Rucchin Leaves Game With Injured Ankle

Mighty Duck center Steve Rucchin missed most of the third period after blocking a shot during a Dallas Star power play Wednesday.

Rucchin took a puck off his left ankle and left the game. He tried to return, but fell on the ice as soon as he left the bench. Rucchin said that X-rays, taken during the third period, were negative.

“It’s just a bruise,” Rucchin said. “Sometimes you don’t feel those. Sometimes you get stung. It is really tender.”

Rucchin leaving a game with an injury is the cause of some concern. He is the Ducks’ top center, vital to the team’s play on both ends. He is also the Ducks’ best in the faceoff circle.

He has four goals and 11 points this season.

Rucchin missed 11 games because of an infected ankle during the 1999-2000 season, which was a reason the Ducks missed the playoffs. He missed 66 of 82 games because of injuries last season.

No further examination was planned, Rucchin said. The Ducks will not practice today, giving him a chance to rest.

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Jeff Friesen’s second-period goal ended a nine-game goal-less streak. He took six shots during the game, five in the second period.

“Hopefully, that will get it going,” said Friesen, who has six goals and nine points this season. “But the big thing for me is to learn how to take my game to the next level. The coaches have told me what I need to do better.”

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The Ducks went 4-7-1-0 in October, the third time in the last six seasons that they have not had a better than .500 record during the first month.

Of course, just how much that means can be judged by the fact that the last two times that the Ducks weren’t above .500 in October, they made the playoffs. The Ducks were 1-9-2 in 1996-97 and reached the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. They were 3-3-3 in 1998-99 and made the playoffs.