Streak Ties Up Ducks

Strange as it seems, has the Mighty Ducks’ unbeaten streak become a burden?

“There’s always a point where you say, ‘This has got to end sometime,”’ Coach Ron Wilson said after a 2-2 tie against Calgary in front of 17,174 Sunday at the Pond, the fifth tie of an 11-game unbeaten streak. “The last couple of games, it has seemed like we’re trying to hold on, hoping to get out of it with a tie. We’re not playing to win, not being aggressive pursuing the puck. We’re in a defensive shell when we don’t need to be in one.”

For the second game in a row, the Ducks took a one-goal lead into the third period, and for the second game in a row, they ended up not with a ‘W’ but with a ‘T.’ “It’s people putting pressure on nothing,” defenseman Bobby Dollas said. “Is it 10 games? I don’t even know. I don’t care about the streak. When we were 1-12 or something were we talking about a streak?

“You can’t get to a point where you’re shaking when you touch the puck,” Dollas said. “We’ll live with mistakes. When you get in a situation like that, it’s a deep cooker. We’ve got to finish strong. If we do we’ll make it. If we don’t we won’t.”

The Ducks missed the playoffs by a single point last season, so that leaves them to wonder: Did they lose a precious point Sunday or save one?

One thing is clear, a single point is important. The Ducks are in a three-way tie for fifth with Phoenix and St. Louis, one point ahead of Calgary and Chicago, who are tied for eighth.

“It’s not our streak that’s pressure, it’s pressure to make the playoffs, I think,” said right wing Teemu Selanne. “Of course we’re disappointed. The last couple of games we’ve had the lead after the second period and not won. Still, I think it’s important to get a point. Last year we missed the playoffs by one point. One more and we’d have been there.”

Goalie Guy Hebert, who made 41 saves in his fourth 40-save performance this season, was incredulous anyone could find fault with the Ducks’ run. “We lost a point, but we’ve gone 11 games without losing a game,” Hebert said.

The Flames are in the thick of the same battle as the Ducks, but they have just completed their most difficult trip of the season, going 3-3-1. They return home for seven of their final 10. The Ducks, by contrast, still have a six-game trip ahead.

The Flames have held their last nine opponents to two goals or less, and goalie Trevor Kidd made some superb saves among his 29 Sunday--including seven on Selanne and six on Paul Kariya, who were both held without a goal for a second game in a row, the first time that has happened this season.

Joe Sacco and Sean Pronger had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who had leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but Calgary’s Dave Gagner scored the game-tying goal at 6:43 of the third when he deflected a power-play shot after winning a faceoff cleanly from Steve Rucchin.

Robert Reichel scored the other goal, this one with the Flames holding a two-man advantage with Selanne off for high-sticking and Dmitri Mironov off for holding.

The Ducks were holding their breath later when one of the disasters that could thwart their chances passed in front of their eyes. Hebert was lying on his back by the goalpost after being driven into the goal by the Flames’ Sandy McCarthy.

Afterward, Hebert said, his shoulder was simply sore.

Hebert might be weary, but he’s not ready for rest.

“We have 12 games left. We have to get to the postseason before I have to worry about playing any more games. If we don’t make it, I’ll have plenty of time to rest.”