Todd’s Goal-Less Streak Increases Because He’s Caught in the Crease

Well, Mighty Duck center Kevin Todd certainly finished his first-period scoring chance Monday at the Pond.

Pity he was camped out in the crease and his apparent goal at the 18:08 mark of the first period was washed out.

Todd didn’t rail against his misfortune, didn’t curse and scream--although he seemed to have every reason to do so. Instead, he skated to the bench and accepted his fate. Twenty-five games without a goal and the strain apparently hasn’t yet overwhelmed Todd.

“There’s no way I make that play if I’m not in the crease,” Todd told assistant coach Tim Army at game’s end.

It was probably true.

Todd sneaked behind Edmonton goaltender Curtis Joseph at the right post, accepted a pass from Jari Kurri on left wing and redirected the puck into the net.

Delirium from the crowd, a 4-0 lead for the Ducks and the end of a long drought for Todd, who returned to the lineup Monday after missing seven games because of tendinitis in his left elbow.

Not so fast.

The goal was quickly washed out because--as TV replays clearly showed--Todd had both skates in the crease.

“It’s too bad. The guy has had a bad arm and he’s worked hard to get back in the lineup,” Kurri said after the Ducks’ 5-1 victory. “Give us a break. We haven’t had many breaks lately.

“I could have used the plus too.”

Kurri, whose plus-minus rating is a woeful minus-10, laughed at that last part. He and the rest of the Ducks have a vested interest in Todd ending his goal-scoring funk.

“That’s what a team does,” winger Garry Valk said when asked if the Ducks were trying to set up Todd for a goal. “He had good chances. I felt he played very well. We’ve all been through slumps.”

Valk’s last goal was Dec. 28 against New Jersey, a 21-game drought. Kurri has only two goals since Jan. 1. Brian Bellows has only one goal this month.

If the Ducks are to make a move down the stretch and join the Western Conference’s top eight to qualify for the playoffs, they’ll need contributions from the likes of Todd, Valk and Bellows.

But especially from Todd, who centers the Ducks’ second line.

“It was good to get back [in the lineup] tonight,” said Todd, whose last goal came in a 4-2 victory over Edmonton Dec. 1 at the Pond. “The pain is still there in my arm. I don’t think it’s going to get any better until after the season. The strength in my hand is coming back.

“I have to go to the net more. Guys like me score when they go to the net.”

That’s where Kurri found Todd--lurking by the net. It turned out that Todd was just a little too close, however.

“I lost my bearings,” Todd said. “It was a good call by the ref [Kerry Fraser], I guess.”

Kurri wasn’t so sure.

“We all recognize that rule is a bad one,” he said. “I’ve seen so many goals called back. I would understand if he came into contact with the goalie, but he didn’t.”

Added Coach Ron Wilson: “That’s just the way it’s gone for him. It was a great play. I’m not in agreement with the ruling. I’d like to see the referees use more discretion. In this situation, he was behind the goalie and he deflects it into the net.”