York Catches Washington on the Rebound

Jason York burst into the zone, picked up a rebound and whipped the puck into an all-but-empty net Friday night. Welcome home.

York, under the microscope as the Mighty Ducks’ high-profile free agent this season, was a money player with the game-winning goal Friday night in a 2-1 victory over the Washington Capitals in front of an announced crowd of 16,219 at the Arrowhead Pond.

His burst of speed fulfilled some of the short-term requirements Coach Bryan Murray has this season.

“We have to work hard every night,” Murray said. “That’s important so other teams will respect us. We have to get this team on track and playing the right way.”

York returned to Anaheim with a three-year, $6-million contract this summer. He played for the Ducks for two seasons and came back billed as a defenseman with an offensive mind-set. He demonstrated those traits in the third period.

Keith Carney slipped a pass to Paul Kariya, who outskated everyone into the Capital zone, and got off a slap shot that goalie Olaf Kolzig deflected with his pad. The puck bounced right to York, who had kept pace with Kariya. He buried a shot before Kolzig could get off the ice to give the Ducks the lead with 5:03 to play.

The goal, York’s second this season, capped a hard-fought effort, the Ducks’ best this season.

Goalie Steve Shields was again sharp, stopping 28 of 29 shots. Steve Rucchin scored his first goal in nearly a year. And the Ducks started off a stretch where they play 12 of 14 games at home heading in the right direction.

The Ducks were 1-3 on their season-opening trip.

“We had a tough road trip record-wise,” forward Marty McInnis said. “We have to get things going now that we’re home.”

Of course, the Capitals were without Jaromir Jagr, one of the NHL’s premier players. Jagr, who injured his knee against the New York Rangers on Wednesday, has 11 goals and 22 points in 13 games against the Ducks during his career.

“I don’t want him to be hurt, but we’ll take that,” McInnis said. “But these things tend to even out over the course of the season.”

So far, the Ducks are two up in that area. They didn’t have to face Mario Lemieux when they played the Pittsburgh Penguins last Saturday and won, 4-2, their only victory on a 1-3 trip.

Rucchin continued his resurgence after a lost season in 2000-01. He won faceoffs, hit hard and made himself a nuisance in front of the net, which resulted in a goal.

With the Ducks on a power play, Mike Leclerc whipped a shot in the slot that Kolzig stopped. But Rucchin swooped in and chipped home a goal for a 1-0 lead 5:04 into the second period.

It was Rucchin’s first goal since Oct. 29, 2000 in a game against Calgary and was another indication that he has completely recovered from his injuries.

“I was worried whether I would be able to play at the level I once did,” Rucchin said. “That has been in the back of my mind.”

Rucchin sat out the first six games because of a broken hand last season. Colorado’s Ray Bourque shoved him into the path of the puck during a Nov. 15 game and he suffered a broken nose and cheekbone. He missed 10 games, played in two, then sat out the final 50 with what was discovered to be an inner ear infection, caused by the injuries.

His absence made the Ducks vulnerable.

“You lose a Steve Rucchin and you just don’t replace him with another player,” Murray said. “Maybe you can train a guy for a few years and he can grow into that role. Having Rooch back and healthy makes a big difference to this team.”

The Ducks’ lead lasted eight minutes. The Capitals buzzed the net, getting several good chances against Shields

Dmitri Khristich got off a point-blank shot that Shields deflected. But Peter Bondra outfought the Ducks’ Matt Cullen and Ruslan Salei for the rebound. He tipped a pass to Calle Johansson, who wristed a shot past Shields to tie the score 13:31 into the second period.