Ducks beat Dallas Stars, 5-2

The Ducks hit the halfway mark of the season with a three-game winning streak, a small accomplishment for a team that had been expected to compete for the division title but a bit of consolation after all of their missteps so far.

Saku Koivu’s backhander at 9:32 of the third period, set up when Teemu Selanne drew two Dallas defenders to him, broke a tie and Matt Beleskey scored off the rebound of a shot by Andrew Cogliano to give the Ducks a 5-2 victory over the Stars before a season-low crowd of 12,152 at Honda Center. Koivu, who had also scored in the first period, finished off his second career hat trick by scoring into an empty net with 53.7 seconds to play.

In winning three straight games for the first time since early October, the Ducks improved their record to a slightly-less-terrible 13-22-6 for 32 points after 41 games. That’s still among the worst in the NHL and well short of the 20-17-4 record and 44 points they had halfway through last season, but the Stars are a solid team and the Ducks’ performance against them should provide a better measure of where they stand than they gained in beating Columbus and the New York Islanders.

In a mild surprise, the Ducks started goaltender Jeff Deslauriers, his first NHL appearance since April 11, 2010 when he was with Edmonton—a game he lost here to the Ducks, 7-2. He was called up Tuesday because goalie Jonas Hiller (lower-body injury) wasn’t able to skate in practice and therefore couldn’t play, and because usual backup Dan Ellis is expected to miss several weeks because of a groin strain. Iiro Tarkki, who played in relief of Hiller on Sunday, was Deslauriers’ backup on Tuesday.

Koivu likely to play, Emery to be backup goalie for Ducks Wednesday

Saku Koivu is likely to return to the Ducks’ lineup Wednesday against the New York Rangers at Honda Cetner after missing six games because of a sore groin, and goaltender Ray Emery will return after a two-game assignment to Syracuse of the American Hockey League.

Koivu’s status will be decided after the warmup but he appears likely to play. Emery, though game-sharp after two solid performances in winning efforts, is expected to be the backup to Dan Ellis.

“I think looks like I’m in the lineup,” Koivu said after the morning skate.

He said he’s not at the 110% level Coach Randy Carlyle had wanted but is prepared to play.

“You can kind of test it as long as you want but the game situation is the next step for us and it felt comfortable in the practice [Tuesday and Monday],” Koivu said. “With this type of injury you’re hoping that the first game goes well and there’s no setbacks but 100% it’s probably not there. But at this time of the year it’s kind of rare for anybody to be feeling that well.”

He said he felt improvement the past two or three days. “I got a little bit more gym time strengthening it and I think getting a good three days of skating with the team and one good day by myself with the coaches, that’s kind of what you’re looking for,” he said.

Wednesday’s game seemed like a good chance to start Emery, who stopped 67 of 69 shots in two games with the Crunch. And Carlyle said after the morning skate that Emery “is an option for us tonight.”

However, Ellis was the first goalie off the ice, the privilege traditionally reserved for the starter, and Emery said after the skate that he hadn’t been told he would start and that he would have been notified by then.

He said he’s prepared to play whenever he's called upon.

“I feel good. So without playing an NHL game I’m as ready as I can be,” he said.

The two games with Syracuse helped get him to that point. “I hadn’t been in the net in a game situation for about 10 days so there’s certain things you can’t practice in a practice,” he said. “There’s traffic situation, playing the puck under pressure, some scrambles and things like that. I wanted to work on those things and felt I did a good job of brushing up on those areas.”

Emery hasn’t played in an NHL game since last Feb. 1, while he was with the Flyers. He underwent major hip surgery in April and was signed by the Ducks just over a month ago to provide depth in their system. But with goaltender Jonas Hiller still feeling symptoms of vertigo — Hiller skated lightly Wednesday but there’s still no timetable for his return — Emery has moved up a big step on the depth chart.

When he does play, he said, he expects to feel some nerves.

“I love getting butterflies. It kind of adds to your focus and makes you kind of present in the moment,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll be excited to play and I look forward to it.”

