Haller’s Mistake Proves Costly to Ducks

Kevin Haller fessed up. My bad, he said after the Mighty Ducks’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers here Saturday night.

Haller, who fits neatly into the profile of a “Steady Eddie” defenseman, got carried away for a moment in his first experience under the NHL’s new four-on-four overtime format.

It cost the Ducks the game.

Perhaps next time, Haller won’t be so eager to fire a long-range shot on net. He will probably drop the puck into one corner or the other and let his more skillful teammates try to make something happen.

Saturday, Haller’s overtime shot from the left point was blocked into the neutral zone by Florida’s speedy center Ray Whitney.

Haller then compounded the mistake by tripping Whitney, who raced around him and was headed for a breakaway on goalie Guy Hebert only 46 seconds into the five-minute extra period.

Thirty-eight seconds later, defenseman Jaroslav Spacek rocketed a one-timer from the right face-off circle over Hebert’s shoulder for the game-winning goal for Florida.

The Ducks still earned a point for forcing overtime, another new wrinkle this season. But the loss left them feeling sour, and no one more so than Haller.

“I made a bad decision,” he said. “I shouldn’t have shot the puck. I should have just pushed it into the corner. You’ve got to be smart. You’re supposed to think more offensively in overtime, but you still want to be smart.”

Of dumping Whitney in the neutral zone, Haller said, “He was getting away from me. I tried to be careful. I had to give him a little hook [to slow Whitney down]. I tried to be careful, but he was pretty light on his skates.”

The announced crowd of 14,854 at the National Car Rental Center screamed for a penalty shot, but didn’t get one from referee Kevin Maguire. The fans roared again moments later, when Spacek scored his first goal of the season.

“There were a lot of highs and lows tonight,” Haller said.

Losing was a low, to be sure. But the Ducks’ second consecutive lackluster start also played a part in their inability to rally for a victory.

And the Duck power play went scoreless on five chances with the man advantage, including three in the third period. Haller’s misplay in overtime merely sealed the deal.

However, the Ducks were not a lost cause Saturday. After falling behind, 1-0, on Mark Parrish’s goal only 1:03 into the game and after trailing, 2-1, to start the third, the Ducks rallied.

Center Steve Rucchin lifted a backhander over Florida goalie Trevor Kidd for the tying goal at 13:44 of the final period. The Ducks’ confidence soared.

“We really thought we were going to win the game,” Haller said.

The Ducks swarmed Kidd, but could not produce the go-ahead goal and the game went to overtime tied, 2-2. Coach Craig Hartsburg started overtime with wingers Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne and defensemen Pavel Trnka and Oleg Tverdovsky on the ice. He then went to Rucchin and Marty McInnis with Haller and Jason Marshall on defense.

“For us to take a penalty in that situation . . . there are things you just shouldn’t do,” Hartsburg said. “At that time of the game, we’ve got to be smarter.”

However, Hartsburg also praised the Ducks for their standout play in the third period. After all, this was their third game in four nights and their fatigue showed often in the first two periods.

“All in all, after the start we had, getting a point here was pretty impressive,” Hartsburg said. “This is a pretty good hockey team, Florida. We dug deep and found some energy and battled them.

“Certainly, it gave us a chance to win.”

Overtime seemed promising, but it was over in a flash for the Ducks. At game’s end, a reporter asked Kariya for his impressions of the new four-on-four overtime format.

“Well, it was pretty short tonight so. . . .,” Kariya said, managing a faint smile.

The Ducks’ longest trip of the season continues Tuesday against the Washington Capitals. The fifth and final game of the trip is Thursday at Chicago.