Confident Lalime Returns

To say goaltender Patrick Lalime was a disappointment during training camp was to state the obvious. The Ducks were disappointed in him and he was disappointed in himself.

But Lalime didn’t pout when the Ducks assigned him to Kansas City of the International Hockey League to start the season.

However, he might have been forgiven for feeling left out because Kansas City is the San Jose Sharks’ top minor-league affiliate. But there were simply too many young goalies playing for Cincinnati of the American Hockey League, the Ducks’ minor-league affiliate.

“It was good for me,” said Lalime, recalled Wednesday by the Ducks after Guy Hebert came down with flu and couldn’t leave the house. “I could play a lot and get a lot of ice time. It wasn’t what I really expected, but I had to keep my head up and keep working.

“Now, I know I can do the job. It’s just a matter of getting a chance.”

Lalime had an 18-12 record with a 3.10 goals-against average in 32 games for Kansas City. It’s a good sign for Lalime, who made a great first impression by going 14-0-2 in his first 16 NHL starts with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1996-97.

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Left wing Jim McKenzie was sidelined for the fifth consecutive game because of a cut near his right eye. He said before Thursday’s game against the Phoenix Coyotes that he expects to be back in the lineup next Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche.