No One’s a Loser at Pond

Isn’t mediocrity grand?

The Kings and Mighty Ducks proved in a 3-3 tie Saturday at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim that you don’t have to be Stanley Cup contenders to play entertaining hockey.

Good hockey?

Well, that’s open to debate. But perhaps that’s why Saturday’s game was more than the usual tedious midseason matchup between Pacific Division rivals.

There were mistakes galore. But there also was emotion, superb goals, strong goaltending, enough good hits to go around and a third-period comeback from a two-goal deficit by the Ducks.

The sellout crowd of 17,174 seemed pleased with the result at game’s end. The Kings and Ducks didn’t seem to mind either, happily extending their respective unbeaten streaks.

The Kings are 4-0-1 in the last five games and the Ducks 2-0-1 in their first three games since last weekend’s All-Star break.

“It was a pretty enjoyable game to play,” King defenseman Rob Blake said. “These are two pretty evenly-matched teams.”

Said Duck Coach Pierre Page: “Well, that was a good one for the fans. Lots of action.”

Craig Johnson, Glen Murray and Jozef Stumpel scored for the Kings, who erased a 1-0 deficit with three goals in a 6:39 span that stretched from the end of the first period into the second.

Teemu Selanne, Steve Rucchin and Paul Kariya scored for the Ducks, who rallied from a 3-1 deficit with two goals in the first 2:51 of the third period.

The Kings couldn’t put another puck behind Duck goaltender Guy Hebert, who made 38 saves. Despite controlling play in the third period, the Ducks couldn’t score again against King goalie Stephane Fiset (31 saves).

In the end, the only significant difference between the teams was the Ducks’ top line of Kariya, Rucchin and Selanne. The Kings simply could not stop them, but they aren’t alone.

The Ducks’ top line has combined for 10 goals and 23 points in three games since the All-Star break.

Kariya has five goals and 10 points since the break. Rucchin has two goals and six points in three games. Selanne’s goal was the 250th of his career and his NHL-leading 36th this season.

“All their goals are beautiful to watch,” Rucchin said of his more heralded linemates.

Rucchin’s goal was a gift, but the Ducks gladly accepted it and gained momentum to start the third period. They had dozed through a lackluster second period and trailed, 3-1.

Two critical mistakes hurt the Kings on Rucchin’s goal. First, Russ Courtnall decided to shoot the puck into the defensive zone instead of making a safe play by clearing it into the neutral zone.

Next, Mattias Norstrom’s weak clearing attempt in front of the King net went directly to Rucchin, who was standing in the slot. Rucchin caught the puck, dropped it to the ice, then slammed it into the net only 1:03 into the third period.

King Coach Larry Robinson grumbled later, “We talked about not bringing the puck back into our zone, but then we did and we hung onto it and turned it over. Next thing you know, it’s in our net.”

The Ducks tied the Kings 1:48 later, when Kariya blasted a cross-ice pass from Matt Cullen past Fiset for his 14th goal in 19 games since signing a two-year $14-million contract Dec. 11.

The action intensified, particularly during a series of end-to-end rushes that produced quality scoring chances for both teams in the final five minutes of regulation.

“We did what we wanted to do,” Robinson said. “When you’re on the road and you get a point you have to be happy whether you had a 3-1 lead or not. We’ve got to take the positives over the negatives. We’ve been looking at the negatives too much over the last little while.”

The Ducks also seemed happy to gain a point as their turnaround after the All-Star game continued.

“It’s a pretty big point for us,” said Hebert, back in goal after Mikhail Shtalenkov started in the Ducks’ 4-3 victory Thursday against the Pacific Division-leading Colorado Avalanche. “Who knows? Down the road that might be the one point we need.”