Carney’s Late Goal Lifts Ducks

A punchless Columbus Blue Jacket team without its dynamic scorer seemed like the ideal opponent for the Mighty Ducks on Friday night as they sought to rid themselves of the bitter taste of their lackluster home opener.

Nothing in the young season has come easy for the Ducks, who also didn’t have their offensive leader and whose habit of ill-timed penalties continued to haunt them. With Keith Carney’s help, they atoned for their mistakes in the end.

Carney’s slap shot sailed past Columbus goalie Pascal Leclaire with 2 minutes 36 seconds left in the third period and the Ducks, playing without center Sergei Fedorov and defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh, survived a late flurry by the Blue Jackets to post a 4-3 victory at the Arrowhead Pond.

The Ducks (2-1-1) were nearly burned by their propensity to take bad penalties, even against the NHL’s lowest-scoring team.

“We did them some favors tonight but for the first time all season we really came back and battled over 60 minutes,” said right wing Joffrey Lupul, who scored twice and assisted on Carney’s winner.

Columbus (1-4-0) had only seven goals going into the game and was playing without three injured regulars, including star forward Rick Nash, who is out because of a sprained ankle.

Nash’s absence didn’t make things any easier for the Ducks. After Ryan Getzlaf went off for interference at 15:12 of the third period, Jan Hrdina’s second goal of the night tied the score at 3-3. The Blue Jackets converted twice on four power-play chances in the period.

“We took too many penalties again,” Carney said. “We need to find a way to be more disciplined.”

Carney’s winner from 25 feet out came after Leclaire made a save on Rob Niedermayer.

“I was just in the right place at the right time,” Carney said. “The puck came out, there was an empty net and I just tried to hit the net as quick as possible.”

Shaking their pattern of second-period letdowns, the Ducks picked up their game in the middle and Travis Moen and Lupul found the net.

Lupul put in a rebound at 15:43 of the second for a 2-0 lead, and, after the Blue Jackets tied the score in the third, he fished the puck from under the leg pad of Leclaire and scored for his second two-goal game thus far.

“Lupul has been able to make a nice contribution and he’s earning ice time and making the most of his opportunities,” Duck Coach Randy Carlyle said.

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Fedorov sat out as his strained left groin flared up after practice Thursday, leaving his status in doubt for Sunday’s game at Minnesota.

“I can’t really predict anything,” he said. “I’m doing everything in my power to make it stronger and make it useful. I want to get back on the ice as soon as possible.”

Ozolinsh had flu symptoms but will join the team on its three-game trip.... Defenseman Jason Marshall suffered a broken nose after getting hit in the face on a shot by Blue Jacket Jaroslav Balastik in the first period. He is questionable for Sunday.