Check back later for more at www.latimes.com/sports

Helene Elliott

 

Time is now for Getzlaf as Ducks' new captain

Ryan Getzlaf didn’t need to have the captain’s C sewn on his uniform to be considered a leader on the Ducks.
His voice has been audible for a while in their locker room and he wore the “A” of an alternate captain last season. But with the retirement of future Hall of Fame defenseman Scott Niedermayer, the moment was right for the de facto leader of the next generation to become the official leader.
Getzlaf on Sunday became the eighth player to be chosen captain in the Ducks’ history — Niedermayer had two separate stints — as the result of a vote by players. The 25-year-old native of Regina, Canada, beat out Saku Koivu, who served nine seasons as captain of the Montreal Canadiens, and Teemu Selanne, another certain Hall of Fame pick. They will serve as alternates, with Todd Marchant and Corey Perry designated to act as alternates when necessary.
Being chosen a team captain is a huge honor in any sport but is especially coveted in hockey, which values the team over the individual. Getzlaf said Sunday he welcomes the honor but knows he’s not the only leader in a room that houses Koivu, Selanne and other veterans.
“We’ve got enough leaders here that things are easy,” he said.
Selanne said he expects Getzlaf to be a different captain than the soft-spoken Niedermayer.
“They’re two different personalities. Getzy’s going to be way more vocal than Scotty,” Selanne said. “Scotty was leading by example, by doing all the right things all the time. Everybody’s different but to be captain that’s a sign that your teammates respect you so much. It was a tight vote and that’s how it should be.”
Getzlaf, who led the Ducks in preseason scoring with two goals and nine points in five games, said he feels no need to change his personality.
 “You don’t become the captain and then change what you’re doing. It’s like become the president and change everything that you campaigned about,” he said. “It’s a thing you grow into and I was lucky enough to be honored with it today.”
The timing was right, Selanne said, because the Ducks have increasingly turned to younger players to fill key roles.
“Obviously Saku doesn’t need the C and we have good leaders here. You don’t necessarily need a letter to be that kind of guy,” Selanne said. “It’s a good challenge for Getzy and obviously he has seen good leaders around him before. He’s going to do a great job, I know.
“Getzy has all the tools to fill the spot perfectly. I know that he’s going to take even more responsibility. We do our jobs around him and support Getzy. It’s his time.”
Getzlaf said he’s ready to lead the Ducks through what looms as an uncertain season, one that will test their defense and resolve.
“I don’t think it raises expectations,” said Getzlaf, a key member of Canada’s Olympic champion hockey team at the Vancouver Games. “It comes with a certain responsibility. I’m willing to accept that and look forward to it. I’m up for that challenge and that leadership group that we’re in right now.”

-- Helene Elliott
 

Saku Koivu says he chose Ducks over other teams' offers

Some Ducks notes while waiting through the Kings' silence on the state of their pursuit of Ilya Kovalchuk:

Center Saku Koivu, who tested the free-agent market but decided to stay in Anaheim and agreed to a two-year, $5-million contract Thursday afternoon, said by phone from Finland Friday that he got "some" offers from other teams but nothing good enough to persuade him to move. He wouldn't identify the teams that had contacted him.

"The package and everything that Anaheim had to offer was by far the best," said Koivu, who struggled during the first half of the season but hit his stride later to finish with 19 goals and 52 points in 71 games.

"Financially, it wasn't the best offer, but for us, it was the best fit."

He also said he had spoken at least once a day during the last week or so with fellow Finn Teemu Selanne and said Selanne "was happy" to hear Koivu had re-signed with the Ducks. As for Selanne's NHL future, Koivu said he had little certainty but a lot of hope that Selanne, who turns 40 on Saturday, will return for at least one more season.

Koivu said that the Ducks' signing of another Finn, defenseman Toni Lydman, couldn't hurt. "I hope it has a positive effect and we'll see him back," Koivu said. "All I know is if we get Teemu back it's going to make the team stronger."

The Ducks' first-round picks in last weekend's NHL entry draft, Long Beach native Emerson Etem and promising defenseman Cam Fowler, are scheduled to participate in the team's prospect summer conditioning camp starting Monday at Anaheim Ice.

A total of 31 prospects are due to take part in on-ice and off-ice workouts. The three open scrimmages, to be held on Tuesday, Thursday and July 10 at 6 p.m., are open to the public.

