Victory Against Canucks Is Dessert

Paul Kariya finally joined the Mighty Ducks here Saturday afternoon. OK, so it was only for lunch at the team’s hotel before the Ducks’ 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at GM Place.

But at least they knew he was alive and well, although he is still one of five remaining unsigned restricted free agents in the NHL.

“I asked Paul, well, actually I told him he had to come to our pregame meal,” captain Teemu Selanne said. “It was great for him to come meet all our new guys and see the old ones as well.”

Added Steve Rucchin, who joined Kariya and Selanne to form one of the league’s top scoring lines last season: “It was good for Paul to see everyone. It was good for us to let him know he’s still a big part of this team. It will be good to get him out of his street clothes and into his uniform soon.”

Kariya has been staying at his parents’ home in suburban North Vancouver and keeping fit by skating at various public rinks in the area. To avoid fans and reporters, he never rents ice time at the same location two days in a row.

Through his agent, Kariya turned down a request by The Times to meet Saturday to discuss his feelings about the contract stalemate and other subjects. He has not commented publicly since June.

Don Baizley, Kariya’s Winnipeg-based agent, attended Saturday’s game and gave this update: “We’re stuck, but it’s not over. We have no [face-to-face meetings] actually scheduled, but I’m sure we’ll talk.”

Said Selanne: “I don’t think [the impasse] is so much about money. Of course, money is a big part of it, but I think Paul doesn’t want a long-term deal. He wants a two- or three-year deal. He wants control of his life. Disney wants a long-term deal.”

So while the Ducks carried on without him with another strong road game, Kariya watched the Canadian Broadcasting Co.’s “Hockey Night in Canada” telecast at his folks’ house.

He and millions of TV viewers across Canada saw Selanne extend his goal-scoring streak to a career-best 10 games to highlight the Ducks’ third consecutive victory.

Right wing Scott Young and defenseman Ruslan Salei also scored for the Ducks, who are 6-2-2 during Selanne’s torrid streak. As usual, when the Ducks needed a boost, Selanne delivered.

With the Ducks clinging to a 2-1 lead and Vancouver pressing for a tying goal, Joe Sacco tipped a loose puck ahead to Selanne in the neutral zone.

Selanne, hounded by Vancouver defenseman Jyrki Lumme down the ice, still managed to slip the puck into the net for his 14th goal in 10 games. It proved to be the goal the Ducks needed to hold on for the victory.

Former Duck Mike Sillinger cut the deficit to 3-2 with a goal with 2:28 to play.

“Our players are starting to believe we can win every game,” Coach Pierre Page said. “It wasn’t like that a week ago.”

Even the return of Alexander Mogilny, who signed a four-year, $17.6-million contract Friday, could not help the struggling Canucks defeat the Ducks.

The Ducks made the most of what the Canucks gave them Saturday, which was plenty. They dominated from the start but couldn’t squeeze a puck past Kirk McLean on 15-first period shots and had nothing to show for their superiority. Young and Salei enabled the Ducks to build a 2-0 lead in the second period.

Young blocked Canuck defenseman Bert Robertsson’s shot from the blue line, then chased down the loose puck for a breakaway against McLean. He unleashed a slap shot that beat McLean from the right faceoff circle at the 5:25 mark.