Tverdovsky’s Goal Helps Smooth Out Rough Spots

This one had all the ingredients for a disaster for the Mighty Ducks: an overmatched but scrappy opponent, a puny crowd and the first home game after a quick trip to the Midwest.

It’s nothing we haven’t already seen from the Ducks against a lesser foe this season. But there was an added, unexpected twist for the Ducks on Wednesday against the Calgary Flames at the Arrowhead Pond.

Goalie Guy Hebert fought the puck from start to finish, but his teammates bailed him out in rallying for a 6-5 overtime victory before an announced crowd of 12,956.

Oleg Tverdovsky made Hebert a winner, dancing through the Flames’ defense for the decisive goal 1:40 into the five-minute extra period.

With the teams skating four-on-four, Tverdovsky turned Calgary defenseman Darryl Shannon every which way but loose, moving the puck to his forehand, pulling it back, then skating into the clear.

Calgary goalie Fred Brathwaite, faked out of his socks, never had a chance to make a save and Tverdovsky tucked the puck into the open net for his eighth goal.

In the end, Hebert’s struggles were the only mark on an otherwise strong effort by the Ducks, particularly their first line of Teemu Selanne, Steve Rucchin and Paul Kariya.

Selanne had two assists for his 700th and 701st NHL points, extending his points streak to 12 consecutive games. Rucchin had perhaps his strongest game of the season, scoring twice and dominating play in front of the Calgary net. Kariya had a goal and four assists for his first five-point game this season.

The Ducks also scored twice on their power play, the ninth consecutive game in which they have scored at least once with the man advantage. Rucchin had one power-play goal and Fredrik Olausson the other, which tied the score, 5-5, with six minutes left in the third period.

Hebert couldn’t seem to keep the puck out of his net, giving up five goals for the second consecutive game. His lackluster performance underscored the Ducks’ slim margin for error.

The ninth-place Ducks are four points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Flames, who are 0-9-1 in their last 10, are in 10th.

Hebert, back in goal after Dominic Roussel started Monday’s 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, didn’t get much help on a strange first goal.

Clarke Wilm thrust his stick in the air after shooting a point-blank try off Hebert’s mask. Apparently, Wilm believed he had scored. Everyone else on the ice stopped in their tracks. Wilm then spied the puck lying in the crease and swatted it into the net at 8:26 of the first period.

Calgary’s second goal came while the Flames were on a power play early in the second period. Hebert mishandled Robyn Regehr’s shot from near the blue line, the puck bouncing in and out of his glove at 5:04.

Next, Hebert failed to cover a loose puck in front of him and Calgary’s Jarome Iginla alertly tapped it into the net to even the score, 3-3, at 17:02.

The hard-working Flames probably deserved better than what happened moments later, but taking penalties near the end of periods often comes back to haunt the offenders.

First Jason Wiemer then Wilm went to the penalty box in the period’s closing minutes. Calgary successfully killed off a high sticking penalty, but Wilm was penalized for holding a Duck’s stick with 41 seconds left in the period.

Rucchin scored the second of his two goals with 29 seconds left in the second period, which gave the Ducks a 4-3 lead entering the third. Rucchin, clogging up the front of Brathwaite’s net, redirected Olausson’s shot from near the blue line.

In the third period, Wiemer scored at the 33-second mark and at 9:28 to rally the Flames to a 5-4 lead. His first goal was a rocket off Hebert’s right shoulder. His second goal came while Duck defenseman Pavel Trnka served an interference penalty.

Hebert failed to handle a shot from the perimeter and Wiemer jabbed the rebound into the net.