Knutsen Sticks It to Anaheim

The Ducks had no use for winger Espen Knutsen a few months into the 1997-98 season. He scored three goals and had a minus 10 plus/minus rating in 19 games before he was sent to Cincinnati of the American Hockey League.

A few weeks into what promised to be a short minor-league stint, Knutsen popped off to a Norwegian reporter about the shabby treatment he said he received from the organization and that was the end of him. Knutsen had particularly harsh words for Pierre Page, the Ducks’ coach at the time, and Jack Ferreira, the team’s general manager. He wondered if he would ever play in the NHL again.

Knutsen, a national hero in his native Norway, didn’t get another crack at playing in the NHL until the expansion Columbus Blue Jackets acquired him last summer from the Ducks for a fourth-round draft pick.

Think the Ducks could use him now?

Knutsen had two highlight-reel goals and an assist in the Blue Jackets’ 5-2 romp Sunday over the Ducks. Knutsen has 10 goals and 38 points in 53 games for Columbus.

“It was a little special,” he said of sticking it to the Ducks.

“When I was here, they didn’t want me. It was a big game for us, a big win. We worked harder than Anaheim tonight. I think that was the difference in the game.”

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Winger Petr Tenkrat, whose last goal was the overtime winner Jan. 3 against the Florida Panthers, was a healthy scratch for the first time Sunday. Tenkrat had only three assists in 21 games since scoring the winning goal against the Panthers.

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Right wing Teemu Selanne failed to record a shot on net in 21 minutes 31 seconds of ice time Sunday. He assisted on Paul Kariya’s power-play goal at 12:07 of the final period, extending his point streak to four games. He has three goals and five assists during the streak.