Titov’s Two Goals Help Ducks to Overtime Victory

German Titov was the poster boy this week for all that was wrong with the Mighty Ducks. Fat and happy, self-satisfied, unable to live up to the expectations of a three-season, $4.6-million free agent contract--whatever.

Titov was none of those things in the Ducks’ 5-4 overtime victory Wednesday against the expansion Columbus Blue Jackets before an announced 11,630 at the Arrowhead Pond.

Titov didn’t win the game for the Ducks, but they certainly couldn’t have won without his two goals and one assist, his most productive game since Jan. 23 while with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Ducks played without two-thirds of their top line Wednesday, going without injured forwards Steve Rucchin (headaches) and Teemu Selanne (groin strain).

“This should really help Titov,” Coach Craig Hartsburg said. “He’s been taking a beating lately.”

Hartsburg was among those critical this week of Titov, who went into the game without a goal since a Nov. 4 tie against the Nashville Predators. What’s more, he had only two goals and five points in 25 games before Wednesday.

“It’s nice to see him break out of it tonight,” captain Paul Kariya said of Titov. “I think this game will really help him. German needs to be out there in offensive situations. He got more ice time tonight.”

Said Titov: “It’s my job to score goals. It’s a tough time for me right now.”

Despite Titov’s unexpected outburst, the Ducks had to work overtime in order to subdue the Blue Jackets. Columbus rallied from deficits of 2-1 and 4-3, forcing overtime when center Tyler Wright beat Duck goalie Guy Hebert with a long-range slap shot with 11 minutes left in regulation for a 4-4 tie.

Defenseman Niclas Havelid won it for the Ducks with a quick shot from the left faceoff circle over the right shoulder of Columbus goaltender Marc Denis 2:13 into overtime. It was Havelid’s second goal of the game and his fourth point.

Havelid also whipped a low shot from the left circle through Titov’s screen and past Denis to tie the score, 3-3, at 13:16 of the second period.

At first glance, it appeared the puck might have struck Titov’s stick on the way to the net, which would have given him a hat trick. But the official scorer stuck by his decision to credit Havelid with the goal, however.

Of the game-winner, Havelid said, “I just tried to hit the net. I knew there was traffic in front of the net and I was just hoping for a rebound.”

The victory was the Ducks’ second consecutive overtime win against an expansion team. The Ducks defeated the Minnesota Wild, 1-0, on Oleg Tverdovsky’s power-play goal Friday.

“It wasn’t pretty,” Havelid said of the Ducks’ victory Wednesday. “Getting two points is the most important thing. I thought in the second period we played pretty good, but they came back.

“They don’t give up nothing.”

Well, the Blue Jackets did give up Titov’s best game as a Duck.

Titov’s first goal happened a mere 10 seconds after Kariya’s goal while the Ducks were on a two-man advantage at 18:14 of the first period. Titov slipped behind the flatfooted Blue Jackets after Tony Hrkac won the ensuing faceoff, then faked Denis to the ice before depositing the puck into the opening net to give the Ducks a 2-1 lead.

Titov’s second goal gave the Ducks a 4-3 lead with 43 seconds left in the second period and was the result of a determined drive to the net. Kariya made the play happen by flicking a perfect centering pass by a diving Blue Jacket. Titov hammered the puck by Denis.

“He did a great job,” Hartsburg said of Titov.

Alex Selivanov, Espen Knutsen, Geoff Sanderson and Wright scored for the Blue Jackets, who hammered the Ducks, 5-2, Dec. 6 at Columbus. They drove Hebert from the game after scoring three goals on six shots.

Hebert gave up three goals on eight shots Wednesday, but came up big during several critical points in the third period.

Wright had the Blue Jackets’ best chance in overtime, but put his point-blank shot off Hebert’s right shoulder and over the crossbar.