The Power-Play Unit Is Plugged In

The Ducks went into Friday’s game against the Phoenix Coyotes with the NHL’s sixth-best power play, converting on 35 of 181 chances (19.3%) with the man advantage.

That’s about where everyone in a Duck uniform believes they should be this season. In an era when goals are tough to come by, the Ducks have made the most of their power-play opportunities.

“One or two power plays every night can make a huge difference,” Teemu Selanne said. “We want to be in the top five in the league on the power play.”

Selanne believes having left wing Paul Kariya playing on the point like a defenseman helps the power-play unit’s effectiveness. Kariya rarely fails to get his shot through to the net, which often triggers a scramble in front for the rebound that produces a goal.

“It helps when there’s somebody who likes to shoot back there,” Selanne said of Kariya, who led the league with 214 shots on net going into Friday. “You don’t have to tell Paul to shoot. It also makes a little more room [for the forwards] at the goal line. You can’t give Paul too much room.”

Kariya has played the point periodically during his career, but he’s been stationed there for almost all of 1998-99. He believes there’s a simple explanation why the Ducks, who were 24th-ranked last season, have improved their power play.

“We’ve stuck with the same people in the same system,” Kariya said. “The power play is going to work when you know where the other guys are going to be. It’s like a trust builds up. . . . I think the power play is a big weapon for us.”