Rucchin Breaks Through

Center Steve Rucchin had a grand total of one goal in 17 games before scoring twice in the Ducks’ 4-3 victory Saturday against the Nashville Predators.

“No question I was frustrated,” Rucchin said. “I struggled. I wasn’t getting things done offensively. It got to a point where I figured I’ll do whatever it’s going to take to help the team. Definitely, this [his first two-goal game this season] is a big boost.”

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Victories over Nashville and Dallas gave the Ducks their fifth two-game winning streak this season. The Montreal Canadiens, a team the Ducks believe they should have defeated, stopped the last two streaks.

“We’ve got that dreaded two-game winning streak again,” Rucchin joked.

A victory Wednesday against Tampa Bay would give the Ducks their longest winning streak since a franchise-record seven-game streak last season.

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Center Matt Cullen on switching jersey numbers--dumping 11 for 17 this season: “I didn’t like 11. It was a bad-luck number.”

And we always thought 13 was the unlucky number.

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It hasn’t yet paid off in goals, but Coach Craig Hartsburg has tinkered with the power-play unit. Hartsburg moved Paul Kariya from the point to his more natural position down low. Defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky replaced Kariya at the point, joining Fredrik Olausson on the blue line. The Ducks have gone 0 for 13 in power plays in the last four games.

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With a season-high three assists Saturday, Tverdovsky has four goals and 15 points in 25 games.