Ducks Have Their Star Power Shut Off

CHICAGO — The improvements came in a small, measured increments here Sunday night. The Mighty Ducks still couldn’t put together the complete package, however, and lost a tight-checking game to the Chicago Blackhawks, 2-0.

The Ducks’ defense was sound enough. Their goaltending was sharp. They played with fire and emotion, met every physical challenge from the Blackhawks and seemed poised for something big.

It never happened.

Their power play was a bust, they failed to take advantage of several quality scoring chances in the first period and dozed off defensively late in the second period.

The result was Chicago’s first victory at the United Center since Nov. 6, which ended a rut at home that had reached 0-5-4.

Coach Pierre Page was not pleased, although he was less miffed than after the Ducks squandered a two-goal third-period lead in a 5-5 tie Saturday against St. Louis. Saturday, he did not speak to reporters after the game.

“They are determined to play good defense,” Page said of the Blackhawks. “They haven’t been scoring too many goals lately. They played the way we wanted to, the way we should have played against St. Louis. I was so damn angry after the St. Louis game.

“We’ve got to re-establish our priorities. I thought we had a good chance to do it against St. Louis, but we didn’t do it.”

Captain Paul Kariya, held without a point for the first time in seven games since returning from a 32-game absence because of a contract dispute, wasn’t as downcast as Page.

“I think things are coming together,” Kariya said. “We’ve got to find ourselves. Last year, everyone found their niche, their roles. We’ve got to get back to that. Our line didn’t do its job tonight.”

Kariya and linemate Teemu Selanne’s point streaks ended at six games. They also were on the ice for both of Chicago’s goals.

The Blackhawks did most of their best work against the Ducks after the whistle or behind the play. Since Chicago went into the game with the second-fewest goals in the NHL, it didn’t figure to come on end-to-end rushes.

The rough play was definitely not one-sided, but Blackhawk defenseman Chris Chelios was the difference. He spearheaded Chicago’s attack against Kariya just as he had against Selanne in the Blackhawks’ 4-0 victory Nov. 19 at the Pond.

“He likes ‘running’ me,” Kariya said, managing a faint smile after the game. “We were trying to do the same thing to him. We came after him too. I have great respect for him. He’s a great hockey player.”

Instead of making Chicago pay for Chelios’ repeated lapses of good judgment, the Ducks seemed to encourage it by failing on the ensuing power plays.

Plus, with Chelios spending so much time in the penalty box, the Blackhawks were without their best player. Chelios spent eight of the game’s first 22 minutes in the penalty box.

But the Ducks misfired on seven power-play opportunities by game’s end and the hits kept coming. Moments after Kariya stepped harmlessly away from a Chelios check along the boards early in the second period, a TV camera caught the Blackhawk defenseman on the bench.

It didn’t take a professional lip-reader to know that Chelios said, “I’ll get you, Paul.” Soon enough, he didn’t have to.

By late in the second period, the physical play seemed to take its toll on the Ducks. Goals by Dmitri Nabokov and Alex Zhamnov 2:56 apart were all the scoring Chicago needed.

The Blackhawks played strong defense in the third period and goalie Jeff Hackett had his second consecutive shutout against the Ducks. With Kariya muzzled by Chelios and the Duck power play ineffective, it almost looked easy.

“We just fell apart in the last five minutes of the second period,” winger Tomas Sandstrom said. “It was really tough give up two goals right before the end of the period.”