Ducks Offer Little Resistance

TAMPA, Fla. -- Mighty Duck center Steve Rucchin looked up the rink, spotted teammate Alexei Smirnov charging the net and fired a pass. Smirnov tipped the puck on net and Tampa Bay goalie Nikolai Khabibulin made the save.

Smirnov stood looking perplexed, not knowing that one minute into Tuesday’s game, the Ducks had reached their high-water mark.

From that moment, the Ducks plunged rapidly in a 2-0 loss in front of an announced 15,634 at the St. Pete Times Forum. The Lightning worked harder, hit harder and left the Ducks in a little harder position.

This becomes nothing more than a speed bump in a drive for the playoffs if the Ducks come back with a victory tonight against Florida. Another similar performance and they will have lost three of the last four games. Maybe it’s not a crossroad, but it is certainly an intersection.

“Everyone on this team has to be mentally prepared and physically prepared,” Rucchin said. “The games are going to get tougher and tougher and it’s up to every individual to be ready every night.”

That wasn’t the case Tuesday. Khabibulin made 24 saves for his third shutout this season, but the Ducks severely tested him only a few times.

“You have to give them credit,” Coach Mike Babcock said. “They came out and really skated, got good goaltending and took advantage of their chances.”

Yet, in saying that, the reality is the Ducks slipped back into seventh place, one point behind Minnesota. That is no reason to push the panic button, but it adds a little more pressure to tonight’s game.

The Ducks have not lost consecutive games since their four-game losing streak after stumbling out of the Christmas break, a span of 24 games.

“We just have to respond,” Babcock said. “You can be sure the guys watching this at home on television will be ready to go.”

Had the game been televised, Panther players would have seen the Lightning capitalize on Duck gaffes for two goals.

With the Ducks on their heels, the Lightning was ready for opportunities. The Lightning cashed one in when Vincent Lacavalier sent a cross-ice pass through the crease area. Defenseman Ruslan Salei had a great view of the play as Dave Andreychuk slipped behind him and tipped the puck in for a 1-0 lead 10:21 into the first period.

With time running out in the second period, defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski carried the puck on the rush with what seemed like a good chance. But Rucchin didn’t cover behind him and a moment later, the Lightning had a two-on-one break. Nikita Alexeev buried the shot for a 2-0 lead at 19:12.

The Ducks, meanwhile, could offer up blooper moments. Paul Kariya and Niclas Havelid converged on the puck with Khabibulin out of position in the second period. Their no-I-got-it moment will not be available on the team’s highlight video at the end of the season.

“I tried to call Nick off because I had a chance to pound the puck,” Kariya said. “He didn’t give it to me. We didn’t make a lot of tape-to-tape plays tonight.”

The Ducks played without left wing Mike Leclerc, who sat out for the second time in three games because of a sore knee. Leclerc, who had surgery on the knee in November, said he hoped to play tonight against Florida.

“I tweaked it pretty good the other day [against Carolina],” Leclerc said. “I can feel it pinch when I walk.”

His presence would have helped against the Lightning’s physical play.

“We tried to make too many cute plays,” Rucchin said. “We played right into their hands.”