Slide Gets Slippery for Ducks

Between them, the Mighty Ducks and the Kings have won two of their last 25 games. It’s grim and only going to get worse, at least in Anaheim.

What’s intriguing is that the Kings, who have one victory in their last 15 games and have lost a staggering number of players to injury, remain in the West playoff race with a roster barely above American Hockey League-caliber. The Ducks, with more raw talent and fewer injuries, have won only once in their last 10 games and are on the brink of playoff oblivion after a 5-1 loss to Calgary on Monday at the Arrowhead Pond.

It no longer matters that the Ducks outplay opponents for a period or a game or dominate the subjective category of scoring chances, as they did Monday. The Flames were thoroughly outplayed in the early stages but got good goaltending from Roman Turek and threw the puck off enough legs and sticks to rally for a precious road victory. They know the Stanley Cup isn’t awarded to the team with the most scoring chances but the most heart and resilience.

“They got better,” Duck Coach Mike Babcock said, “and we got discouraged.”

Too easily discouraged, maybe.

The Kings have adopted a grinding, gritty style that makes opponents pay a stiff price; they earned a point in 11 games of their 14-game winless streak and stayed in contention. The Ducks still think of themselves as a skillful team and rely on finesse, but that’s not working.

Sergei Fedorov appears to be a better complementary player than leader. Vaclav Prospal can’t skate, and if he’s not scoring -- one goal in 18 games -- he’s a liability. Steve Rucchin and Rob Niedermayer, big bodies who played big minutes in the Ducks’ run to the Cup final last spring, remain hobbled by injuries. Only in the last week or two has Rucchin been able to push off with any power. Keith Carney, the engine on defense, is banged up and limping.

“It seems like we’re getting it going and then we have a game like today,” Niedermayer said, shaking his head. “It’s frustrating.... We know we have to get going now. There’s no other way to put it.”

Going, going ... gone? Remember, the Kings went to finals in 1993 and missed the playoffs the next season with a roster that included Wayne Gretzky. There’s no Gretzky on the Ducks. And no more reason to be encouraged by scoring chances.

They’re Plan B

The Long Beach Ice Dogs aren’t rooting for the next NHL season to be postponed or canceled by a lockout. But in case the NHL is paralyzed by a labor dispute, they’ll be ready to fill the void in Southern California.

“There’s enough hockey fans out here that need hockey, and we may be their only option,” said Anthony Soares, the club’s president. “Hopefully for hockey everything gets worked out, but we’ve got to be prepared come October.”

The Ice Dogs’ attendance has dipped below 3,000 fans a game at the Long Beach Arena, a drop Soares attributed to the team’s switch from the International Hockey League to the West Coast Hockey League and, before this season, to the East Coast Hockey League. He also acknowledged it’s difficult for a small-budget team to establish a presence among so many high-profile pro and college teams, but the Ice Dogs think there’s a niche for a low-price, family-oriented diversion. Ticket prices range from $9 to $17 and they offer off-ice amusements for kids.

“The Kings and Ducks, with their ticket prices, aren’t really our competition. We’re looking for the entertainment dollar for family outings,” said Soares, a native of Windsor, Canada, who practiced law there and in Orange County until he joined the Ice Dogs in 2000. “We think we have a good product. This is a good caliber of hockey. These players aren’t making big money. They’re playing because they love the game.”

The Next Generation

Alvaro Montoya of the victorious U.S. world junior team, a sophomore at Michigan, was rated the top goalie available in the June entry draft in midseason draft rankings issued by the NHL’s Central Scouting Service. Moscow Dynamo winger Alexander Ovechkin was rated the top European skater, and the top North American skater was center Kyle Chipchura of Prince Albert of the Western Hockey League.

Montoya, of Glenview, Ill., was voted the top goalie after the U.S. won the world junior title. He became the starter only after Jimmy Howard was injured shortly before the competition began.

The entry draft will be held June 26-27 at Raleigh, N.C.

