Makeshift Line Gets Results

Coach Pierre Page got results from a makeshift top line during Saturday’s 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in Tokyo.

Page moved Tomas Sandstrom into the left wing spot of Paul Kariya, an unsigned free agent who missed the games. Page also replaced center Steve Rucchin, sidelined because of a groin injury, with Sean Pronger.

Right wing Teemu Selanne responded with one goal and two assists in the second game of the two-game series.

“It’s good to play with a guy like that,” Sandstrom said of joining Selanne. “I’ve been lucky to play with a lot of top guys in my career.”

Said Pronger: “It was fun. They’re both great players. I just tried to keep it simple out there.”

Added Page: “It was a big moral victory for our team because we were without Rucchin and without Paul. It showed our team can accomplish a lot without them.”

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Rucchin’s status for Friday’s home opener against the Ottawa Senators is uncertain. He suffered the injury early in training camp and hasn’t moved at top speed since then.

“He wanted to play hurt, but we’ve got a five-game home stand coming up and we need the guy to get healthy,” Page said. “He’s only about 50% right now.”

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Several Ducks expressed concern that referee Paul Devorski would try to settle the score with them later this season after they tricked him into penalizing forward Richard Park instead of defenseman David Karpa for hooking Vancouver’s Mark Messier late in Saturday’s game.

TV replays clearly showed Karpa, who wears No. 33 and is one of the Ducks’ better penalty-killers, taking down Messier. But Devorski became confused and allowed a poker-faced Park (No. 32) to serve the penalty.