Ducks’ Rookies Get Some Face Time

J.F. Jomphe skated to take his first NHL faceoff, looked up and saw Chicago’s Bernie Nicholls staring back.

“I was very nervous,” said Jomphe, 23. “I used to see him on TV and here I am in the faceoff with him.”

Jim Campbell almost scored twice in his first NHL game, firing one shot off the goal post and another off the shoulder of Chicago goalie Ed Belfour.

“I would have liked to get one [goal] in my first game,” said Campbell, 22, after the Ducks’ 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks Sunday at the Pond.

General Manager Jack Ferreira and Coach Ron Wilson decided to jolt the lackluster Ducks by benching veterans Bob Corkum, Todd Krygier and Mike Sillinger.

Ferreira and Wilson turned instead to raw rookies Jomphe and Campbell, and while the results were not winning, the youngsters at least made a lasting impression.

“Those two played well enough to play again against the Leafs [Wednesday],” Wilson said of Jomphe and Campbell, who were called up Saturday from Baltimore of the AHL. “We have to figure out where we go now. . . . You don’t make decisions for the rest of the year based on one game.”

He did not say whether Corkum, Krygier and Sillinger would be scratched again for the Toronto game. However, it was clear Jomphe and Campbell had won over Wilson.

“J.F. looked genuinely excited to be in an NHL game,” Wilson said. “We need more of that. The knock on Jim Campbell is at times his intensity [is lacking], but I didn’t see that. He probably ended up with more shots than our veteran guys.”

For the record, Campbell and Paul Kariya, a second-year player, led the Ducks with three shots each. Kariya had the Ducks’ only goal, his team-leading 28th.

Wilson put Jomphe and Campbell into key roles on the power-play and penalty-killing units.

Wilson hopes Sunday’s moves send the same sort of message defenseman Bobby Dollas delivered Friday after the Ducks’ 4-3 loss to Hartford. Among other things, Dollas said: “Sometimes we have a great team effort. Sometimes we only have five or six guys going. I’m tired of saying it comes down to hard work.”

Wilson was glad to read Dollas’ comments, pleased to learn he wasn’t the only one displeased with the Ducks’ recent performances.

“I can apply pressure to the guys in the dressing room, but the best pressure comes from your peers,” Wilson said. “A guy like Bobby Dollas has pride in his performance. Some of the [players] were mad he said what he said, but I’m glad he said it.

“He didn’t name names, [but] he singled out a small pocket who haven’t performed. He was calling the chips on some people.”

Sunday, it was Wilson’s turn.