Here's a list of the prospects scheduled to attend the conditioning camp:   

Player        Position    How Acquired

Bonino, Nick     C        From San Jose

Bordson, Rob    LW    Signed as free agent

Brittain, Josh     RW     2008 Entry Draft

Clark, Mat          D    2009  Entry Draft

Cousineau, Marco  G    2008 Entry Draft

Da Costa, Stephane   C   Free agent

Deschamps, Nicolas   C   2008 Entry Draft

Etem, Emerson     RW    2010 Entry Draft

Fowler, Cam D    2010 Entry Draft

Gardiner, Jake     D    2008 Entry Draft

Heed, Tim     D    2010 Entry Draft

Hegarty, Ryan D    2008 Entry Draft

Holland, Peter C    2009 Entry Draft

Lebler, Brian   RW  Signed as free agent

Lind, Kevin     D    2010 Entry Draft

Macenauer, Maxime   C    2007 Entry Draft

McCue, Matt     LW    Signed as free agent

McMillan, Brandon   C    2008 Entry Draft   

Mitera, Mark     D    2006 Entry Draft

Newton, Jake     D    Signed as free agent

Palmieri, Kyle    RW    2009 Entry Draft

Perlini, Brett     RW    2010 Entry Draft

Pielmeier, Timo   G    From San Jose

Schultz, Justin   D    2008 Entry Draft

Sexton, Dan     RW    Signed as free agent

Sharp, MacGregor    C    Signed as free agent

Smith-Pelly, Devante   RW    2010 Entry Draft

Stephens, Evan     D    Free agent

Vaive, Justin LW    2007 Entry Draft

Valentine, Scott    D    2009 Entry Draft

Wagner, Chris    RW    2010 Entry Draft

-- Helene Elliott

   

Ducks happy to grab Toni Lydman, re-sign Saku Koivu ... but stalled on Bobby Ryan, Teemu Selanne

Ducks General Manager Bob Murray, speaking on a conference call with reporters, said he had hoped to wait before signing free agent Toni Lydman on Thursday but saw the market for defensemen escalating and decided to lock up the former Buffalo Sabres defenseman for three years at $3 million a year.

"I saw where the numbers were going and I said if we're going to get a quality defenseman like Toni, we'd better go now," he said.

The Finnish defenseman, who was offered only two years by the Sabres, is "a three-four defenseman that eats up minutes ... [and] does everything well. He's a real solid, two-way defenseman, which we needed desperately," Murray said.

He said he thought he had lost Saku Koivu to another team because centers were a rare and precious commodity on the free-agent market, but the team reached agreement on a two-year deal at $2.5 million per year.

He wasn't as lucky dealing with restricted free agent winter Bobby Ryan. Murray said he raised his offer to $5 million a year for five years after Ryan had rejected a shorter and less lucrative deal, but Ryan didn't bite. Ryan's production -- 66 goals and 121 points in 145 games over the past two seasons -- merits big numbers, but Murray can't pay him more than the more experienced Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, who will each earn $5.325 million next season.

"Basically the situation is nowhere," Murray said, adding that he's "done for a while" in negotiating with Ryan.

Other teams can sign Ryan to an offer sheet and the Ducks would have the right to match it, but that generally is frowned upon because it drives salaries up.

Murray said he expects to go to salary arbitration with defenseman James Wisniewski, also a restricted free agent.

The logical question after the Ducks re-signed Koivu was whether that will sway right wing Teemu Selanne into returning, but Selanne apparently is still contemplating whether to retire. Murray said he would like to get something firm from Selanne soon and might call him Friday.

"We're going to see what Teemu does and if the numbers come into line a little better, get another defenseman," Murray said.

More later....

-- Helene Elliott

Ducks re-sign Saku Koivu for $5 million over two years

Center Saku Koivu has agreed to return to the Ducks for two years and $5 million. Can Teemu Selanne be far behind?

We'll try and get an answer to that question a little later, when General Manager Bob Murray speaks to reporters on a conference call, but this much we know: Koivu is in the fold.

The 35-year-old Finn, who left Montreal to sign a one-year deal with the Ducks last summer, had 19 goals and 52 points in 71 games last season and had a team-leading plus-14 rating. He also won a bronze medal with Finland's Olympic team, his fourth Olympic medal. He had two other bronze medals and a silver medal.

The Ducks' other free-agent addition Thursday was another Finn, defenseman Toni Lydman ... but there's room for Selanne, too.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

-- Helene Elliott

Ducks agree with defenseman Toni Lydman on three-year, $9-million deal

Defenseman Toni Lydman, who has spent the last five seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, has agreed to a three-year, $9-million contract with the defense-challenged Ducks. They haven't confirmed it yet but are expected to announce it soon.

