As Slick as Ducks Look, They Slip in New Jersey

Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne teased and tormented the New Jersey Devils here Wednesday night. Their stickhandling, passing, shooting and--above all else--their speed had the Devils scrambling from start to finish.

It’s what Mighty Duck fans have grown accustomed to seeing from the all-star wingers. But it was a rare treat for the announced crowd of 11,109 at the Continental Airlines Arena.

In the end, Kariya and Selanne could not deliver a third consecutive victory. The Devils proved in a 3-2 victory that they are one of the few NHL teams capable of withstanding the magic of Kariya and Selanne.

A bit of luck didn’t hurt either.

Defenseman Lyle Odelein’s goal at 12:34 of the third period enabled the Devils to take the lead for the first time Wednesday. Odelein’s point shot deflected off the skate of Duck center Steve Rucchin and past startled goaltender Guy Hebert.

It was a fortunate bounce, to be sure. But it wasn’t the last one to go the Devils’ way.

Kariya danced through the New Jersey defense with about a minute left in the game, heading straight at goalie Martin Brodeur. Kariya delivered his shot and raised his arms in celebration.

But the red light did not come on and the game was not tied and headed toward overtime. Somehow Brodeur managed to deflect the puck with his skate.

“I thought I had it,” Kariya said. “I let him have a chance to make the save. All I had to do was lift [the shot] and it was a goal.”

Kariya’s ill-fated charge was one of several that misfired for the Ducks. However, he did score the Ducks’ first goal (and his first of the season) on a deft deflection only 4:12 into the game.

By game’s end, Kariya had five shots on net and Selanne had six. Each one seemed to have tested Brodeur’s ability to the fullest. A lesser goaltender would have been well-beaten several times.

“Brodeur was unbelievable when he had to be,” Duck Coach Craig Hartsburg said. “Brodeur was the difference in the hockey game.”

The Ducks could have left for Tampa Bay and Friday’s game against the Lightning frustrated and angry about their loss. But all concerned seemed encouraged by their play.

After all, the Ducks lost twice to the Devils last season, including a 7-1 defeat on March 31 at New Jersey. Wednesday’s game featured solid counterpunching by both teams, and the Ducks thrived on that style. The Devils’ reliance on the mind-numbing, game-slowing neutral-zone trap is a thing of the past.

The Ducks led, 1-0, after Kariya’s goal. New Jersey countered with Bobby Holik’s fifth goal of the season on a power play 39 seconds into the second period.

Rucchin scored for a 2-1 Duck lead at 2:30. New Jersey’s Sergei Brylin then tied it, 2-2, at 3:57.

Selanne made a highlight-reel move moments before Brylin’s goal. Selanne slid the puck between the legs of Odelein, raced around him and delivered a missile that sailed just wide of the net.

Midway through the period, Duck winger Ted Donato’s wraparound try at the left post was snuffed by an alert Brodeur.

In the third period, only moments after Odelein’s go-ahead goal, Kariya broke free of the Devils on a two-on-one break with only defenseman Sheldon Souray back for New Jersey.

Souray played it smart, limiting Kariya’s options by denying a pass. Still, Kariya’s shot on Brodeur couldn’t be classified as easily handled.

Next, Selanne whistled a shot from the slot that seemed destined for the back of the net with 1:56 left. Brodeur calmly made the save, however.

“Everything is there for us right now,” Selanne said. “It’s just the goal-scoring that’s missing. We did a lot of good things tonight. We are playing really well. It’s a little bit frustrating that we couldn’t finish our chances. What are you going to do?”