Ducks Get Lift in Many Ways

There are certainly few comparisons that can be made about the Mighty Ducks’ Paul Kariya and Jason Krog.

Both are Hobey Baker Award winners, given to the best player in college hockey. Both have proven they are big enough to play in the NHL. After that, the differences are about as big as the salary gap between the two. Yet, both were pushing the Ducks forward Sunday.

Kariya and Krog both scored in a 2-1 victory over the rapidly deteriorating Carolina Hurricanes. Goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere made those goals stand up, stopping 28 of 29 shots, in front of an announced 15,599 at the Arrowhead Pond.

Kariya and Giguere are expected to have these nights. Krog and others on his level are a large part of what has made the Ducks a more successful team this season, which Kariya made clear when asked to compare this team to the franchise’s only two playoff teams.

“We’re better defensively, better depth,” Kariya said. “We have a lot of guys chipping in goals. That was a huge one by Krogger tonight.”

Of course, there is nothing shocking about beating Carolina, which was a Stanley Cup finalist last season. The Hurricanes have been reduced to a drizzle, winning only two of their last 21 games.

The Duck victory was noteworthy for several reasons.

They are now 17-11 in one-goal games and 9-2-1 against the seven teams that are at the bottom of the NHL today. They are in the playoff race in February, sitting three points out of fifth place, after being reduced to also-ran status before Thanksgiving the last two seasons.

“We’re getting to see our guys in tough situations night in and night out and they are responding,” Coach Mike Babcock said.

The Ducks’ response was delayed a little Sunday, as the Hurricanes carried the play through much of the first period. Giguere, though, kept the game scoreless with some business-as-usual saves.

“I just expect Jiggy to play like that,” Babcock said. “Like I expect Paul Kariya, Steve Rucchin and Keith Carney to play like they play.”

Kariya got the Ducks over the hump after a slow start. He took a pass from Petr Sykora and neatly tucked a back-hander between goalie Kevin Weekes and the near post for a 1-0 lead 9:40 into the second period.

Yet the barometer doesn’t rise from the top. The Ducks expected goals from Kariya.

Krog comes under the heading of role player. When Krog took on Carolina’s Ron Francis, checking and stripping him of the puck during a second-period power play, it was another little noticed example of his handiwork.

In the past, the Ducks tried to fill those roles with players such as Timo Parssinen and Jonas Ronnqvist. Krog is a move to a better neighborhood.

He demonstrated that again Sunday while the Ducks killed a penalty. Samuel Pahlsson intercepted a pass at the Duck blue line and fed Krog at center ice for a breakaway. Krog’s first shot was stopped by Weekes, but he banged in the rebound for a 2-0 lead 15:42 into the second period.

“I wanted to deke him, but the puck started rolling, so I just shot,” said Krog, who signed as a free agent last summer. “The puck came right back to me and I just tried to put it upstairs.”

Krog, who is a bull-like 5 feet 11 and 189 pounds, has seven goals and 18 points since being recalled from minor-league Cincinnati. His presence has absorbed the loss of Andy McDonald, who is out because of a concussion. He had three assists in a 3-2 victory over Phoenix on Friday.

Krog’s goal became even more vital when Carolina’s Jeff O’Neill flicked a shot using one hand on his stick with defenseman Kurt Sauer playing him close. Giguere, screened by two players, never saw the puck and the Hurricanes were within a goal with six minutes left.