Selanne Expects to Play Against Rangers

Right wing Teemu Selanne vowed to play in Friday’s game against the New York Rangers. A groin injury kept him from playing Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Selanne skated through a light workout Wednesday morning but wasn’t fit enough to play, sitting out a game for the first time this season. He was injured in the third period of Sunday’s 1-0 loss to the Dallas Stars.

“There’s a huge difference between now and Sunday,” said Selanne, who has 11 goals and 27 points but hasn’t scored a goal in nine games.

“There are only a few things I can’t do. I’ll be ready for the next game, so that’s good news. I could have tried [Wednesday] and, if I pulled it again, it could be another two weeks.”

Selanne has suffered similar groin injuries several times over the last few seasons, so he knows the drill. He cut short Sunday’s game because he knew he would risk further injury if he tried to fight through the pain.

“I knew exactly what happened,” he said. “If I kept going and tried to push, it would be weeks before I could come back.”

Selanne also has been nursing a back injury for a couple of seasons, frequently wearing heavy ice packs after games.

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Center Steve Rucchin did not play Wednesday as the team tried to pinpoint the reason for his dizziness since he suffered a broken nose and cheekbone Nov. 15.

Rucchin played Sunday and in Friday’s 1-0 overtime victory against the Minnesota Wild but later complained of symptoms similar to post-concussion syndrome.

Rucchin said Friday he believed he suffered a concussion when Selanne’s deflected slap shot struck him in the face during the second period of the Ducks’ loss against the Colorado Avalanche.

The Ducks believe it could be sinus trouble.

“We’re still trying to figure out why he’s not feeling great on the ice,” Coach Craig Hartsburg said. “He’s taking tests. They’re looking at the sinuses and all that stuff--anything that could cause him to be lightheaded. Hopefully, we find a solution.”

Rucchin, who also missed the season’s first six games because of a broken left hand, has scored only three goals and eight points in 16 games.

“He’s become very frustrated,” Hartsburg said. “He hasn’t had a chance to contribute to the team.”

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Defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky, on the Ducks, who were mired in a 4-12-3-1 slump in their last 20 games before Wednesday:

“It’s like we don’t have our minds on winning right now. We’re trying not to lose games. Sometimes it seems we’re just satisfied to keep it close.”