Kariya Is Already in Olympic Spirit

One failed shootout apparently hasn’t soured Paul Kariya on the Olympics, although he believes there are better ways to settle ties at the end of regulation.

Despite losing the gold-medal game in a shootout to Sweden, Kariya calls the 1994 Lillehammer Games one of the highlights of his career. He can’t wait to get to Nagano next month.

“We were never expected to get that far,” Kariya said of Team Canada’s performance in Norway. “We were seeded fifth or sixth, so we did a good job to get that far.”

What stands out most of all?

“The opening ceremonies were awesome,” he said. “Just being around all the athletes from the other sports.”

And about that shootout, when he was stopped by Sweden goaltender Tommy Salo? Kariya said he doesn’t think of it often.

“I’ve been in that situation three times--once in the Olympics and twice in the World Championships and I’ve scored twice,” he said. “I’d rather see overtime, though. It’s a hockey game, not a skills competition.”

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Coach Pierre Page vowed to continue to experiment by playing seven defensemen instead of the usual six. He dressed only six for Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks, but said he will try seven tonight against the Calgary Flames.

“Seven defensemen has been good for us,” Page said. “It helps our goalies by having seven defensemen. It keeps you fresh.”

Page scratched Ruslan Salei to get down to six defensemen Tuesday.

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San Jose Shark left wing Tony Granato served the second of his two-game suspension Tuesday for high sticking and tripping Edmonton Oiler defenseman Dan McGillis on Jan. 23.

Granato was originally suspended one game. But Brian Burke, NHL director of hockey operations, added an additional game Tuesday afternoon.

TONIGHT vs. Calgary

* 7:30

* Fox Sports

West 2

Site--Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim.

Radio--KRLA 1110, KCKC 1350, KPLS 830.

Records--Ducks 17-26-9, Flames 13-28-10.

Record vs. Flames--2-1.

Update--The Ducks won the most recent game against Calgary, 5-1, Dec. 22 at the Pond. The teams also split overtime games at Calgary. Scott Young scored the game-winner Nov. 7 in a 4-3 Duck victory. Sandy McCarthy scored the game-winner for Calgary in a 3-2 victory Nov. 29. Duck right wing Teemu Selanne has five goals against the Flames this season. The Flames have lost four of five, but defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 5-2, Saturday. They are 2-6-2 in the last 10 games. Theoren Fleury, who had four assists in the victory over the Canucks, leads the Flames with 47 points (16 goals, 31 assists). Goaltender Rick Tabaracci is 5-2 with a 2.28 goals-against average in eight games against the Ducks.