Sych Slain; It’s ‘Life in Russia’

Players from the former Soviet Union reacted more with resignation than shock to the news of the shooting death of Valentin Sych, president of the Russian Hockey Federation, in an apparent contract killing Tuesday.

“It’s terrible,” said Phoenix defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky, who met Sych when he played for the Russian World Cup team last fall. “Anything can happen now [in Russia].”

“It wasn’t an accident?” said Mighty Duck goalie Mikhail Shtalenkov, who also played on the World Cup team. “This is life in Russia right now. . . . He’s not like a politician. I think this never happens in other countries to people in sports.”

Sych, 59, was ambushed outside his country house north of Moscow, the Associated Press reported. His wife, Valentina, was seriously injured in the attack.

Sych, who would have assembled the Russian team of NHL players that will compete in the Olympics in 1998, had been involved in power struggles in the hockey federation, but Russian news organizations reported he was a key player in a number of other dealings that may have played a role in his death.

Independent television station NTV reported he may have been involved with a gang that was trying to extort money from him. Izvestia reported the hockey federation was one of a number of sports organizations that until recently were permitted to import alcohol and tobacco duty-free, usually reselling them for large profits, and that Sych had been heavily involved in those transactions.

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Triumph of the Little Guy: The Ducks’ Paul Kariya and the Coyotes’ Cliff Ronning both were told they would be too small to play in the NHL.

But Kariya, no longer tiny at almost 5 feet 11 and 180 pounds, was the third-leading scorer in the league this season and has five points in the series. Ronning, who is 5-8, 170, is a 10-year veteran who has six points in the series.

“If you’re a big kid, you can go up and down your wing and hit,” Ronning said. “If you’re a smaller player, you have to prove yourself every night.

“If anything, maybe we are an inspiration. Not every kid is going to be 6-5 and able to skate. There are a lot of talented small players. If we give hope to kids that someday they can live their dream, that’s great. I hope for every smaller kid they get to live the dream I’ve gotten to.”

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Duck defenseman Jason Marshall made his first appearance of the series, adding a more physical presence to the lineup as a replacement for Darren Van Impe.

Marshall had big hits on Darrin Shannon and Jocelyn Lemieux early in the game.

“It was frustrating and tough to watch [the first three games], but you’ve got to think of the team first,” said Marshall, who played in 73 games before falling out of the lineup at the end of the season.

“You have to keep believing in yourself, and when you get your chance, be ready.”

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Kariya, who led the NHL with 340 shots this season despite missing 13 games, is the early leader in the playoffs with 19 before Tuesday’s games. . . . With the return of center Steve Rucchin, Duck Coach Ron Wilson scratched Kevin Todd. . . . Phoenix winger Lemieux, who played with the Long Beach Ice Dogs this season, replaced Shane Doan in the lineup for a second consecutive game.