Ducks No Match for Montreal : Hockey: Ron Tugnutt makes 24 saves against his ex-Anaheim teammates as the Canadiens win, 5-2.

Ron Tugnutt and Guy Hebert were friendly partners when they were Coach Ron Wilson’s “No. 1 and 1-A� goaltending tandem for the Mighty Ducks.

Wednesday found them at opposite ends of the ice, each guarding a net of his own.

If Tugnutt, traded to the Montreal Canadiens 1 1/2 weeks ago, held a private hope that he could for one night make the Ducks look like they traded the wrong goaltender, he left satisfied.

He stopped 24 of 26 shots by his former teammates in a 5-2 Montreal victory before 17,174 at Anaheim Arena.

Tugnutt said he wouldn’t get too emotional about the game, but when it was over he pumped his arms much as he did in the Ducks’ first-ever victory against Edmonton in October.

“I wasn’t overly pumped up for the game, but I was ready,� Tugnutt said.

On the day of the trade, Tugnutt was disappointed. But he has gotten over it.

“I think things were working out very well here, and I didn’t see the need for a change,� he said. “Since then, I’ve settled down and know I have a chance to win a Stanley Cup.�

Hebert was shaky, giving up five goals, four of them on long-range shots. It was the third time in his four starts since Tugnutt was traded that he has given up at least four.

“I think Guy Hebert is a great goaltender,� Tugnutt said. He’s proved a lot this year with what he’s done. It was a hard battle for No. 1, and I think it really helped us both. I hope he doesn’t lose his edge now. Someone can always come up behind you. You have to stay sharp to be No. 1.�

The Ducks’ recent ploy of skipping the introduction of opponents’ starting lineups to allow more time for their pregame entertainment is one thing. But by neglecting to announce the Canadien starters with Tugnutt in the net 10 days after the popular goalie was traded, they took away the fans’ chance to welcome him back.

“There was a cheer just before the anthem, right after they put our lineup on the scoreboard,� Tugnutt said. “I sort of thought it was for me, and if it was, I thank the fans for doing it.�

It was also an emotion-charged game for the other half of the trade, center Stephan Lebeau. He wanted to beat his old teammates too, and he came whisker-close to scoring a goal in the third period when he tried to angle a shot past Tugnutt. The puck hit the inside edge of the left post before Tugnutt covered the loose puck.

Montreal got to Hebert early, when Vincent Damphousse’s power-play slap shot from near the blue line beat Hebert on the glove side at 5:23 of the first period.

Tugnutt’s old teammates didn’t let him have a shutout for long, though, with Peter Douris getting his own rebound to tie the score 1-1 at 11:21.

Montreal scored two more power-play goals--by Brian Bellows and Mathieu Schnieder.

The Canadiens led, 3-1, after two periods and 5-1 midway through the third, as Ed Ronan and John LeClair also scored. Patrik Carnback scored the Ducks’ other goal.

In what was probably a bit of an inside joke, Duck defenseman Sean Hill tried a length-of-the-ice shot at Tugnutt just before he went off for a change. Hill and the Ducks know “the book� some opponents have on Tugnutt is to catch him off balance with long shots--though it’s usually from the red line--not from the far end. In any case the shot did hit Tugnutt, but bounced harmlessly away.

Duck Notes

Six fans let it be known they are ready to see Canadian Olympic star Paul Kariya in a Duck uniform, standing and waving while wearing white T-shirts that spelled out K-A-R-I-Y-A one letter at a time. The last “A� was on the chest of a toddler in a man’s arms. Kariya probably won’t decide whether to join the Ducks or finish the season at the University of Maine until next week, according his family legal adviser, Don Baizley. The Ducks are believed to have offered Kariya, their top pick and the fourth overall last June, a contract worth slightly less than the four-year $3.45-million deal No. 3 pick Chris Gratton of Tampa Bay signed. However, the sides apparently are far apart. Kariya, 19, has the option of trying to help the troubled Black Bears repeat as NCAA champions, although their status is uncertain because of an academically ineligible player. Duck General Manager Jack Ferreira has not been optimistic Kariya will sign now. “I think he wants to come,� Ferreira said after speaking with Kariya Wednesday, but added the decision might come down to contract terms. If Kariya returns to school, the Ducks will still retain his rights for two years.