Sawyer Rejoins Lineup to Help Enforce the Issue

The Mighty Ducks added a little punch to their lineup Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings, enforcer Kevin Sawyer.

Sawyer had played only once in seven games since serving a five-game suspension for his part in the Dec. 8 melee against Calgary. After that fight night with the Flames, the Ducks began to play better hockey, which made Coach Bryan Murray reluctant to tinker with the lineup.

“On a personal note, yeah it hurts not to play, but you have to put the team first,” Sawyer said. “Maybe right now, I don’t fit in as I did in the ‘pre-suspension’ days.”

Sawyer, who leads the NHL with 154 penalty minutes, was a perfect fit with the Ducks this season, stepping into the enforcer role with gusto. He has also been an effective player on the fourth line.

But Denny Lambert, Marc Chouinard and Dan Bylsma played well together after Sawyer’s suspension.

So Sawyer lost his spot, not for failing to do his job, but for doing it, when he ran into Flame goalie Mike Vernon in retaliation for the Flames tripping Duck goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

“Dan, Denny and Marc have been consistently one of our best lines,” Sawyer said. “You sure can’t change a good thing. It was just a weird situation. I feel I lost a little bit of momentum, but the team gained so much momentum.”

Sawyer skated on the fourth line with Chouinard and Lambert on Wednesday. Bylsma was moved up to the third line.

*

The Ducks have held their own against teams ahead of them. They have beaten the New York Rangers and San Jose, tied Boston and Colorado and played well twice in tough losses to Detroit.

But they seem to have problems against teams on their own lower level. They have lost three times to Columbus, twice to Tampa Bay and once to Florida.

A 3-3 record in those six games would have the Ducks in 10th place, four points behind Calgary for the eighth and final playoff spot.

Florida, which comes to the Arrowhead Pond tonight, smacked the Ducks, 6-0, Nov. 21, even without Pavel Bure.

TONIGHT

vs. Florida, 7:30

Site--Arrowhead Pond.

Radio--XTRA (690).

Records--Ducks 13-22-5-3, Panthers 12-21-3-3.

Record vs. Panthers--0-1.

Update--The Panthers are 6-5-1 since Mike Keenan took over as coach. Duck defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski is doubtful for tonight because of a sprained left ankle. He has missed five of the last six games because of injuries.

Tickets--(877) 945-3946.