Kariya Shows Rough Side

Mighty Duck left wing Paul Kariya is the favorite to win his second consecutive Lady Byng trophy for gentlemanly conduct. But he looked just like another tough guy late in the first period of Game 7.

Kariya, who had six penalty minutes in the regular season, drew a roughing penalty for slamming Phoenix left wing Keith Tkachuk into the boards.

Kariya also picked up a roughing penalty for popping San Jose’s Tony Granato in a Nov. 23 game against the Sharks.

In the end, Tuesday’s penalty must have been worth the price. The Ducks killed off the Phoenix power play without incident and protected a 1-0 lead.

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Center Steve Rucchin moved around the ice gingerly testing his bruised left shoulder during the morning skate. Rucchin, who sat out the first three games of the series because of back spasms, assumed his customary position centering the Kariya-Teemu Selanne line.

“It’s not an issue,” Rucchin said of the shoulder injury, suffered when he was checked hard into the boards Sunday in Game 6.

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Duck Coach Ron Wilson continued to one-up Phoenix Coach Don Hay until the very last. Told of Wilson’s speech about the “Wizard of Oz” before Game 6, Hay said he would prefer showing the Coyotes “Braveheart.”

“Now that’s about guts and determination,” Hay said Monday.

Countered Wilson on Tuesday: “The hero dies in the end.”

With center Jeremy Roenick sidelined by a torn ligament in his left knee, Hay played Igor Korolev for the first time in the series. Korolev was a healthy scratch for 16 of the final 28 regular-season games.

Defenseman Murray Baron also played for the first time. He had been sidelined by a broken foot.

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Sean Pronger returned to the Duck lineup after sitting out Game 6. Pronger assisted on the Ducks’ first goal.