An Appropriate Standoff for Ducks

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 tournament. Smolinski, 24, had 24 goal 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.

“I thought those three guys came in and did a great job for us tonight,” Hebert said. “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, of course, 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, a big defenseman who is more offensive than defensive, had an assist and clipped the post with a potential game-winner in the third.

“Those Pittsburgh guys flew all day to get here,” Duck Coach Ron Wilson said. “I was really happy with Mironov after the flight.”

Bellows, a teammate of Wilson’s on the Minnesota North Stars in the mid-1980s, was immediately installed front and center 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.

The Islanders have youngsters too, and rookie 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 Berard on the forecheck, 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, the player the Ducks wanted so much. Smolinski chased down his own rebound after rookie defenseman Nikolai Tsulygin went down to try to block the shot, and deftly put the puck in behind Hebert.

Hebert and Islanders’ Tommy 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 clip the right post.

With several new players, Duck Coach Ron Wilson immediately put two of the new players on the first power-play unit. Bellows, stationed smack in front of the net, put a couple of shots on goal during the Ducks’ first power-play chance. Mironov handled the right point position vacated by Fredrik Olausson.

Nevertheless, the four-minute opportunity with an extra man, which came as a result of Randy Wood’s double-minor for high-sticking Steve Rucchin, went for naught.