Tverdovsky Sticks With It

It took a while, but blood was finally spilled in the Mighty Duck-Phoenix Coyote exhibition Saturday afternoon at America West Arena. Unlike past incidents, no one cried foul.

Phoenix captain Keith Tkachuk clipped Duck defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky in the face with a high stick, opening a cut that required 11 stitches.

“That was a total accident,” Tkachuk said of the play, which resulted in a double high-sticking penalty at the 18:46 mark of the third period.

“I agree,” Tverdovsky said after the Ducks’ 4-3 victory before an announced crowd of 12,199. “Total accident.”

Saturday’s game was one of the tamer games between the teams. There was very little taunting back and forth and only one fight--Phoenix’s Rick Tocchet besting Duck Jeff Nielsen in a third-period rumble.

Last season during an exhibition in Phoenix, Duck defenseman Ruslan Salei tripped Coyote center Daniel Briere, giving him a concussion. Salei received a five-game suspension, but the Coyotes were still angry.

Tverdovsky admitted to feeling a bit nervous in his return to Phoenix, where he played for two seasons after the franchise moved from Winnipeg.

There were a few boos directed at Tverdovsky, but nothing like what he used to hear from the Anaheim fans after the 1996 trade from the Ducks to Winnipeg.

“Boos?” he asked. “I don’t get it. Why? Do they boo everybody who gets traded?”

*

Center Matt Cullen scored two goals, left wing Marty McInnis had one and left wing Mike Leclerc added the game-winner at 16:14 of the final period for the Ducks (3-3-1 in exhibition play).

Goalie Guy Hebert, left wing Paul Kariya, defenseman Fredrik Olausson, center Steve Rucchin and right wing Teemu Selanne did not play for the Ducks.

“We had a lot of money sitting out of the lineup,” Coach Craig Hartsburg said.

Tkachuk, left wing Greg Adams and center Juha Ylonen scored for the Coyotes (1-4-2).