov deftly redirected Al MacInnis’ point shot to him on the power play. Fleury then lifted the puck over Mikhail Shtalenkov.

Twelve seconds later, it was 3-0 after Wes Walz skated in on a breakaway after the faceoff. That span marked the quickest two goals the Ducks have allowed all season.

It’s probably just as well for the Ducks that the season ends this week, because their injury list grows daily. Left wing Garry Valk, who had become the team’s leading healthy scorer, was scratched after leaving the ice during the morning skate because of a bruised left knee. Terry Yake, who shares the team scoring lead with injured Bob Corkum (severed tendon in his foot) was scratched for the second consecutive game after suffering a mild concussion, and probably won’t play in the season finale Wednesday against Vancouver.

Nor is tough guy Todd Ewen likely to skate in the final game. He has a sprained left shoulder. And defenseman Mark Ferner strained his right hamstring during the first period and did not return.

Center Stephan Lebeau, however, did return after missing one game with a sore left shoulder.

The game was scoreless until 9:17 of the second period, when MacInnis made it 1-0.

Shtalenkov, given consecutive starts as a reward for his performance Saturday at Vancouver, made some good saves, but he needed to be perfect.

Duck Notes

As expected, USA Hockey on Monday named Ron Wilson to coach the U.S. team at the World Championships April 25-May 8 in Italy. Duck assistant coach Tim Army will be one of his assistants.