Toronto Takes the Initiative

The magic ended in the Mighty Ducks’ 6-2 loss Wednesday to the heretofore punchless Toronto Maple Leafs before 16,807 at the Pond.

The lightning bolt of energy Paul Kariya supplied in his return in Friday’s comeback victory over Washington fizzled in a lackluster third period that sent the fans streaming for the exits with more than 10 minutes to play.

Kariya made good on his task to jump-start the Duck offensive by scoring his third goal in two games since signing a new two-year, $14-million contract last week.

Teemu Selanne assisted on the goal, which enabled the Ducks to briefly tie Toronto, 2-2, in the second period.

But the Maple Leafs scored three goals in a span of 1:26 in the third period to turn a close game into a runaway. It also raised a question:

Now that General Manager Jack Ferreira has Kariya in the fold for the rest of this season and the next, will he turn his attention to getting the Ducks some defensive help?

Ferreira brushed off a reporter who wondered about that by sarcastically suggesting the reporter make up a rumor of a trade because “that’s what you guys all do anyway.”

In other words, no deal appears at hand.

Although the Ducks managed only 24 shots on goal, it was their shoddy play in their end that cost them in the third period Wednesday.

Maple Leaf captain Mats Sundin stole a puck and swept in alone on Duck goaltender Guy Hebert to give Toronto a 4-2 lead at 8:23 of the third period. He scored again at 8:43 after another Duck turnover.

Darby Hendrickson then scored his second goal of the game, beating Hebert with a point-blank shot after winning a faceoff at 9:49.

And to think the Maple Leafs entered the game with only 67 goals this season, second-fewest in the NHL.

Almost from the start Wednesday’s game had the look and feel of many of the Ducks’ games before Kariya’s return from a 32-game absence last week.

Almost only because rookie winger Jeremy Stevenson scored 4:17 into the game to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead.

It didn’t last long, however.

Mathieu Schneider scored only 1:17 later on a shot from the left point that appeared to be deflected twice before nestling in the net behind Hebert.

First, center Sean Pronger tipped Schneider’s shot. Next, the puck appeared to strike the shoulder of defenseman Jason Marshall. Even if it didn’t hit Marshall, it was clear he had screened Hebert.

A hustling play by Toronto’s Mike Johnson then set up Hendrickson’s first goal at 16:31, giving the Maple Leafs a 2-1 lead.

Kariya tied it with a quick wrist shot from the right faceoff circle over Toronto goalie Felix Potvin’s left shoulder at 10:53 of the second period.

But Igor Korolev knocked in a rebound at 13:22 for a 3-2 Toronto lead.

Scoring chances were difficult to come by for the Ducks. Kariya had another brilliant second period, scoring once on five shots. But the rest of the Ducks managed only four shots in that period.

The Ducks also were sloppy with the puck at times in their own end, particularly when Johnson swiped the puck behind the net and slipped a pass into the crease.

Hendrickson slipped behind J.J. Daigneault, who moved too slowly to move the puck into the corner and out of danger, to score.

Later, after Kariya’s goal seemed to give the Ducks a charge, Sundin beat three Anaheim players to the front of the net. Johnson whipped a pass from Sundin at Hebert, who easily made the save.

But Korolev beat the Ducks to the rebound to score the go-ahead goal and grab the momentum back for the Maple Leafs.