Praise Saved for Goalies

This was more a public apology to Mighty Duck goaltenders than a post-game interview.

Duck captain Steve Rucchin was peeling off equipment and reeling off a stream of thought after a 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. Everyone, he said, was to blame, except goalies Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Martin Gerber.

“I feel really bad for them,” Rucchin said. “If we played as hard as they do every night, we’d win every game.”

Gerber was the victim of this particular goaltender abandonment. He stopped a career-high 41 shots -- 21 in the third period -- and was saddled with a loss when he gave up a goal with 20 seconds left.

There have been 11 games this season in which he has given up two or fewer goals and not received a victory. The Ducks are 0-8-3 in those games.

Giguere, whose early-season problems have been well documented, has also suffered from lack of support.

He has a 9-10-2 record since the All-Star break, but in four of those losses and two ties, he gave up two or fewer goals.

Asked about the lack of production Gerber receives, Coach Mike Babcock snorted a laugh and said, “He did his job.”

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Defenseman Lance Ward, who has missed two games because of a lower-back injury, said that the problem had been treated.

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Jenice Ward, Ward’s wife, gave birth to the couple’s second child. Jackson Ward was born Monday. Mother and son are doing fine.