Montreal Is Right Forum for the Ducks in Overtime

The Mighty Ducks came to pay their respects to the passing of the Montreal Forum, and as they left they added a shovel full of dirt.

They played the Canadiens to a taut, fiercely contested tie through three periods Wednesday night, with Duck goalie Guy Hebert matching the unmatchable Patrick Roy save for save.

And then, with the notoriously expert and demanding fans on the edges of their seats in overtime, Paul Kariya picked up a drop pass from Shaun Van Allen and skated unfettered into the right circle to beat a screened Roy and win the game, 3-2, with 2:35 gone in the five-minute extra period.

Kariya’s goal--his 12th of the season--set off a celebration of rare proportions among the Ducks, who were making their last visit to the 71-year-old building.

“I just hoped to get to walk around here and see some of the history of the great players who played here, for the Canadiens and against them,” said Kariya, making his only appearance at the Forum. “There’s a mystique to the Forum. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, if you play hockey, you know about the Forum.”

Duck defenseman Bobby Dollas is a Montreal native, and after watching many among the crowd of 16,524 delay the game by showering plastic cups and pennies onto the ice in protest of a high-sticking call against Montreal’s Vincent Damphousse in the third period, Dollas deadpanned that the fans aren’t like that that often, “Just every time they lose.”

“I’ve played hockey 11 years, and I’ve never won here,” Dollas said. “This was personal. Not just for me, but for a lot of guys on our bench.

Duck Coach Ron Wilson told his players beforehand they should remember the night, and they gave themselves a reason to, beating the Canadiens for the first time in their short history.

“We talked about not being intimidated by the Montreal Canadiens and this building,” Wilson said. “When you consider all the great players and great teams that have played here, this is your last chance to play in an atmosphere like this. Enjoy it, make the best of the opportunity and come out with a win.”

Montreal had won seven of its previous eight games but was without leading scorer Pierre Turgeon, who strained his right shoulder during Tuesday’s practice.

Wilson, who had slammed Hebert with faint praise after the Ducks’ 6-3 loss at Toronto the night before, made amends by switching starters before the game, going with Hebert over Mikhail Shtalenkov.

“It surprised the heck out of me,” Hebert said. “Up until game time I didn’t know I was playing. It was definitely a vote of confidence.”

Wilson said he had been “emotional” and “upset” Tuesday night. “I probably said some things I shouldn’t have. I wanted to give him a vote of confidence. He’s our No. 1 goalie. Guy came up huge.”

Hebert made 31 saves, tipping away shots with the tips of his skates, the tip of his stick and the tip of his glove. Hebert stopped Damphousse six times and foiled Mark Recchi four, once when Recchi skated in point blank after Damphousse threaded a perfect pass ahead to him before Hebert kicked away his shot. The score then was 1-1 as the second period expired.

Damphousse scored the first goal on a power play at 8:53 of the first, and the Ducks’ Mike Sillinger tied it at 6:30 of the second, scoring his sixth goal of the season.

Defenseman Peter Popovic gave Montreal a 2-1 lead 2:39 into the third when he one-timed a shot past Hebert. But Duck defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky returned the favor with a one-timer from the point on a power play at 6:04, tying the score, 2-2.

Duck Notes

Todd Ewen returned to Anaheim to have his painful left hand re-examined and was prescribed rest. Forward Alex Hicks was recalled from minor league affiliate Baltimore, where he had 11 points in 13 games. Left wing Todd Krygier returned after sitting out two games because of a left thigh bruise.