Ducks Return to Chamber of Horrors

Back to reality. Back to the Agony Arena of Anaheim, which always seems to bring out the worst in the Mighty Ducks.

All the Ducks’ shortcomings were on display in a wretched second period Wednesday that rivaled their worst 20 minutes of hockey this season. Or any other season, for that matter.

The Phoenix Coyotes exposed all the Ducks’ flaws during a five-goal second period en route to a 5-1 victory before an announced sellout crowd of 17,174 at the Arrowhead Pond.

Meanwhile across the freeway, Walt Disney Co. executives celebrated the debut of the retooled Angels and renovated Edison Field. There were fireworks and good cheer all around the new ballpark.

But the Ducks’ pratfall against the Coyotes should provide another grim reminder how much work remains to be done on Disney’s hockey team to make it competitive again.

Perhaps the Ducks’ 3-2-2 record on their just-completed seven-game trip across the continent was merely an aberration.

But then how to explain a solid first period in which they dominated the injury-riddled Coyotes and led, 1-0?

“The story could have been the first period because we had a perfect start,” Coach Pierre Page said. “We felt good about ourselves. We were all pumped up coming into the dressing room. It was all going according to plan.”

But then the Ducks fell apart in stunning fashion in the pivotal second period. What happened?

“I was surprised at the way they came out in the second period, especially at the end of the period,” Phoenix forward Jeremy Roenick said. “You could see they lost a little interest.”

Keith Tkachuk, playing for the first time since breaking his ribs March 12, scored 3:58 into the second period for Phoenix. Rick Tocchet, Roenick, Norm Maciver and Teppo Numminen also scored in the second period.

It was just what the Coyotes needed, too. If there’s a team more rattled by the Pond than the Ducks, it’s the Coyotes.

The Ducks are a dreadful 10-22-4 this season at the Pond, the league’s second-worst home record. But going into the game, the Phoenix-Winnipeg franchise was 2-7 in Anaheim.

The Coyotes seemed primed for another loss against the Ducks. Seven regulars were not in the lineup because of injuries and several others, including Tkachuk and Roenick were nursing ailments.

The Ducks played the part of the gritty, upset-minded underdogs in the first 20 minutes. They seemed eager to put a crimp in the Coyotes’ playoff plans.

A Duck victory combined with San Jose’s victory over Pittsburgh would have trimmed Phoenix’s hold on the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth to one point.

But the Ducks were outhit, outhustled, outshot and outscored in a dreadful second period.

“Since the first month of the season we’ve struggled defensively,” Page said. “Being good defensively is being good for 60 minutes.”

Page refused to pin the blame for this dud on youngsters such as Matt Cullen, Josef Marha, Jamie Pushor and Pavel Trnka. They were superb on the trip, but seemed invisible at times Wednesday.

“Cullen’s line never gave up a goal tonight,” Page said. “[J.F.] Jomphe’s line never gave up a goal tonight. Marha’s line never gave up a goal tonight. That wasn’t it, really.”

As ever, Teemu Selanne was the Ducks’ best player. But he was muzzled by the Coyotes.

“You’ve got to know where he is on the ice at all times,” Roenick said of Selanne, who leads the NHL with 50 goals.

Steve Rucchin was credited with the Ducks’ only goal, scored at the 3:27 mark of the first period. Defenseman Ruslan Salei’s shot from the blue line deflected off Rucchin’s skate and past goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin with the Ducks on the power play.

But the Ducks got nothing else offensively and when their defense and attention span faltered, they were finished.

Credit also goes to the Coyotes, who took advantage of all the Ducks had to offer in the second period. And that was plenty.

“It’s a start,” Tkachuk said of his return. “The next game is just as important. If we don’t win Friday [in the rematch at Phoenix], this game is worthless.”