Kariya Set to Play in Olympics

Mighty Duck captain Paul Kariya has his mind focused on tonight’s game against Calgary, but the moment he has waited for is close. Starting Friday, Kariya will play for Team Canada in the Olympics.

It has been eight years since Kariya, then an amateur, played in the Olympics. He missed the 1998 games because of a concussion.

“When I have played for Canada in the Olympics or World Championships or World Juniors, we always had the expectation that anything less than a gold is unacceptable,” Kariya said.

*

Defensemen Oleg Tverdovsky (Russia) and Ruslan Salei (Belarus) also will compete in the Olympics. In fact, they face each other Friday.

“All I can say, if they play Oleg on that team, that says everything,” Salei joked. “They are pretty weak.”

TONIGHT

Calgary, 7:30, Fox Sports Net 2

Site--Arrowhead Pond.

Radio--XTRA (690).

Records--Ducks 20-31-6-3, Flames 23-23-8-3.

Record vs. Flames--1-1.

Update--The Ducks went through a spirited practice Tuesday. “I just wanted them to know that this, like every other game, is important to us and holidays don’t start until after this one,” Coach Bryan Murray said.

Chris Foster