Islanders, Ducks Struggle to a Tie

The new, perhaps improved Mighty Ducks met the new, perhaps improved New York Islanders on Wednesday, and the result was probably justice: a 2-2 tie in front of 16,597 at the Pond.

The Ducks and Islanders have two of the NHL’s worst records, and predictably enough both are making personnel changes. (Interestingly, both made deals with Pittsburgh, their brethren at the bottom of the standings.)

By tying, the Ducks and Islanders remain tied for fewest victories in the league with four. The Islanders lead the NHL in ties with seven.

The best opportunity for either team in overtime might have come when an Islander dump-in hit the left-wing boards and took a bizarre carom, tumbling at a 90-degree angle toward the Duck net, where it floated slowly through the crease in front of an open net because goalie Guy Hebert had gone behind to play the puck.

Kevin Todd had the perhaps the Ducks’ best chance, but Tommy Salo stopped him with 15 seconds left.

The Islanders were playing their first game since acquiring forward Bryan Smolinski, a player the Ducks have coveted since he played for Ron Wilson in the World Cup of Hockey tournament. Smolinski, 24, had 24 goals and 64 points last season for Pittsburgh.

Blocked in their bid for him, the Ducks have added veteran forward Brian Bellows, defenseman Dmitri Mironov and tough guy Shawn Antoski since they last played Sunday.

“It was three new guys in the lineup,” Hebert said. “No question, that’s a pretty good shake-up. I thought those three guys came in and did a great job for us tonight. We need their size and physical presence.”

Bellows, eligible for free agency after the season, came from Tampa Bay for a sixth-round draft pick, and Mironov and Antoski came from Pittsburgh for defenseman Fredrik Olausson and center Alex Hicks.

Perhaps most important, the Ducks regained Paul Kariya, their catalyst and emotional leader. Kariya missed the last two games because of a concussion and has played in only eight of 21 this season because of injuries.

Mironov had an assist and clipped the post with a potential game-winner in the third.

Bellows was on the power play. Mironov took Olausson’s spot on one of the points.

“Bellows was great on the power play in front of the net,” Wilson said. “Mironov has a great shot, and Antoski’s a physical force out there.”

One problem the Ducks still have is that at least two rookie defensemen are in the lineup every night. With Darren Van Impe out after a couple of costly recent mistakes, Ruslan Salei made the first big error Wednesday when his clearing attempt was intercepted. Claude Lapointe scored off a pass from Kenny Jonsson at 10:25 of the first, tying the score, 1-1.

Defenseman Bryan Berard--the No. 1 pick in the 1995 draft--was victimized on the Ducks’ first goal.

Jari Kurri knocked the puck away from the rookie and Todd put the puck in the net 8:52 into the game for his seventh goal of the season.

Teemu Selanne gave the Ducks the lead again 1:03 into the second period, scoring his 12th goal of the season when Kariya, after being knocked to the ice in front of the net, went behind the net to get the puck and threw it out to Selanne.

The Islanders tied the score again, 2-2, at 6:32 of the second, on a goal by Smolinski.

Hebert and Salo both made key saves as regulation wound down. Salo stopped Mironov on a near breakaway by sliding to stack his pads, and watched another Mironov shot hit the post.