Green Plays It Safe and Sits

Center Travis Green probably could have played Friday against the Nashville Predators. But because this wasn’t Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals, Green got another game off because of a sprained left knee.

Sunday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes, the next stop on the Ducks’ five-game trip, looks more likely for Green’s return.

Green injured his knee late in a 3-2 overtime loss Nov. 20 to the Edmonton Oilers and has been sidelined for three games.

With Green out, Coach Craig Hartsburg stuck with the lines he used in the third period of Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. And that meant Josef Marha started the game centering the Ducks’ top line.

Instead of feeling nervous about playing with wingers Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne, Marha said he looked forward to the challenge.

“I love to play hockey,” Marha said. “I shouldn’t be nervous. It’s just a hockey game. I know it’s a job, but it’s supposed to be fun too.”

Said Hartsburg: “There are a lot of centers in the league that would give any part of their body to be in his position. On that line, if you do things the right way, you can have a lot of success.”

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Turns out this was not Selanne’s first trip to Nashville. He was here last summer as a spokesman for Nokian Tyres, a Finnish company with offices in Nashville. His duties consisted of posing for pictures and playing golf.

Good work if you can get it.