Ducks Not Suited for Leading Role

Point taken.

Point lost.

Whether this was a turning point for the Mighty Ducks will be known shortly.

The short story is the Ducks ended a three-game losing streak with a 2-2 tie against Vancouver on Friday in front of an announced 11,287 at the Arrowhead Pond. The longer tale involved a flat start by the Ducks, followed by their letting a 2-1 lead slip away with about five minutes left in the third period.

So they settled for a point. Paul Kariya scored two goals. Steve Rucchin had two assists. The Ducks pressured goalie Dan Cloutier in overtime with six quality scoring chances. He turned them all away, except for Niclas Havelid’s shot that hit the post.

It wasn’t bad for the Ducks, especially with Colorado coming to town Sunday and a five-game trip following. After a 1-3 start, getting a point was a relief.

“The effort was better,” Coach Mike Babcock said. “But the third period showed how fragile we are as a team right now. We didn’t put our foot on the gas.”

Instead, Todd Bertuzzi came from behind the net and managed to bank a shot off goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, tying the score, 2-2, 14 minutes 54 seconds into the third period.

“I don’t know what happened,” Giguere said. “All I felt was the puck hit my pants. But we got a point. Now we have to try to do more.”

That was made clear by Babcock after the Ducks’ 4-2 loss to the Kings on Wednesday.

“For two years now, we have been out of it after 20 games,” Babcock said. “It’s amazing the pressure comes off you and everyone says, ‘Oh you finished strong.’ Well, everyone else is fighting for their life in the playoffs, you’re loose. We don’t want to be out of it after 20 games.”

Little seemed to have changed Friday, when the Ducks turned the puck over in their own end, which led to a Bertuzzi goal 1:46 into the game.

“Paul Kariya can’t come to my house every day and say, ‘Freddy get ready,’ ” defenseman Fredrik Olausson said. “It’s up to every individual to be prepared.”

That includes Kariya and Adam Oates, both of whom have struggled this season. Kariya had one goal and Oates one assist before Friday’s game.

“I’ve been pressing a little bit,” Kariya said. “I had a lot of quality scoring chances. With the new additions here, we wanted to get off to a good start. We didn’t get off to a good start. But the chances are there, so it will come.”

There seemed no better marriage than Kariya and Oates, who was signed as a free agent. Kariya, the deadly shot, Oates, the amazing passer, seemed offensive Ice Capades in the making. For now, though, a trial separation was needed.

“We wanted to alleviate the pressure on those two guys, so we separated them,” Babcock said.

Oates centered a line with Petr Sykora and Andy McDonald, while Steve Rucchin took Oates’ spot on the top line with Kariya and Mike Leclerc.

The move paid off. Kariya got the Ducks even with the help of Rucchin with 32 seconds left in the first period.

“Sometimes a little thing like change the lines is all it takes to light a fire,” Rucchin said. “It was a wake-up call.”

Rucchin set Kariya up again on a power play in the second period that gave the Ducks a 2-1 lead.