No One Loses in Game of Bruises

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD

March 16, 2000 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

So, which team is going to the Stanley Cup playoffs? And which one is going fishing on April 10, a day after the regular season ends?

It sure was difficult at times to tell the difference between the Kings and Mighty Ducks on Wednesday at the Arrowhead Pond. In fact, there was no difference by game’s end and the teams tied, 2-2, before a sellout crowd of 17,174.

It was a game the ninth-place Ducks needed more than the fifth-place Kings, and Anaheim’s desperation was evident in the latter stages of the third period and during the five-minute overtime.

But the Ducks failed to score on a power play after King defenseman Sean O’Donnell hooked Ladislav Kohn to the ice 1:45 into the extra period.

The Ducks had their chances on the power play, but they couldn’t capitalize even after defenseman Garry Galley and Bryan Smolinski broke their sticks.

The Kings were forced to make do without right wing Ziggy Palffy, who left the ice after a hard check along the end boards from Duck rookie defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski 4:01 into the third period.

Palffy, in obvious pain, skated directly to dressing room. He suffered a sprained right shoulder and he will be evaluated further today, a team official said.

Vishnevski also delivered a punishing open-ice check to Kelly Buchberger moments later, another in a series of molar-rattling hits by players from both teams.

Each team claimed all sorts of small victories. Both teams got strong goaltending, although the Ducks tested Jamie Storr more often and especially in the final period.

By game’s end, the Ducks had outshot the Kings, 39-22, including 4-0 in overtime.

But Storr denied Antti Aalto with a blocker save with 7:45 left in the third period. Paul Kariya slammed a shot off Storr’s mask with 6:15 to go. Kohn put a shot just wide of the mark with 2:15 left.

In overtime, Storr made a glove save on defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky with about a minute left.

After two periods, the Ducks outshot the Kings, 23-17. But that was about the only distinct difference between the teams, who went to the third period tied, 2-2.

Buchberger and Nelson Emerson made their King debuts after Monday’s trade with the Atlanta Thrashers. Ed Ward, who gave Buchberger and Emerson a ride to the airport Tuesday, played his first game for the Ducks.

Buchberger and Emerson had joked with Ward on the way to the airport, telling him he ought to hang out with them until Tuesday’s noon PST trade deadline passed.

Of the three, Emerson had the biggest impact in the first two periods. He sent a couple of point-blank missiles on net during a second-period King power play.

But Duck goalie Guy Hebert denied him twice.

Hebert was back in goal after sitting out Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche because of an undisclosed injury. He was knocked woozy when teammate Kariya slammed into him during overtime of a 1-1 tie Saturday against the St. Louis Blues.

Hebert looked sharp from the start Wednesday, but was particularly sound during a couple of second-period flurries. Storr was just as solid after giving up power-play goals to Steve Rucchin and Tverdovsky in the first 8:53.

The Kings rallied on two goals by Smolinski, the second coming on a one-hopper from near the left point that skipped over Hebert 59 seconds into the second period.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

KINGS vs. DUCKS

HEAD TO HEAD

IN 1999-2000

RESULTS

Dec. 3 Tie, 1-1

Feb. 8 Ducks, 5-3

Wednesday Tie, 2-2

UPCOMING

Tuesday at Staples Center

April 1 at Staples Center

April 9 At Arrowhead Pond