A Fit Kariya Returns to Form

If there were any lingering questions about left wing Paul Kariya’s fitness, he answered them with a strong performance in Friday’s 3-0 victory over the Dallas Stars.

Kariya, sidelined for most of training camp because of a sore left hip, did not score a goal or record an assist, but he seemed to be skating at top speed from start to finish. Three plays told the story.

In the first period, Kariya had the puck near the goal line and to the right of the Dallas net. He took a few strides toward the back of the net, looking as if he would sweep around for a wrap-around try at the left post.

Instead, he stopped, shedding defenseman Shawn Chambers in the process, and delivered a shot on net from a sharp angle. Dallas goalie Ed Belfour was forced to make a tricky save.

In the second period, Kariya picked up a loose puck on left wing, then left Chambers behind as he roared through the neutral zone toward the Dallas net.

Belfour made a pad save and the puck kicked into the slot where hard-charging Matt Cullen almost put home the rebound.

Also in the second period, Kariya had the puck in the corner with Derian Hatcher, Dallas’ 6-foot-5, 225-pound defenseman, bearing down on him. Kariya moved to his right at the last possible moment, maintaining control of the puck and sending Hatcher smashing into the boards.

“Actually, I saw him coming from far off, but that’s a lot of person to try to dodge,” Kariya said.

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Are the Ducks a dirty team? In the wake of the suspensions to Ruslan Salei, Pascal Trepanier and Jim McKenzie last week, it seemed to be a valid question.

“Our game is a good, hard, tough game,” Coach Craig Hartsburg said. “Things are going to happen. We’re going to make things happen.”

After the Ducks beat Dallas Friday, Hartsburg was asked if he was surprised there were no fights.

“No, not at all,” he said. “Both teams came to the rink with the right things in mind.”