Lydman, who will be 33 in September, is a two-time Finnish Olympian who won a silver medal in 2006 and bronze in February at Vancouver. Among his teammates were  Ducks forwards Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu, who became unrestricted free agents Thursday.

Are the Ducks hoping that having Lydman on the team will help persuade Selanne and Koivu to return?

Lydman is a defense-oriented defenseman, steady but not spectacular. That would still be an upgrade for the Ducks, who were thin on defense last season and lost Scott Niedermayer to retirement.

Lydman had four goals and 20 points last season and for his 660-game NHL career has 33 goals and 198 points to go with 451 penalty minutes.

More later...

-- Helene Elliott

Stephen Strasburg to start Sunday in Altoona, with 60 media people on hand

The Washington Nationals' prized right-hander Stephen Strasburg is scheduled to make his debut Sunday -- for the double-A Harrisburg Senators.

He is expected to pitch five innings or throw 85 pitches against the Altoona Curve in Altoona, Pa.

Strasburg, whose fastball has been clocked as high as 102 mph, signed a four-year, $15.1-million contract with a $7.5-million signing bonus. And according to a team spokesman, as of Wednesday, 60 media members were expected to be in attendance at the Altoona game.

The former San Diego State star and No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft was Washington's best pitcher in spring training. He allowed two runs in nine innings, striking out 12 batters and walking only one.

-- Debbie Goffa

Photo: Stephen Strasburg delivers a pitch during a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Space Coast Stadium on March 14. Credit: Scott A. Miller / US Presswire.  

Ducks' Saku Koivu out with sprained knee, Lupul develops complication

The Ducks' troubles keep coming.

The injury center Saku Koivu suffered in Thursday night's loss to the Kings was a sprained right knee, the team announced Friday night. He is expected to miss one to two weeks.

In other news, forward Joffrey Lupul, already out because of back surgery, developed an infection in his back and the timetable for his return has been updated to indefinite, though he is still expected to return this season.

Koivu's injury is the latest blow to a team that has lost goal-scorers Teemu Selanne and Lupul for extended periods because of injuries. (Selanne, who recently returned from a broken hand, broke his jaw in a freak on-ice incident against Boston on Wednesday.) With the combined injuries, the team is missing three of its top 10 scorers.

On the no-news-is-good-news front, winger Bobby Ryan has not faced any disciplinary action from the NHL for his hit on Oscar Moller in the final moments of the loss to the Kings.

--Robyn Norwood

Ducks' Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu, Jonas Hiller and Luca Sbisa will play in Vancouver Olympics

Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne today was selected to his fifth Olympic team and teammate Saku Koivu for his fourth, as Finland and the other the 11 teams entered in the Vancouver Olympic hockey tournament continued to release their rosters.

They'll be joined at the Games by  goaltender Jonas Hiller and defenseman Luca Sbisa, who started the season with the Ducks but was returned to his junior team. Hiller and Sbisa will compete for Switzerland.

The Czech Republic,  Finland,  Germany and Switzerland  have announced their rosters already today. Canada's will come within the hour.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

-- Helene Elliott, from Calgary, Canada

Photo: Teemu Selanne. Credit: Ron Chenoy / US Presswire

Ducks' Koivu to face brother tonight

Saku Koivu will face his younger brother, Mikko, tonight when the Ducks face the Wild at St. Paul, Minn. It's not the first time -- they met three times while Saku was a member of the Montreal Canadiens -- but it will be the first time since Saku left Montreal as a free agent.

"It's always special. You get in the faceoff circle and you don't know if you should let him win one or not," the Ducks' Koivu told reporters Tuesday. "But it's always different when you have a new team. It's special."

Saku holds the edge in the brothers' previous meetings, 2-1. Saku also holds the edge on the scoreboard: He has two assists in their three games and Mikko has been held scoreless.

Koivu will become the seventh member of the Ducks to face his brother in a regular-season game. The others were Dmitri Mironov versus brother Boris of Edmonton; Sean Pronger versus Chris (while Chris was with St. Louis); Ted Drury versus Chris Drury of Colorado; Paul Kariya versus younger brother Steve of Vancouver; Rob Niedermayer versus older brother Scott (then with New Jersey) and Drew Miller versus goaltender brother Ryan of Buffalo.

-- Helene Elliott