Duck Veterans Sit Out Loss

The Mighty Ducks knew what was coming, they just didn’t know who among them it was going to be.

Exasperated by inconsistent effort, Coach Ron Wilson left three regulars in street clothes Sunday--two of them assistant captains--as he tried to find a team that would play with “a little more emotion and passion.”

To emphasize his point, Wilson put two youngsters who had never played an NHL game into the lineup before the Ducks lost to the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-1, in front of 17,174 at the Pond.

Veterans Bob Corkum, Todd Krygier and Mike Sillinger were scratched to help make way for Jim Campbell and J.F. Jomphe, fresh from Baltimore of the American Hockey League. For Krygier and Sillinger--the Ducks’ second- and third-leading scorers--it was the second time in a little more than a month Wilson had left them out.

The move sent a chill through the dressing room, and it was meant to.

“I’ve sat out before and I know what it’s like,” said winger Garry Valk, who admitted he thought he might have to sit out. “It’s some of the worst days of your life. You come to the rink and you’re not part of the team. You’re out and your confidence is down.

“I think Ron and [General Manager Jack Ferreira] wanted to make a point that it’s not a country club. Guys have to be responsible for their own actions. Ron had a good meeting with the guys who sat out. They’re a big part of our team. You have to give them a pat on the butt and tell them to hang in there.”

The Ducks battled a little harder and Campbell and Jomphe showed some exuberance, but the Blackhawks’ steady, gritty play overwhelmed the Ducks. Chris Chelios scored two goals, and his 51 points make him the only defenseman in the league who is leading his team in scoring.

Wilson didn’t make any commitments about whether the veterans will return for the Ducks’ next game, Wednesday against Toronto.

“It could be temporary and it could be a long time,” he said. “Those two played well enough that they deserve to play against the Leafs. I haven’t decided, but I’ll sit down with Jack and see which way we want to go.

“I’m not of the opinion that if you play poorly or aren’t scoring you sit out, but jeez, when it’s been a month or a month and a half . . . You might see some young guys coming in and playing a lot. Then there’s a little fear that they might take your position or your job.”

Sillinger has been the bright young prospect before, but he has gone 19 games without a goal and has a team-worst plus-minus rating of minus 19. Krygier, who got into an expletive-laced argument with Wilson the last time he was scratched, has one goal in his last 17 games, and Wilson held both players responsible for goals against in a loss to Hartford on Friday. Corkum, the Ducks’ leading scorer two seasons ago, is cast in a more defensive role now but has only five goals and 12 points.

One question, though, is how much those players are underperforming--or whether they are simply performing as they have most of their careers. Krygier has a career-high 34 points, and Sillinger is one point shy of his career-high 29.

Another question is whether Wilson’s tactic will succeed.

“Everybody gets motivated in different ways,” Valk said. “I’ve seen guys who sat out when I was in Vancouver and just go right in the tank. They wouldn’t be at the rink any more than they had to be.

“Initially, it’s a shock to your heart and soul and pride. You put your body on the line every night, and someone’s saying we don’t feel you’re doing the job. It takes the wind out of you, but you’ve got to find a way deep down to respond. Good players in this league respond, because if you don’t, you won’t be in the league anymore. It’s a business, and if you have a bad day at work you can’t run and hide. I don’t foresee anything like that with these guys. They’re some of the most competitive guys on our team.”