Rivalry Renews on, Off the Ice

Kings and Mighty Ducks? Well, it’s hardly UCLA and USC, but, then, it’s a lot more intense than a Laker-Clipper game.

The Ducks play host to the Kings at the Arrowhead Pond tonight, the first time the two teams have played this season. They will play five more times.

“It’s never just another game against the Kings,” Duck goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere said after Monday’s 2-2 tie with Dallas. “There’s always a lot of atmosphere in the stands, and I think there is always a little extra energy in the rink. Everybody should be looking forward to playing those guys and trying to stick it to them.”

The Ducks did that in a key game last season. They blew a 3-0 first-period lead, then rallied to win, 6-5, on Petr Sykora’s third-period goal. It has been billed as the “night the Ducks took back the Pond” by the Duck marketing department.

“The best thing for Southern California hockey is if both these teams make the playoffs and then play in the playoffs,” Duck Coach Mike Babcock said.

That doesn’t seem possible midway through this season. The Ducks are 13th in the Western Conference and the Kings, after early-season success, are on an eight-game winless streak.

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It was two days before Christmas, a time when malls and outlets were swamped with the hustle and bustle of feverish retail sales.

For King forward Ian Laperriere, it was a busy day for markedly different reasons. He woke up that morning without any of the dizziness he had felt almost daily since suffering a concussion Nov. 19 against the Nashville Predators.

Laperriere, who played three more games before telling team officials of his symptoms, has been out since Nov. 25, although he could return tonight against the Mighty Ducks. He has practiced with the team for more than a week and has reconnected with his physical style of play without any symptoms. How he fares in a game situation is the next logical step.

“I’ve been hitting and bumping in practice, but it’s not the same intensity as a game,” Laperriere said. “We’ll see [tonight]. I’m anxious to go out there and do my thing.”

King Coach Andy Murray said he would decide this morning on a final lineup for tonight. Those who won’t be playing are goaltender Roman Cechmanek (bruised hip), who practiced Tuesday but still needs to work on his timing, and defenseman Aaron Miller (pinched nerve), who is “marginally better” but not ready to resume skating, Murray said.

Murray will also decide whether team antagonist Sean Avery plays against the Mighty Ducks. Avery was benched for Saturday’s game against the Dallas Stars after forking over a nine-minute power play three days before against the Phoenix Coyotes, and subsequently telling reporters the Kings weren’t “team tough.”

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Defenseman Keith Carney and forward Rob Niedermayer sat out Tuesday’s Duck practice, a day off to rest, according to Babcock.

Carney hobbled off the ice after blocking a shot with his right foot Monday. He returned and played but was sore Tuesday. Niedermayer was undergoing treatment on a groin injury that forced him to miss 12 games.

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Martian Gerber? Duck backup goalie Martin Gerber will be seen on a Discovery Channel feature Tuesday. The subject? The science of playing goal.

The film crew was in Southern California for two stories, filming Gerber and Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory about the Mars landing.

On why he was selected for the show, Gerber smiled and said, “Because I have class.”

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TONIGHT

Kings at Ducks, 7:30,

Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- Arrowhead Pond.

Radio -- XPRS (1090), KSPN (710).

Records -- Ducks 13-17-5-5, Kings 16-13-6-4.

Series record (2002-03) -- 2-2-1.

Update -- The Kings are stuck in an eight-game winless streak (0-2-5-1) because of struggles on offense and defense. The Kings have given up four or more goals in five of their last eight games, and they have been shut out in two of their last five. Giguere has given up only 13 goals in his last seven games. Steve Rucchin ended an 18-game goal-less streak Monday against Dallas.

Tickets -- (877) 945-3946.