Chance to Put Home Ice to Good Use

The Ducks, home from a 1-3 trip, are looking at a stretch where they’ll play 12 of their next 14 games at the Arrowhead Pond.

“There’s an old saying, ‘If you waltz in your own building, it will help you,”’ defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky said.

Maybe so. But the Ducks have Bryan Murray, not Arthur Murray, as coach.

“We’re trying not to have too many expectations,” Murray said. “We’re trying to get everyone to play hard and win as often as we can.”

And playing at home brings no guarantees for the Ducks. The Pond, traditionally, has not been a difficult place for opposing teams to visit.

In the last four seasons, the Ducks are 67-70-23-4 at home. Consider that the Detroit Red Wings are 107-38-16-7 in Joe Louis Arena during that same time.

Still, there are advantages to playing at home.

“On the road, you just want to survive,” Tverdovsky said. “All teams feel like that. At home, you can go after a team more.

“Being at home, in our own building, we have to take advantage of it. We have to put some points on the board.”

*

The Ducks sent left wing Timo Parssinen, defenseman Antti-Jussi Niemi and goalie Ilja Bryzgalov to Cincinnati, their minor league affiliate.

Right wing Jim Cummins, who has been out because of an infected ankle, could play tonight against Washington. Defenseman Niclas Havelid, who has been rehabilitating from knee surgery, was examined by team doctors Thursday and could play Sunday against Tampa Bay.

Goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who missed most of training camp because of a groin injury, will be the backup goalie tonight and could start Sunday.

TONIGHT

Vs. WASHINGTON, 7:30 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports Net 2

Radio--XTRA (690).

Site--Arrowhead Pond.

Records--Ducks 1-3-0-0; Capitals 2-1-0-0.

Record vs. Capitals--(2000-01) 1-1-0-0.

Update--The Capitals may be without Jaromir Jagr, who suffered a leg injury against the New York Rangers on Wednesday. Defenseman Brendan Witt may also miss the game, because of a knee injury. The Ducks’ Samuel Pahlsson is doubtful because of a sprained ankle. Capital Coach Ron Wilson is 5-3 against the Ducks since he was fired by them after the 1996-97 season.