Selanne’s Injuries Called Unrelated

Teemu Selanne’s groin strain is unrelated to the lower abdominal injury that sidelined him for five games after the Olympics, Duck team doctor Craig Milhouse said Saturday.

Selanne has not skated since leaving Thursday’s 5-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks near the end of the first period. He did not practice Saturday and is expected to be sidelined again today.

His status for Monday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche is uncertain.

“The decision to play is going to end up being his,” Milhouse said of Selanne, who leads the NHL with 52 goals.

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Center Steve Rucchin also did not practice Saturday and probably will sit out again today because of a strained left knee. Rucchin was injured when he collided with San Jose’s Marcus Ragnarsson late in the second period.

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Paul Kariya underwent a balance test at USC and had another MRI exam last week. Both were called “normal” by Milhouse, who sent the results to James Kelly, a Chicago neurologist who examined Kariya last month.

“Paul never really had vertigo, but his primary problem has been with headaches and sleep disturbances,” Milhouse said.

Kariya, suffering from post-concussion syndrome, has been told to avoid strenuous exercise for the rest of this month.

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The Ducks recalled defenseman Mike Crowley from Cincinnati of the American Hockey League. Crowley had 12 goals and 38 points in 76 games for Cincinnati. He also played four games for the Ducks earlier this season.

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General Manager Jack Ferreira went to Europe late last week to take another shot at signing Swedish forward Johan Davidsson, the Ducks’ second-round pick in the 1994 draft. Davidsson, 22, has played in the Swedish Elite League since 1992-93.