Kariya Is Expected Back Tonight

Left wing Paul Kariya had a short conversation with Coach Craig Hartsburg near the end of Tuesday’s practice. Hartsburg then tapped his stick on Kariya’s leg.

You didn’t need to be a lip reader to know it meant Kariya had said he was fit enough to join the Duck lineup for tonight’s game against the New York Rangers.

“I’m ready to go,” said Kariya, who was sidelined for seven games because of a bruised right foot suffered after blocking a shot by Calgary defenseman Derek Morris on Feb. 16.

“He looks good to me,” right wing Teemu Selanne said. “It looks like he hasn’t missed any games.”

Added center Steve Rucchin: “We didn’t do too bad without him. But we’re fighting for a playoff spot and [Kariya’s return] is crucial for us.”

The Ducks went 3-3-1 without Kariya, but their top line struggled the last three games. Selanne and Rucchin were blanked in Sunday’s victory over Nashville and also in losses last week against Calgary and Vancouver. The Ducks have three goals in three games.

“It was difficult [to watch the games],” said Kariya, who leads the Ducks with 35 goals and 69 points. “Obviously, I would have liked to have been playing in the games. I tried not to get too wrapped up in them.”

Kariya will wear extra padding on his right skate to protect his injured foot, but he expects to play his normal game.

“I’ll have a little bit more protection, but I’m wearing the same skates,” said Kariya, who broke his right foot blocking a shot in the playoffs last season. “Especially at this time of the year, you can’t go out on tippy toes and try to avoid contact.”

The Ducks will need Kariya’s speed and smarts on their woeful penalty-killing unit, which ranks last in the NHL with a 78.9% success rate.

“Sometimes you do everything right and they still score,” Kariya said. “We haven’t had it working all year.”

TONIGHT

vs. New York Rangers

7:30, Channel 9

* Site--Arrowhead Pond.

* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Records--Ducks 28-29-10-1, Rangers 27-30-10-3.

* Record vs. Rangers (1998-99)--2-0.

* Update--The Ducks lead the all-time series against the Rangers, 7-2-1, including 5-0 at the Pond.

* Tickets--(714) 740-2000.