Ducks Can’t Shake Old, Bad Habits

History will record last Wednesday as the day the Mighty Ducks finally got serious about winning hockey games.

Saturday, there were flashes of what the Ducks might be like someday with Teemu Selanne racing around the ice, firing off blistering slap shots or setting up teammates for goals.

But for the most part, the Ducks looked like the same old inconsistent playoff pretenders, losing to the New York Islanders, 4-3, in front of 14,329 at Nassau Coliseum.

At game’s end, Selanne preached patience. After all, it’s only been one game and one practice since he joined the Ducks after the blockbuster trade that brought the three-time all-star from Winnipeg. He’s still getting used to his new teammates.

“Nothing fancy and creative is going to happen soon,” Selanne said. “It really takes time.”

Teamed on a line with Paul Kariya and center Steve Rucchin, Selanne scored the Ducks’ first goal, 47 seconds into the second period, and grew more comfortable as the game went on.

Coach Ron Wilson sensed Selanne’s nervousness, but was still impressed.

“I think he was tight for a good part of the game, but you could see what he’s going to do for our team,” Wilson said. “He’s not just a goal-scorer, he’s a playmaker. He’s going to be outstanding.

“He’s going to feel pressure to put the puck in the net, but he’ll loosen up in another game or two.”

Selanne and Kariya nearly clicked for a goal on the game’s first shift with Selanne slamming a shot off the chest of Islander goalie Eric Fichaud.

At other times, they just seemed to get in each other’s way, but both figured that’s just another adjustment they’ll make in the coming practices and games.

Both seemed to move too quickly for Rucchin to keep pace, but it was his pass that set up Selanne’s goal, his 25th.

“That tremendous speed was something I wasn’t used to,” Rucchin said. “The best thing you can do is get them the puck. They’re going to be a great combination, no question. It’ll take time on my part to get adjusted.”

Said Kariya: “I was thinking, ‘Where’s [Selanne] going? Where does he want the puck?’ ”

Selanne’s goal enabled the Ducks to tie the Islanders, 1-1, but then they went south until the third period.

Brent Severyn scored his first goal of the season for a 2-1 Islander lead at the 3:31 mark of the second period. Derek King scored about four minutes later for a 3-1 lead. Alexander Semak then scored the Islanders’ fourth goal at the 11:35 mark.

The Ducks, who lost their fourth straight, rallied in the third as Wilson gave the Selanne-Rucchin-Kariya line the bulk of the ice time.

However, rookie Jim Campbell, scoring his first NHL goal, and defenseman Jason York, who helped the Ducks beat the Islanders, 2-1, with a goal in the final second of overtime Nov. 17 at the Pond, rallied the Ducks with goals.

“I think the third period was great,” Selanne said. “The first two periods, I think the team was watching what was going on. It didn’t seem like their normal game.

“We didn’t skate for the first two periods. I’m a little bit excited. If we play like we did in the third period [tonight against New Jersey] it will be a good game.”

Selanne’s goal was his first since Jan. 24, and although he has a point in 15 of his last 16 games, he has been in something of a goal-scoring slump. He has six goals and 18 assists during that span.

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Duck notes

Chad Kilger and Oleg Tverdovsky, traded to Winnipeg for Teemu Selanne Wednesday, took a few parting shots at Coach Ron Wilson and the organization before their debuts Thursday with the Jets. “They didn’t have any patience,” Kilger told the Winnipeg Sun. “They figured each mistake cost us a game and if they lost enough games they were going to lose their jobs. I think the coaches were getting pressure from higher up to play the older guys.” Said Tverdovsky: “He [Wilson] is the kind of coach who’s not very patient with young players. He doesn’t allow young players to make a mistake. I was afraid to make a mistake.” Wilson responded Saturday: “I don’t think that’s fair. That’s probably somebody [a Winnipeg reporter] trying to start something. There’s a fine line, trying to get them to gain experience and also win hockey games.” . . . Center Shaun Van Allen was scratched because of back spasms.