Ducks’ Kariya Will Miss at Least Two Games Due to a Concussion

What are the Mighty Ducks without Paul Kariya?

They are about to get another unwanted opportunity to find out.

Kariya, who already has missed 11 games, will be out at least the next two because of the concussion he sustained Wednesday when he was knocked to the ice by Toronto defenseman Mathieu Schneider’s elbow.

Schneider is paying for his action. He was suspended for at least one game by the NHL on Thursday after a preliminary review of the videotape, missing the Maple Leafs’ game against the Kings at the Forum. Kariya, injured during the first period of the Ducks’ 3-2 victory, was released Thursday morning from Anaheim Memorial Hospital after being kept overnight for observation for what was termed a “moderate” concussion. He didn’t accompany the Ducks on a two-game trip to Dallas and St. Louis and will be reevaluated Monday, although it’s too soon to say if he’ll play in the team’s next home game Wednesday.

“Who the heck knows? I hope it doesn’t drag on,” said Coach Ron Wilson, who called Schneider’s unpenalized play “a blatant cheap shot.”

Schneider was suspended pending an NHL hearing by conference call today, after which it will be determined if he’ll sit out any more games.

Maple Leaf General Manager Cliff Fletcher told the Toronto Sun after watching the tape that he thought Schneider’s elbow “was not a deliberate act,” and Schneider called the league’s enforcement policy “inconsistent.”

“If it was any of 18 other guys on their team, nothing would have been said,” Schneider said.

Kariya was in good spirits after the hit, but he had difficulty with his memory.

“When a guy doesn’t come out of it in a couple of hours, you know he’s really had his bell rung,” Wilson said. “He didn’t really know where he was, even by the third period.”

Though players recognize the seriousness of concussions, they couldn’t help being amused by some of Kariya’s actions.

“He was laughing and in a good mood. Out of this world,” Teemu Selanne said. “But he didn’t remember what place we were in or who we were playing.

“It’s pretty scary. I had one once when I couldn’t really remember things. Then the doctor asked me my wife’s name, and I said, ‘Sharon Stone.’ He said, ‘You’re OK.’ ”

There’s no question Kariya is the Ducks’ cornerstone. They won only once in 11 games without him as he recovered from a abdominal injury, but are .500 with him in the lineup, going 3-3-1.

“We’re going to have to persevere,” said left wing Garry Valk, who is moving into Kariya’s spot on the first line with Selanne and Steve Rucchin. “These next games are getting pretty critical. It’s frustrating he isn’t going to be part of them.”

Valk said the players were encouraged that they beat Toronto even though Kariya didn’t play the final two periods.

“Paul’s getting some big goals, but we’re playing a lot better defensively than the first 10 games. I think our confidence is up. We’re being more aggressive.”

Wilson agreed, saying, “Paul’s had an effect.”

Selanne scored 11 points in the seven games Kariya played in after scoring only two during the seven just before his return.

“It’s a big thing. Without confidence, nobody can play good hockey,” Selanne said. “We just have to play like we played the last five or six games. Now that Paul’s out, maybe we can’t score one or two more goals a night. Still, we can play good defense.”