Sandstrom Regaining His Touch

Tomas Sandstrom saw Teemu Selanne’s pass coming, reached back and flicked home the Ducks’ third goal Monday. It was his first since Nov. 8, the night he went down with a broken left wrist.

But it was simply a goal, not a statement that Sandstrom is 100%.

“It’s getting better every day, but it’s not perfect,” said Sandstrom, who missed 23 games. “It’s still pretty stiff.”

Sandstrom went to physical therapy after practice Tuesday, as he does on most days off.

“You have to remember he came back two or three weeks before we thought he would,” Selanne said. “You can see he’s getting to the net better and he’s reading the game a little better. The timing is almost back.”

Sandstrom had five goals in the 12 games before he was injured and was a big reason for the Ducks’ success in late October.

“He looked a lot fresher last night,” Coach Craig Hartsburg said. “You feel real good when you first get back from an injury. It’s the adrenaline. Then you have a drop-off. I think that happened to Tomas.”

Sandstrom certainly needed perfect timing to field Selanne’s pass. Selanne lifted his left leg and swung it while driving toward the net, then whipped the pass. “Michelle Kwan taught me that one,” Selanne said. “Sometimes goalies are a little too quick to drop down when it looks like I’m going to shoot.”

After a couple of seconds, Pittsburgh’s Tom Barrasso finally bit.

“When he raised his leg, I knew he was going to pass,” Sandstrom said. “That was a nice pass, but it was too hard for a guy with a bad hand.”

*

Left wing Jim McKenzie, out since suffering a gash under his right eye against Edmonton on Jan. 10, skated Tuesday but is not expected to play until after the all-star break.

“My goal is to be back [tonight],” McKenzie said. “But being out 10 days is a long time. You lose strength and sharpness.”

TONIGHT

vs. New Jersey

7:30 p.m.

* Site--Arrowhead Pond.

* Radio--KDIS (710).

* Records--Ducks 17-18-8, Devils 23-14-5.

* Record vs. Devils--0-0.

* Update--Coach Craig Hartsburg cannot stress enough the need to play well with two games left before the all-star break. “These are two huge games,” Hartsburg said. “We have three days off coming, so this is a chance to play with energy and emotion.” Defenseman Fredrik Olausson has scored 20 points in the last 16 games and has goals in the last five. The Devils have lost four of five after dropping a 3-1 decision at San Jose Monday. Center Jason Arnott rejoined the team after missing the San Jose game because of flu, but left wing Patrik Elias, who also has flu, remained home.