Former King Loach Finally Impresses the Ducks Enough to Get Called Up

Lonnie Loach, who was taken from the Kings by the Mighty Ducks in the expansion draft last June but has spent the entire season in the minor leagues, was called up by the Ducks Monday.

Loach, 25, scored 10 goals in 50 games with the Kings last season but didn’t make the Ducks’ squad at the end of training camp. He was assigned to San Diego of the International League.

Until now, even his prolific minor league scoring pace--32 goals and 36 assists in 55 games--had been unable to earn him a spot with the Ducks, but General Manager Jack Ferreira saw him score four goals against a visiting Central Red Army team Saturday.

“He played very, very well,” Ferreira said. “I was just thinking about it and debating it and I just decided he deserves a shot. . . . He scored four goals and they were really good goals. They weren’t just tap-ins, they were sniper-type goals.”