Getting His Money’s Worth

Never shy, Jeremy Roenick didn’t hold back after being suspended a game for flinging a water bottle at referee Blaine Angus, who didn’t see Roenick get high-sticked in the mouth by a Buffalo player last week. Roenick lost one game’s pay, just over $91,000, but he went out fighting.

“Ninety-one thousand dollars for throwing a bottle is pretty excessive, don’t you think?” Roenick told the Delaware County (Pa.) Times. “I’m just surprised that you can get fined $91,000 for throwing a water bottle on the ice.

“It’s like fining [Commissioner] Gary Bettman $91,000 for throwing all those lies about the bargaining agreement coming up. He throws those around like they’re candy. The [players’ union] should fine him for those.”

He added, “Hey, if I don’t play again, I’ve had a pretty good career. I’ll live comfortably with my family and he’s still going to have to deal with a sputtering league. I’ve been here a long time. He’s not intimidating me. He can say anything he wants. All I know is 10 years ago this league was pretty good. When did he come into term?”

Roenick, who later apologized to Bettman, shouldn’t have thrown the water bottle at Angus, but his frustration was understandable. There are too many missed calls and the NHL went too quickly to the two-referee system for there to be enough good referees to go around.

Too often the bad ones pull the good ones down instead of rising to their superiors’ level. On-ice officials are reviewed throughout the season and assigned to work playoff games according to their rankings, but the reserve of competent officials isn’t big enough to fire the worst ones.

But hey, J.R., here’s a solution: You can become commissioner for a day!

Through March 1, fans in the U.S. and Canada can submit an essay at NHL.com or at team websites stating their qualifications to be their favorite team’s seventh man.

From the 30 team winners a panel of “experts” will choose the most dedicated fan, who will be commissioner for a day and drop the puck before a Stanley Cup finals game.

Just imagine what Roenick might do in the commissioner’s chair ...

Slap Shots

Happy retirement to Phil Housley, who jumped to the NHL from South St. Paul (Minn.) High in 1982 and had a distinguished career. A creative defenseman, he played in seven All-Star games and was the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, with 1,232 points in 1,495 games. After declining USA Hockey’s offer of a consultant’s job he said he might try coaching at the high school level in the Twin Cities. Here’s hoping he makes it back to the NHL as a coach.

Stars’ owner Tom Hicks told Dallas reporters that if his team isn’t in position to make a playoff run by the All-Star break, major changes will be made. “We need to find out do we have the ability to make the playoffs, go deep in the playoffs, and make a run at the Cup? If we can’t, then we need to start worrying about next year,” he said. Hicks already ordered price cuts in many season tickets for next season.

Mario Lemieux was riding an exercise bike within hours of undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left hip last week. He isn’t expected to return this season but issued a statement that said he doesn’t plan to retire. However, if there’s a lockout -- and no new negotiations are scheduled -- the decision could be made for him.

Chicago is fielding offers for Alexei Zhamnov, who’s earning $4.5 million and can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He’s a proven scorer and often brilliant, but his back problems make him a risk for any team that needs a first- or second-line center. He’d be a better depth move for an already strong team. San Jose and Ottawa are said to be interested.... Toronto’s Owen Nolan vowed he’d never wear a visor after he suffered an eye injury Jan. 3 but now says doctors might order him to wear one. Someday, the technology will improve and eliminate players’ excuses for not wearing the protective gear.... Florida’s signing of Donald Audette might be a good move, especially because Nathan Horton probably will sit out the rest of the season because of a torn rotator cuff. Audette was bought out by the Canadiens after scoring only three goals in 23 games and he probably would get more ice time for the Panthers, especially on the power play.... Bobby Hull, commissioner of the new World Hockey Assn., was in Detroit last week scouting potential franchise sites. The league plans to launch next season, but seeing will be believing.... It’s a playoff tradition for players to sprout facial hair, but the Flames are getting an early jump by holding a contest among themselves to grow the best beard. Could they be tempting fate, given that they’ve missed the playoffs the last seven seasons?