Veteran Carney Shows Vishnevski the Ropes

Mighty Duck defenseman Keith Carney has gone from pupil to tutor in his 12 seasons in the NHL.

He was a young defenseman in Buffalo and Chicago, where he learned from veteran players. At 31, he is being paired with 21-year-old Vitaly Vishnevski.

They made for a formidable duo Sunday, limiting Colorado’s top line, led by Joe Sakic, to few opportunities.

“For sure, I definitely like being used against the other team’s top lines,” said Carney, who was acquired from Phoenix in a trade June 19. “I look at it as a challenge. When you’re going against great offensive players, you have to be more focused.”

One reason the Ducks acquired Carney was his stay-at-home defense. The bonus is being able to pair him with Vishnevski, a vicious hitter who is still learning the ropes around the NHL.

“When I came up with Buffalo, I got a chance to play with Doug Bodger,” Carney said. “He was an older guy who was really steady. I went to Chicago and there was so much depth on defense that it enabled me to practice with players who showed me what it takes to play defense in the NHL. I’m happy to do that now for Vish.”

The Ducks have always envisioned Vishnevski, starting his third season in the NHL, as a top defenseman. He made a distinct impression on opponents when he was called up midway through the 1999-2000 season, as he leveled just about anyone who crossed the blue line.

But this is not just on-the-job training for him.

“We have a veteran and a young defenseman who needs to grow, but the two are also a good pair,” Coach Bryan Murray said. “The idea was to have a physical presence, just like Colorado had with [Rob] Blake and [Greg] DeVries. Keith can help Vish settle down and play.”

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The Ducks recalled center Andy McDonald from minor league affiliate Cincinnati to fill out their roster to the maximum of 23 players. McDonald had a goal and eight points in eight games with Cincinnati.... A sore back forced defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky to leave practice early Monday, so he could undergo treatment. Tverdovsky, who has played 301 consecutive games, is expected to play Wednesday against San Jose.