They Bring More Than Exuberance

They’re young, they’re restless and they’re really fun to watch.

The line of 25-year-old Espen Knutsen, 21-year-old Matt Cullen and 21-year-old Richard Park is providing the Ducks with a spark and increasingly effective play.

“They’re so fresh, so intense and just so happy to be there, they just vibrate,” Coach Pierre Page said. “In Boston, the whole team was cheering them from the bench. The enthusiasm they’re generating is very good for the team.”

The team’s youngest line is doing more than simply providing inspiration, however. Cullen celebrated his 21st birthday Sunday by picking up his first NHL point on an assist. And Knutsen has three goals.

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About 25 disgruntled Mighty Duck fans who have formed a group called Fans First plan to distribute leaflets and a petition outside The Pond before Wednesday night’s game against Tampa Bay.

“We’d like to reacquaint the owners and players with the sports fan,” Fans First founder David Paine said. “So far, they’ve done just about everything possible to alienate the fans.”

Paine says the protest is more about the way the NHL and the players’ association do business than frustration over the Ducks’ inability to sign Paul Kariya.

“We’re not blaming Disney or Paul,” he said. “They’re just acting out roles in a play they didn’t write.”

Paine, who is using the Internet to recruit members throughout the country, hopes his grass-roots group grows to the point where owners and players will be forced to “listen to the voice of fans.”

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Defenseman Pavel Trnka was recalled Monday and will be available Wednesday. In 12 games at Cincinnati, Trnka had one goal and three assists.