Tverdovsky Begins to Fulfill Promise

There seemed no way for defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky to live up to the expectations placed on him from the moment he was drafted. Then again, maybe they are not out of reach.

Tverdovsky has been vital to the Mighty Duck offense, and will be even more so now that Paul Kariya is out at least a week because of a bruised right foot. Tverdovsky has scored 19 points in the last 13 games, punctuating the streak with two as-good-as-they-get goals.

He danced around Calgary defenders for the game-winner in overtime Wednesday. He then turned San Jose goalie Steve Shields inside-out for a goal Friday.

“He does a good job of getting out of traffic, better than anybody we have,” Coach Craig Hartsburg said. “He can have two guys on him and find a way to out-skate them or turn quick and relieve the pressure.”

Tverdovsky had gone 35 games without a goal when he scored against San Jose on Jan. 22. Since then, he has been held without a point only twice in 13 games.

“I feel confident with the puck,” said Tverdovsky, the Ducks’ first-round pick in 1994. “I know if I make a mistake, I can rely on my skating to get back.

“I thought I could play in this league right away. I didn’t understand why people were telling me I had to learn this and that. The Russian league was good. I was the guy there. I came over here and expected the same thing right away. I hit the wall.”

Now he just hits the back of the net. He has nine goals and 38 points this season, ranking him eighth among defensemen in scoring.

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Left wing Stu Grimson, out 14 games because of a fractured left hand, will be available tonight. Left wing Marty McInnis, though, will not. McInnis, out 10 games because of a groin injury, skated again Sunday, but Hartsburg said he was not ready. He may return Wednesday against Vancouver.

Tonight vs. St. Louis, 6:30

Fox Sports Net 2, ESPN2

* Site--Arrowhead Pond.

* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Records--Ducks 25-26-9-1, St. Louis 37-15-6.

* Record vs. Blues--1-1.

* Update--The Ducks have scored at least one power-play goal in the last 10 games, one short of the team record. Teemu Selanne has a 13-game scoring streak, tops in the NHL. Ladislav Kohn will take Kariya’s spot on the Ducks’ top line. Blues’ defenseman Al MacInnis is expected to play tonight after sitting out three games because of back spasms.

* Tickets--(714) 740-2000.