Shtalenkov Gets His Chance to Shine

Coach Pierre Page knocked the rust off backup goaltender Mikhail Shtalenkov and started him Thursday against the Pacific Division-leading Colorado Avalanche.

Page rested No. 1 goalie Guy Hebert, who faced 41 shots Wednesday in the Ducks’ 8-3 victory over the Florida Panthers.

Shtalenkov hadn’t started since Dec. 27 when he lasted all of one period of the Ducks’ 5-5 tie against the St. Louis Blues. Hebert started 11 consecutive games and the only action Shtalenkov saw in that span was a third-period relief appearance Jan. 7 against the Buffalo Sabres.

And the only reason Hebert didn’t finish that game was because he suffered a mild concussion when he was accidentally elbowed in the back of the head.

By game’s end Thursday, Shtalenkov fared as well as can be expected. He stopped 41 of 44 shots in his first victory since defeating the Calgary Flames, 5-1, Dec. 22.

“I think Mikhail really proved his worth to the team tonight,� center Steve Rucchin said. “He’s been in that position a lot for us. I don’t know how many times he’s come through like that.�

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General Manager Jack Ferreira, faced with grumbling in the dressing room for the first time in the Ducks’ five-season history, apparently has taken care of only half the problem.

Defenseman Bobby Dollas and forward Kevin Todd were two of the most vocal critics of the organization, and they are no longer with the Ducks.

Dollas was traded to the Edmonton Oilers and Todd was sent to the Long Beach Ice Dogs of the International Hockey League.

But an NHL source said there are at least two other players management would like to see stop their carping.

The source said winger Warren Rychel, who expressed his anger about being benched earlier this month, is not one of them.

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Team President Tony Tavares gave Ferreira and Page an endorsement earlier this week, saying the Ducks’ midseason slump had more to do with the way the team performed on the ice.

“I don’t think it’s a GM issue or a coaching issue,� Tavares said.

“We’re making mistakes we didn’t make a year ago.�

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Paul Kariya’s plus/minus rating of plus five against the Panthers is the highest in a game in the NHL this season. . . . Enforcer Brent Severyn sat out his fourth consecutive game because of a sore neck.