Stevens’ Hit on Kariya Lit a Fire

The Mighty Ducks and their management had a wide range of opinions about Paul Kariya’s being battered by New Jersey defenseman Scott Stevens Saturday.

Kariya had just made a pass and did not see Stevens coming. Stevens, known for his vicious hits, dropped Kariya with a shoulder.

“That was huge for us, for motivation,” said Duck defenseman Ruslan Salei, who had a few words for Stevens after the hit. “That made us really mad.”

That Kariya came back and scored a goal lessened the ire, some.

“He showed what kind of leader he is,” Salei said. “That was a real big impact.”

Duck management was less angry about the play.

“Scott Stevens, for the most part, has been a fair player and a tough player to play against,” Duck General Manager Bryan Murray said. “Paul had gotten rid of the puck and wasn’t looking. I saw one replay and it looked like Scott’s elbow was fairly tight to his side and Paul got blindsided.”

Andy Van Hellemond, NHL director of officiating, also said it was a clean hit.

“It was a nice hockey hit,” Van Hellemond said. “It took one second on the clock from the time he moved the puck until the time he was hit.”

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Petr Sykora, the Mighty Ducks’ resident expert on playing in a Game 7, was had few revelations about what awaits his team in New Jersey Monday night.

Sykora played for the Devils against Colorado in a Game 7, which they lost, in 2001. But he placed no importance on playing in the absolute last game of the season.

“The intensity will be no different than it was in Games 4-5-6,” Sykora said. “We have to stay calm and play like there is no difference. Everybody has had to travel. Everybody is tired. We just got to stick to our game.”

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Francois Allaire, the Ducks’ goaltending consultant, has had a huge impact on the team. In fact, team sources said he is the reason that goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere is in a Duck uniform.

The Ducks were searching to find an heir to Guy Hebert as the expansion draft approached in June 2000. Allaire submitted to team officials a list of goalies, with Giguere -- then Calgary property -- at the top. Allaire even lobbied heavily for Giguere, who had attended Allaire’s camps as a youth.

“I just gave them some names,” Allaire said, shrugging.

The Ducks acquired Giguere for a second-round draft pick, as the Flames needed to move him or lose him in the expansion draft.

Back under the tutelage Allaire, Giguere flourished.

“Francois has had the biggest effect on goaltending since the development of the goalie mask,” Atlanta scout Jack Ferreira said.

Allaire has been the Ducks’ goalie consultant for seven seasons. He runs goalie camps during the summer and has published a book about playing the position. Yet, he has been thrust into the spotlight because of Giguere’s playoff run.

“The important thing is to keep developing ideas,” Allaire said.