McKenzie Is Helping Ducks Get On-Line

The Mighty Ducks’ most effective line Sunday? Easy. Center Matt Cullen, right wing Marty McInnis and left wing Jim McKenzie.

Jim McKenzie?

“I’ve scored more goals back-handed for some reason,” McKenzie said after the Ducks dominated Detroit in a 3-1 victory at the Pond. “Maybe it’s because I don’t know what end of the stick to use.”

That Jim McKenzie?

Strange as it may sound, that line has clicked since McKenzie became part of the trio, making it a trio-and-a-half, three games ago. They accounted for two goals in the first period Sunday and the Red Wings never recovered.

Cullen continued his strong play with a goal and an assist. McKenzie scored his second goal of the season. McInnis had three assists, a career high.

A good omen. The Ducks are 11-0-3 when McInnis scores a point.

Of course, they are also 2-0 when McKenzie scores a goal.

“Marty has such great speed,” Cullen said. “He can really create open space. And Mac? Everyone knows what Mac does.”

Yeah, and since McKenzie is 6 feet 4, 227 pounds, players try to keep it from happening to them.

“He takes defensemen out so well,” Cullen said. “He can really put a body on a guy. But I think people are surprised to learn how smart he is on the ice. I think he is really underrated with what he can do with the puck.”

He put it in the net four minutes into the game Sunday, but it was more a group effort.

McInnis blasted a shot from the blue line that goalie Ken Wregget easily stopped. McKenzie batted the rebound in the air, but Wregget again made the save. Wregget then dived back to get his stick on a Cullen shot, but it left an open net for McKenzie, who scored his 36th career goal.

“You give me 30 of those opportunities and I’ll get you 10 goals,” McKenzie said. “Actually, Marty was too fast or he would have scored it. He got there but fanned on the shot. If he was slower, he would have scored unless I lifted up his stick. I was just in the right place.”

He was again later in the period. McKenzie didn’t touch the puck, but was mostly responsible the goal.

The puck rolled free near the Red Wing blue line. McKenzie skated to it, then veered into Mathieu Dandenault. McInnis picked up the puck, burst into Detroit’s zone and fed Cullen, who slipped a shot past Wregget.

“Mac is just an unselfish player,” Cullen said. “A guy that size can free up a lot of room for other guys.”

Said McKenzie: “How many times am I going to beat a guy to the puck one-on-one? I want the other guy to hit me on those plays. I can use my body to protect the puck and create a scoring chance.”

Still, no assist?

“I told the guys I should have touched it to get the point,” McKenzie said. “But Marty said all I would have done was dump in the zone and we wouldn’t have scored. So maybe it’s best.”