Ducks Win in Different Way

Funny. The Mighty Ducks keep finding new ways to win. It happened again Sunday, when they turned a so-so first period into a rousing romp through the defenseless Calgary Flames for a 6-3 victory before 16,144 at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

To be sure, it wasn’t as if the Ducks were terrible after 20 minutes, but they were down a goal and, in the past, that has often meant big trouble.

This time, the Ducks calmly regrouped at the intermission and buried the Flames under an avalanche of goals in the final 40 minutes to record their widest margin of victory this season.

Suddenly, the Ducks are 6-3-1-2 for a franchise-best 15 points after 12 games, trailing only the Phoenix Coyotes in the Pacific Division.

In the end, it wasn’t so much what they did to the luckless Flames, but how the Ducks accomplished it in winning their second consecutive game.

“One of the things I like about our team is that if we’re behind, we’re not panicking,” said captain Paul Kariya, one of six Ducks to score Sunday. “If we’re behind, we’re playing the same game. If we’re ahead, we’re playing the same game.”

Trailing after Jeff Cowan’s goal 5:51 into the game, the Ducks stayed patient, creating scoring chances without abandoning their steady forechecking style of play. When the opportunities came, they came in bunches and the Ducks’ persistence resulted in goals.

Tony Hrkac, on a beautiful move to his backhand to beat Mike Vernon, and Teemu Selanne, who sent a laser over Vernon’s left shoulder from the right wing, put the Ducks into the lead midway through the second period. When Calgary tied it at 2-all 36 seconds later on a pinball shot by Dave Lowry from behind the goal line off Guy Hebert’s right pad, the Ducks turned up the pressure instead of feeling sorry for themselves.

Steve Rucchin’s power-play goal with 2:47 left in the second period gave the Ducks the lead for good, 3-2. Kariya’s power-play goal, on a point-blank redirection of defenseman Niclas Havelid’s blue-line pass 42 seconds into the final period, got the Ducks rolling.

Tough guy Jim Cummins scored on a breakaway and defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski blasted his first goal of the season by Vernon for a 6-2 Duck lead. Calgary’s Jarome Iginla added a consolation power-play goal with 4:46 left.

“As the game went on, we showed a lot of confidence with the puck,” Coach Craig Hartsburg said. “We were hungrier in trying to get it back. The more this team has the puck, the better it’s going to be. It’s not complicated. If you don’t have the puck, go get it. If you have it, keep it.”

Time of possession was an issue in the Ducks’ losses last week to the Kings. They were outshot in each game and got thumped in the second of the home-and-home games, 6-2.

But in victories Friday against the Edmonton Oilers and Sunday against the Flames, the Ducks controlled play for long stretches in the second and third periods.

As in Friday’s game, the Ducks spread the wealth against the Flames. It was difficult to select one standout. All contributed, starting with Selanne and Kariya, who each had a goal and an assist. But there were plenty of others who also made key contributions.

For instance, Hebert made 22 saves, including several tough ones during the pivotal second period, and defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky picked up three assists. What’s more, the fourth line of Cummins, Hrkac and Dan Bylsma dominated their Calgary counterparts, outworking them and getting rewarded with Hrkac’s second-period goal that tied it at 1-all.

“Right now, our fourth line is winning games for us,” Hebert said. “They didn’t just play Calgary’s fourth line even, they scored some huge goals for us. We’ve really spread the scoring around. I don’t think it’s anything anybody expected. From my perspective, it’s outstanding.”