Goalie McKee Expands Horizons

Although goaltender David McKee hasn’t gotten into a game and has merely been a practice target since the Ducks signed him as a free agent out of Cornell University, the 22-year-old Texan has been busy.

McKee was invited to join Team USA at the world championships last week in Riga, Latvia, and arrived in time to serve as the third goaltender for two games. Team USA was eliminated by Sweden in the quarterfinals Wednesday and McKee was back in Southern California at 3 a.m. Friday, barely six hours before the Ducks’ morning skate at the Arrowhead Pond.

He didn’t know what day or time it was by the time he got off the ice Friday, but he knew the trip had been worthwhile.

“It was a great experience. I feel very privileged to be a part of it,” he said. “It’s something I always dreamed of doing. I didn’t dress, but being around the guys and being a part of the organization there was really awesome. Hopefully, I’ll be a part of it again. I’d love to go back. I think it’s Moscow next year.”

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Goaltenders are not too fond of Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Smyth. Just ask the Ducks’ Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

Smyth has scored many of his 234 career goals just outside the crease where he often makes life difficult for opposing goalies by blocking their view or using his stick to prod them into losing their cool.

Giguere knows all about Smyth’s tactics. It was Giguere who repeatedly charged after the veteran left wing during the third period of a Jan. 25 game at the Pond, where the Oilers scored four times in the period for a 6-3 victory.

“We just got to make sure to try to keep our composure with him because he’ll try to get under our skin,” Giguere said. “That’s just the type of guy he is. I think if we keep our composure and stay out of the [penalty] box, then maybe we’ll take away part of their game a little bit.

“No matter what, he’ll be in front of the goalie. That’s just what he does.”

Defenseman Sean O’Donnell rates Smyth with Detroit’s Tomas Holmstrom as the best in the league at screening goaltenders.

“They’re not real big guys, but they’re strong on their skates,” O’Donnell said. “Very balanced. When they’re there, they’re kind of like pests.”

O’Donnell says it is tougher for defensemen to deny players such as Smyth that space in front of the net because of the crackdown on obstruction.

“Before, you could kind of pound on the guy in the back,” he said. “Now you can’t do anything. You want to be careful not to stand beside him so all of a sudden [the goalie] is double-screened.”

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Anaheim is the only franchise with teams left in the NHL and American Hockey League playoffs. The Portland Pirates, their minor-league affiliate, will play Game 3 of their AHL Eastern Conference final series today against the Hershey Bears, trailing two games to none.

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Defenseman Brett Skinner was recalled by the Ducks from the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, whom he was loaned to after coming over from the Vancouver Canucks in the Keith Carney trade.

Skinner had four goals and 21 assists in 65 games with the Moose in the regular season and four assists in 13 playoff games before they were eliminated.