Ducks Leave Little Doubt

That the Mighty Ducks are a better team than last season is beyond suspicion at this point. Sunday, it became official.

Many reasons for that rapid ascent were on display during a 4-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in front of an announced 15,053 at the RBC Center.

Adam Oates, Sandis Ozolinsh and Jason Krog, all new to the Ducks this season, scored goals. Paul Kariya also scored, assisted by another newcomer, Petr Sykora, who had two assists.

Martin Gerber, a 28-year-old rookie who spent last season in Sweden, made 28 saves, including many early when the Ducks were a bit sluggish, for his first NHL shutout.

Such performances got a four-game trip off to a good start. The Ducks lost, 6-2, to the New York Rangers at home Friday, flew across the country Saturday and handled the Hurricanes like the lower-echelon team they are this season ... and like the Ducks were last season.

The victory gave the Ducks 70 points, one more than in 2001-02, and leaves them 15 points shy of the franchise record.

“One more point than last season already?” defenseman Keith Carney said. “That’s a good position to be in.”

But one the Ducks hope will be improved on over the remainder of the season.

What was important to the Ducks was they were able to respond after the loss and prevent a losing streak. They did so in fine fashion, with their easiest victory since defeating Phoenix, 4-0, on Dec. 22.

The Ducks have had games decided by two goals or fewer in 24 of the last 25 games.

“Everyone was losing their hair because of those close games,” team captain Kariya said. “It was nice to relax a little in the third period and play hockey.”

Krog added the coup de grace with a wrist shot from the slot nine minutes into the period, which made Gerber seem to have an easier afternoon than he actually had. The Ducks have a team-record eight shutouts, seven by Jean-Sebastien Giguere and one by Gerber, whose 3-7-3 record is more than a bit deceiving, considering his 2.05 goals-against average.

“He’s no backup goalie,” Kariya said. “It was nice to get some goals for him.”

Ozolinsh, acquired in a Jan. 30 trade with Florida, charged in from the blue line and one-timed Sykora’s pass past goalie Kevin Weekes for a 3-0 lead 57 seconds into the third period.

That put the game beyond the Hurricanes’ abilities this season. Carolina has won two of its last 22 games.

Ozolinsh got the Ducks started in the first period. He pinched in from the blue line and fired a cross-ice pass to Oates, who had circled from behind the net. Oates tipped the puck in for a 1-0 lead 12:06 into the game.

“Those are goals we wouldn’t have scored before because we didn’t have a guy like him,” said Kariya, whose second-period goal ended a 0-for-23 streak for the Duck power play. “He’s going to be even better when he gets to know us more.”

Ozolinsh, who was brought in to provide more offense from the blue line, has three goals and seven points since the trade.

“His instincts are so good,” Coach Mike Babcock said. “He jumped up and intercepted the pass on that first one.

“Above everything else, he’s way better defensively than we were told he was. Other teams have wanted him to slow down. We want him to take the governor off the bus.”