Defense Needs Boost in Carney’s Absence

There were no delusions from the Mighty Ducks about the significance of losing defenseman Keith Carney, who is out indefinitely with a chipped bone in his right hand.

There is a short list of players so vital to the team’s success. Paul Kariya, of course, tops that chart, but Carney isn’t too far behind. He is the a veteran defenseman, who is physical and smart.

Injuries accelerated the Ducks descent to the bottom of the Western Conference last season.

“I think we’re a much deeper team this season, especially on defense,” defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky said. “Obviously this will be hard. You can’t replace a guy like him.”

Carney was paired with Vitaly Vishnevski, a duo Coach Bryan Murray used against top lines. Murray had to juggle his defensive corps for Friday’s game against Detroit.

Vishnevski was paired with Niclas Havelid. Tverdovsky was teamed with Pavel Trnka, who replaced Carney in the lineup. Ruslan Salei and Jason York remained together.

“I hate to break up another defensive pair, but I’ve been told that Trnka and Oleg have played well together in the past,” Murray said.

Trnka has been a healthy scratch nine of the last 10 games. In five games this season, his plus-minus rating is minus-4. Carney is a team-high plus-4.

“This was the last thing I wanted to see happen,” Trnka said of the injury. “All I can do is go out and do my best.”

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Right wing Marty McInnis was back in the lineup after missing two games with a sprained right wrist. He returned to the Ducks’ second line with center Matt Cullen and left wing Mike Leclerc.

Dan Bylsma, who was playing on that line, centered the Ducks’ fourth one Wednesday, taking Marc Chouinard’s spot.