O’Donnell Sees Rival Forces

Sean O’Donnell has officially been on both sides this season and he has witnessed a development in the season series between the Mighty Ducks and the Phoenix Coyotes.

The two teams don’t like each other. Much like their physical game Nov. 22, the Ducks and Coyotes kept the penalty box occupied most of Saturday night by combining for 24 penalties.

To the 11-year veteran defenseman, a physical sort who made his Duck debut Saturday, a healthy dose of dislike isn’t all that bad.

“As long as no one gets injured, I think it’s good,” said O’Donnell, who fought with Todd Fedoruk in the November game. “Rivalries are good for hockey. Fans like it. Players like it.”

Now with his sixth team, O’Donnell came over in a trade from Phoenix for minor-league prospect Joel Perrault. Sliding into the same spot vacated by the departed Keith Carney, O’Donnell played 16 minutes nine seconds and helped kill off seven of eight Coyote power plays.

“The first period there, most of my shifts were 15 or 20 seconds,” O’Donnell said. “I just wanted to get on, get my feet wet, and then get off. As the game went on, later in the first and then in the second and third, I started to get more comfortable.”

The Ducks’ other major acquisition, left wing Jeff Friesen, had 9:23 of ice time after one full practice with his new team.

“We had two new guys in the lineup,” Duck Coach Randy Carlyle said. “Those are always situations where it’s not easy to put two new people in your lineup and expect them to do everything that everybody else has been doing for the better part of six months.”

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TODAY

vs. Phoenix, 5 p.m., FSNW2

Site -- Arrowhead Pond.

Radio -- 1090.

Records -- Ducks 30-20-12; Coyotes 29-31-4.

Record vs. Coyotes -- 5-0-1.

Update -- Forward Teemu Selanne was named alternate captain after the spot was vacated when Carney was traded.

Tickets -- (877) 945-3946.