Mighty Ducks’ Kariya Gets His Act Together

He’s certainly not a magician just yet, but the Mighty Ducks can be content to wait until his apprenticeship is complete.

After all, they’re having a blast watching the evolution of Paul Kariya.

Sunday was merely another chance for Kariya to seize a game and make it his. Oh, his teammates played a huge role in the Ducks’ 6-1 rout of the defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils Sunday at The Pond.

But Garry Valk said it best: “Paul kind of gets the ball rolling and we just follow him.”

It’s sometimes difficult for the Ducks to keep pace, but when they do the results can be astounding.

“We thrive off him,” Bob Corkum said. “You never know what he’s going to do next. He’s got the speed to turn guys inside out.”

The Devils, renowned as a great defensive team, were Kariya’s hapless victims Sunday. They lost track of him for an instant in the second period and a moment later, the Devils’ 1-0 lead was no more.

Linemate Shaun Van Allen pushed the puck ahead to Kariya for a two-on-one break with Patrik Carnback. Kariya waited patiently as they cruised together into the Devil zone, finally unleashing a wrist shot that beat goaltender Martin Brodeur.

A few minutes later, Kariya returned the favor, setting up Van Allen for the Ducks’ second goal. In the third period, he sent Oleg Tverdovsky ahead with a pass that led to a goal and a 4-1 lead.

“Once you get a couple of goals, they have to open up,” Kariya said of the Devils, who had given up a league-low 27 goals before Sunday.

Kariya’s performance Sunday resembled many this season: A goal, two assists, four shots on goal and a plus three on the plus-minus rating scale.

It was Kariya’s third three-point game of the season, giving him four goals and five assists during the Ducks’ four-game winning streak.

A quick review of his work week before Sunday:

Two goals, an assist and nine shots in a 7-2 victory over Calgary Oct. 29.

One goal and seven shots in a 3-0 victory over St. Louis Wednesday.

Two assists and three shots in a 7-4 victory over the New York Rangers Friday.

The Ducks have scored 48 goals this season and Kariya has had a hand in 18 of them, scoring 11 and assisting on seven.

“He’s going to be a superstar in this league,” General Manager Jack Ferreira said the other day, still shaking his head in amazement at Kariya’s breakaway goal against Calgary.

What made it remarkable in Ferreira’s mind was the way Kariya rocketed away from Calgary defenseman Phil Housley.

“The thing people don’t realize is that Housley’s one of the best skaters in the NHL, and he wasn’t even close,” Ferreira said.

Kariya chalked up the Ducks’ recent offensive outburst to “getting good bounces.” But when reminded that good players and good teams make their own breaks, he smiled. “It’s a confidence thing too,” he said. “You don’t grip the stick as hard.”

Said Ferreira: “All those guys [players like Kariya] are opportunists. The puck follows them.”

Or maybe it’s that they follow the puck. Whatever it is, the Ducks are grateful the anticipated creativity has come to pass. And score.