They’re Sitting Ducks in a Sabre Charge, 3-2

There are usually few surprises when teams face the Buffalo Sabres. The opposition counts on facing superb goaltending and a lunch pail style of hockey.

There might be an elbow to the head or a stick across the back, but normally the Sabres leave the scoring bursts to other teams.

Perhaps that’s why their 3-2 comeback victory stunned the Mighty Ducks on Wednesday at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim.

A 2-1 Duck lead in the final minutes of the third period seemed just enough to squeeze past the defensive-minded Sabres.

But it didn’t happen.

Mikhail Shtalenkov, pressed into service to start the third period when starter Guy Hebert left the game because of a mild concussion, couldn’t hold the lead.

Buffalo’s Curtis Brown and Alexei Zhitnik scored 41 seconds apart to erase the Duck lead and give the Sabres a come-from-behind victory.

Hebert stopped 17 of 18 shots, but couldn’t avoid one to the back of his head--an accidental elbow from Brown during a goalmouth scramble at 11:32 of the first period.

He remained in the game through the end of the second period, but spent the third watching Shtalenkov from a seat on the bench. Without much warmup, Shtalenkov handled all the Sabres could fire at him until Brown scored at 15:43.

Shtalenkov’s last appearance was a less-than-memorable start Dec. 27 in the Ducks’ 5-5 tie against the St. Louis Blues. He gave up two quick goals and was replaced by Hebert before the end of the first period.

Hebert started his sixth consecutive game Wednesday and looked as sharp as he had in the past five.

The rest of the Ducks looked sluggish right from the start in their first game since completing their six-game, nine-day trip with a 1-3-2 record.

It took 21 shots, but they at last put one behind Buffalo goaltender Dominik Hasek. To be precise, it was actually 50 shots since Hasek shut out the Ducks, 4-0, stopping all 29 shots in the first meeting Dec. 3 at Buffalo.

Of course, the Ducks didn’t have Paul Kariya in the first game. They had him Wednesday, though, and he didn’t miss on a point-blank shot midway through the second period.

Kariya’s eighth goal in 12 games since signing a two-year, $14-million contract Dec. 11 enabled the Ducks to tie the Sabres, 1-1. Ted Drury’s fifth goal this season then gave the Ducks a 2-1 lead 4:55 into the third period.

The Sabres came roaring back, though, giving the Ducks another loss at the Pond where they are 5-12-3 this season.

Nothing clicked for the Ducks as a fast-moving first period produced only one noteworthy scoring chance.

Rookie winger Jeff Nielsen, who has given the Ducks a jolt of energy since being recalled Nov. 20 from Cincinnati of the American Hockey League, set up Kevin Todd in front of the net early in the game.

Nielsen intercepted a clearing pass from Hasek, then slipped the puck out to Todd from behind the goal line. Todd couldn’t get good wood on his shot, however.

The game remained scoreless until Buffalo defenseman Mike Wilson intercepted a clearing pass just inside the blue line and beat Hebert with a rising slap shot at 12:59.

Slowly but certainly, the Ducks began to apply the pressure against Hasek. They controlled play for most of the second period, buzzing around the net.

Finally, Kariya scored to tie it at 1-1 after Drury faked out Hasek with a pass through the crease at 13:45 of the second period.

OK, Hasek was fooled by Drury’s initial attempt to pass the puck to Kariya. The puck struck a player’s skate and bounced back to Drury, stationed at the left goal post.

Drury’s second try to pass to Kariya, who was standing alone at the right post, clicked. Kariya merely tapped the puck past a slow-moving Hasek.