Severyn Avoids Fight, Suspension

As much as he wanted to knock the block off San Jose defenseman Bryan Marchment on Thursday, Mighty Duck enforcer Brent Severyn played it cool. His next fighting instigator penalty will cost him a six-game suspension.

“You have to be very careful,” said Severyn, suspended for four games after picking up an instigator penalty during the March 13 brawl with the Dallas Stars. “You can’t just go crazy if you want to avoid a suspension.”

Marchment angered the Ducks with several dubious checks, including a knee-to-knee hit on Tomas Sandstrom and an elbow to Pavel Trnka’s head. Finally, Jeremy Stevenson fought Marchment to settle the score.

“Our team responded well,” Severyn said. “[Stevenson] got right in there and nothing really happened after that.”

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Coach Pierre Page called off practice Friday, giving some of the Ducks’ injured players a chance to mend.

Captain Teemu Selanne has a groin strain and center Steve Rucchin has a strained left knee. Their status is day to day.

Selanne told Page he injured himself before San Jose defenseman Al Iafrate hammered him against the boards late in the first period. Rucchin was injured after a collision with Marcus Ragnarsson in the final minute of the second period.

The Ducks don’t play again until facing the Colorado Avalanche on Monday at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim. They finish the season with games Wednesday at Edmonton, Saturday at the Kings and Sunday against St. Louis at the Pond.

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Ted Drury’s goal Thursday against San Jose was his first since Jan. 7 against the Buffalo Sabres, ending a 28-game slump. . . . The Ducks were 11-3-1 against San Jose from 1994-95 to 1996-97. They were swept in six games by the Sharks in 1993-94 and again this season.