Ducks Win This War of Words

The Carolina Hurricanes torched the Mighty Ducks for 40 minutes Wednesday at the Arrowhead Pond, then Coach Craig Hartsburg blistered them during a short-but-to-the-point tirade.

The final scoring summary shows center Steve Rucchin had the game-winning goal 1:04 into overtime as the Ducks rallied for a 5-4 victory against the Hurricanes.

It also shows left wing Paul Kariya scored the game-tying goal with 1:07 left in regulation.

But there’s no mention of Hartsburg’s angry speech after the Ducks trudged to their dressing room down, 3-1, after two periods. At game’s end, Hartsburg wouldn’t even take credit for tearing into the Ducks.

“Not much,” Hartsburg said when asked what was said between periods.

The Ducks begged to differ, indicating they might not have won without his emotional display. After all, they stunk up the joint for 40 minutes.

They also were forced to play the final 10 minutes of regulation plus overtime without right wing Teemu Selanne, who suffered a strained muscle in his right thigh.

Selanne’s status is uncertain for Friday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.

“Craig came in here and read us the riot act between periods and we deserved it,” Kariya said.

Added Rucchin: “It was a side of him, hopefully, we don’t need to see much of again.”

The Ducks’ victory broke a five-game winless streak (0-2-3) that they seemed bent on extending to six games after two periods.

Selanne got the Duck comeback started, swiping the puck from Carolina defenseman Curtis Leschyshyn, then whistling a shot over goaltender Trevor Kidd’s left shoulder only 2:32 into the third period.

Left wing Jim McKenzie’s power-play goal enabled the Ducks to tie the score, 3-3, at 14:24. But at some point between the goals, Selanne suffered a thigh injury and did not return to the game.

Keith Primeau’s second goal of the game, at 16:55, gave the Hurricanes the lead again, 4-3. But Kariya rallied the Ducks one more time.

“I didn’t know where Teemu went,” Kariya said. “I thought he went to get his skate sharpened. As a line, we played awful the first two periods. It was time to pick it up.”

Kariya’s goal, on a rush to the front of the net from the right wing, broke a three-game drought without one. He and Selanne lead the Ducks with seven goals apiece.

“Just tried to drive to the net,” Kariya said. “I didn’t get a lot of wood on it. I was right there in front of the net. I was trying to put it [between Kidd’s legs], and I didn’t get a lot on it. But it went where I wanted it to go.

“That’s my job--to produce offensively. I wasn’t putting myself in a position to score. My shots were from the perimeter. They weren’t from in close. Part of that was because teams were playing well defensively against us.”

Rucchin’s goal was a bit lucky, but he accepted it happily.

Stationed near the right goal post, Rucchin redirected defenseman Fredrik Olausson’s shot from just inside the blue line past Kidd. Kariya picked up an assist for his 16th point in the last 10 games (six goals, 10 assists).

“It hit the shaft of my stick,” Rucchin said of his third goal this season. “I just thought, ‘Geez, why can’t that go in for me?’ And then all of a sudden, it was in the net.

“It was one of those lucky goals that went against us against Detroit.”

Memories of Brendan Shanahan’s game-winner while seated in the crease in the Red Wings’ 3-2 victory Sunday were evidently fresh in the minds of the Ducks.

It was difficult to know what troubled the Ducks more at the start Wednesday: the deflating loss to the Red Wings or the loss of right wing Tomas Sandstrom, who suffered a broken left wrist Sunday and will be out at least two months.

Selanne also was injured Sunday, suffering a bruised right foot when he blocked a shot from Detroit defenseman Larry Murphy. Selanne did not practice Tuesday and his status was questionable for Wednesday.