Ducks Lose for Openers

The Mighty Ducks were one of the last NHL teams to start the season, and they were ready--for a few minutes, anyway.

Less than three minutes into their first game Monday night, the Ducks had a two-goal lead over the Winnipeg Jets. But they ended up with their third season-opening loss in three tries when Winnipeg took advantage of faltering defensive play and beat the Ducks, 4-3, when Igor Korolev’s shot from close range hit the crossbar and dropped over the goal line at 13:57 of the third period.

“I wish we hadn’t started as quickly as we did,” Duck Coach Ron Wilson said. “It gave us a false sense of security. With a young team, you’re going to get a little loose when that happens.”

Those weren’t rookie mistakes that cost them the game, though.

“We had some defensive zone breakdowns,” Wilson said. “I thought our ‘D’ looked very tentative going back for the puck, and some guys didn’t want to go after it all. We’ve got to show a lot more competitiveness.”

By midway through the second period, the Ducks were trailing, 3-2. Still, center Steve Rucchin pulled them back into a tie when he scored on a wraparound after a pass from defenseman Milos Holan on a power play at 2:24 of the third.

But late in the tie game, Holan and center Mike Sillinger both chased Teemu Selanne behind the Ducks’ net, leaving too much open space in front of the net for Korolev, who put a rebound in from the right crease. Holan, who was on the ice for three of the Jets’ goals, “struggled tonight,” Wilson said.

Hebert had preserved the tie by stopping Alexei Zhamnov on a two-on-one earlier in the period, but he couldn’t stop Korolev.

“I don’t know how much room he had, I took away as much as I possibly could,” Hebert said. “I had time to stack my pads and get my hand and glove as high as I could. I saw the puck go up and hit the crossbar and I thought it was out of the rink. I was sadly disappointed by the reaction of the crowd.”

It wasn’t much of a crowd, at 7,856. The Jets are leaving the city after this season and were encouraged by an opening-night crowd of 13,914 Saturday. But Monday was Canada’s Thanksgiving holiday and there was an important Canadian Football League game between Winnipeg and Toronto on television.

The Ducks regarded the game as a typical first-game experience, as did rookie Chad Kilger, who made his NHL debut.

“It was good getting the first one over with,” said Kilger, 18, who despite a performance Wilson graded “average,” recorded an assist on his first NHL shift, when Paul Kariya sprinted down the right wing boards and beat goalie Nikolai Khabibulin with a shot from the top of the circle just 1:24 into the game.

“He looked nervous, he looked tight,” Wilson said. “That’s to be expected. He’s 18 and he steps on the ice and there are some of the guys he’s been watching on TV . . . He’s going to play a lot better.”

Sillinger increased the Ducks’ lead to 2-0 at 2:44 of the first when he put a power-play rebound into a nearly open net.

The Ducks and Vancouver were the last two teams to play their first game. Even 13-year veteran defenseman Randy Ladouceur said that’s not to be discounted.

“I’ve played 850 games, and still the first one of the season, you’re a little nervous,” he said. “It’s a brand new season and you want to get off to a good start.”

The Ducks’ defense, however did not and Hebert thought the new obstruction rules had an effect.

“People have been taught to tie guys up in front of the net but then they think, ‘I don’t want to get a penalty’ and they only half tie him up and he gets a whack at the puck,” said Hebert, who made 25 saves.

“We were all hoping I’m sure for an undefeated start, that we would get a couple of big wins under our belt. But realistically you have to take each game as it comes, even though that sounds like a cliche.”

Duck Notes

Returning to the scene of his accident didn’t bother defenseman Don McSween. Last Jan. 21, he suffered nerve and tendon damage in his right wrist when cut by a skate blade in front of the visitors’ bench at Winnipeg Arena. “Just another city, another rink,” said McSween, who is on injured reserve while he continues to rehabilitate his hand. “It was disturbing at the time,” he allowed. “I kind of panicked.” . . . With five centers for four lines, Coach Ron Wilson moved center Shaun Van Allen to left wing, putting him on a line with center Mike Sillinger and right wing Peter Douris. . . . The scratches were right wing Todd Ewen (sore groin), left wing Patrik Carnback and defensemen Robert Dirk and Oleg Mikulchik. . . . The Duck specialty teams, worst in the NHL last year, had a good outing, going 2 for 7 on the power play and killing off all eight Jets’ opportunities.