McDonald Getting His Break

How far Mighty Duck center Andy McDonald has come in a year can been judged by two goals ... his first one and his latest one.

McDonald scored his first NHL goal against the Kings on Dec. 3, 2000. He proceeded to take a tumble behind the net.

Unsure footing.

McDonald scored his most recent goal leading a two-on-one break, giving the Ducks a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames two weeks ago. He merely stood like a statue by the goal post.

Steady, confident.

That is what McDonald has become, given the chance. He takes a seven-game point streak--the longest by a Duck this season--into the post-Olympic stretch run.

McDonald has been one of the few bright spots in another Duck season on the blink. He centers the Ducks’ top line and ranks sixth in scoring among NHL rookies despite having played only about half the games. He has six goals and 25 points in 35 games and is the hottest rookie in the league this side of Atlanta’s Ilya Kovalchuk.

“Everyone develops at their own pace, but in less than a year, he is making confident plays,” said left wing Mike Leclerc, who skates on the line with McDonald. “Obviously, he’s a gifted playmaker and is crafty with the puck. He always makes the smart play. He finds the open guy or gets in the right spot.”

It has taken time for the Ducks to figure out the right spot for McDonald. Their scouting department has recommended drafting players like Jonas Ronnqvist and Timo Parssinen--both stuck at minor league Cincinnati--and McDonald was an after-thought, signing as a free agent in August 2000.

The Ducks weren’t alone. No one wanted McDonald even though he was a Hobey Baker award finalist at Colgate. Scouts were put off by his size, generously listed at 5 feet 10, 186 pounds.

This was a familiar fight for McDonald. He had an impressive training camp. Still, he was shipped back to Cincinnati. He was recalled to stay Dec. 2 and has thrived on the first line playing with Paul Kariya.

“I was guilty as anyone,” Duck Coach Bryan Murray said. “I didn’t think we needed another small player. But Andy does a good job of positioning himself so he doesn’t get knocked off the puck.

“He has proven he belongs in this league.”

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McDonald has proven his worth so much that Murray will leave him on the top line against Minnesota on Wednesday even though center Steve Rucchin returns to the lineup.

Rucchin, the Ducks’ top center the rare times he has been healthy the past two seasons, has missed 44 games because of a stress fracture in his left ankle. He underwent surgery to have screws placed in the ankle.

Murray said that Rucchin would likely skate with left wing Jeff Friesen and right wing Marty McInnis.

Rucchin left Monday’s practice early because of soreness in his ankle. But he said he would play Wednesday.