Maybe, for a Change, Team Will Feel at Home in Opener

The Ducks hope to end a lengthy losing streak Friday when they open the season against the Minnesota Wild at the Arrowhead Pond. They haven’t won a season opener in seven years of existence.

In fact, the Ducks have never had a winning record through the first 10 games of a season. Their best start was 4-4-2 in 1997-98.

The Ducks have opened on the road the last six seasons. The Ducks play their first three games at home this season.

“The schedule is definitely in our favor this season,” goalie Guy Hebert said. “It’s tough when you have to wait in the dressing room while the home team gets introduced. You come out and the smoke still hasn’t cleared and start thinking, ‘Uh-oh, we’re in trouble.’ ”

The Ducks also have been without key players for openers, and will be again.

Center Steve Rucchin will be sidelined three more weeks because of a broken bone in his left hand.

Left wing Paul Kariya may sit out for the fourth time in seven season openers. His hearing regarding his suspension is pending, although Duck officials are expecting it to happen today.

Kariya was suspended Saturday after he received a slashing major and match penalty for what game officials said was an attempt to injure the Wild’s Aaron Gavey on Friday.

Kariya said that Gavey attempted to kick his feet out from under him. He acknowledged he deserved a minor penalty for slashing but was surprised at being given a match penalty. “It is ridiculous that this has even come to this,” Kariya said. “But there is nothing you can do about it now.”

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The Ducks trimmed their roster to 23 by reassigning defenseman Antti-Jussi Niemi to Cincinnati, the Ducks’ minor-league affiliate. He made it a difficult a decision.

“You prefer your young players get to play and develop,” Coach Craig Hartsburg said. “That isn’t something that can happen at this level. We also have to do what is good for the team.”

Niemi, 23, played in five exhibition games and hardly seemed out of his league. “The NHL is a little faster,” he said. “That is the thing I have to work on. I think I’m pretty close. I came here to make the team. I think about that all the time.”

The Ducks will start the season with eight defensemen.

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Rucchin skated Monday for the first time since his hand was injured Sept. 22 against the Kings. He worked out 20 minutes after practice and will undergo X-rays on Wednesday.

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Center German Titov flew to Moscow over the weekend after learning his father had died. He is expected to return to Anaheim today.