Everything’s Ducky

Instead of anger there were smiles. Instead of jeers there were cheers. Instead of flubbed scoring chances there were Mighty Duck goals in an electric, 6-4, come-from-behind victory Friday over the Washington Capitals.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in 11 years,” winger Warren Rychel said. “I’ve seen Wayne Gretzky come back from a back injury [to lead the Kings to the 1992-93 Stanley Cup final], but I’ve never seen anything like that.”

A roaring sellout crowd of 17,174 at the Pond had waited since May to watch Paul Kariya work his magic again.

Friday, the fans and the Ducks were rewarded as Kariya scored two goals and assisted on two others in a memorable 1997-98 debut that overshadowed the return of former coach Ron Wilson.

Teemu Selanne’s goal with 43 seconds left was the game-winner and enabled the Ducks to complete a rally from a three-goal first-period deficit.

Kariya’s empty-net goal with seven seconds left merely provided the capper to a nearly-flawless evening for him and the Ducks.

“I feel pretty good, but I always feel better after a win,” said Kariya, who was on the ice for all six Duck goals.

“That was some of the best hockey I’ve ever seen,” Joe Sacco said. “I was laughing on the bench. I was glad I was here to see it.”

Added Selanne, who scored twice to push his league-leading total to 26: “I don’t remember when I had so much fun. It was unbelievable fun. This was something I dreamed of all season.”

After only two workouts with his teammates after signing a two-year, $14-million contract Thursday, Kariya still was easily the best player on the ice for either team.

“I was a little nervous before the game,” he said. “I just told myself to work hard and compete and let things happen. My timing was bad on a lot of plays.”

If so, it was tough for anyone else to notice.

Kariya, who had been skating since Dec. 1 with the Canadian national team while awaiting a new deal, had not played in a game since Game 4 of the Ducks’ Western Conference playoff loss to the Detroit Red Wings last May 8.

“Sick, just sick,” said goaltender Guy Hebert, using the players’ slang for good. “That’s my only comment.”

Wilson, who led the Ducks to their first winning season and first postseason appearance last season, acknowledged that this was Kariya’s evening to shine.

“The ‘me’ thing didn’t have anything to do with tonight,” said Wilson, whose contract was not renewed May 20. “We had a 3-0 lead and let it get away. Tonight was all Paul.”

Perhaps at game’s end it was so and certainly during a sensational second period, but Washington looked as if it would bury the Ducks by taking a 3-1 lead in the first period.

Instead of folding, the Ducks rallied behind Kariya in the second period.

Steve Rucchin scored at 2:45. Selanne appeared to be in the crease as Washington goalie Olaf Kolzig fumbled Rucchin’s shot into the net, but after a lengthy review by video goal judge Tom Wardell, the goal stood.

The Ducks’ momentum was halted briefly after defenseman Jason Marshall took a holding penalty, then compounded his mistake by picking up an unsportsmanlike conduct minor.

After Sergei Gonchar’s power-play goal gave Washington a 4-2 lead at 8:21, the Ducks wrestled the game away from the Capitals for good.

Defenseman J.J. Daigneault trimmed the lead to 4-3 at 13:31, putting a shot similar to Gonchar’s past Kolzig. Kariya then sent the crowd into a frenzy with the game-tying goal only 1:17 later.

Selanne, who scored the Ducks’ first goal on an assist from Kariya, dropped the puck off for his linemate just inside the blue line. Kariya rocketed around Washington’s Peter Bondra to gain some open ice. He moved into the high slot, then sent a missile over Kolzig’s right shoulder.

The crowd roared. Selanne leaped into the air. Kariya pumped both fists in triumph.

“A bright ray of sunshine came over the Pond tonight,” defenseman Bobby Dollas said. “It was the biggest never-say-die atmosphere here this season.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Kariya Power

How much did the Ducks miss Paul Kariya? Check these numbers before his return Friday, when he had two goals and two assists in a 6-4 victory, the first time the Ducks topped five goals this season:

GAMES: 32

GOALS PER GAME: 2.18

FOUR-GOAL GAMES: 4

FIVE-GOAL GAMES: 1