With Power Play Comes Success

If there’s a difference in the Ducks’ game in the last week or so, it’s that their special teams finally are special.

Three power-play goals helped the Ducks post a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday at the Arrowhead Pond. Muzzling the Red Wings on four of their five power-play chances didn’t hurt either.

The Ducks have at least one power-play goal in 17 of their last 23 games, going 29 for 110 (26.4%). Overall, the Ducks are only 49 for 302 (16.2%).

The Ducks’ penalty-killing unit, last in the NHL going into the game, improved during a three-game homestand. The Ducks blanked the Kings on three chances last Wednesday, snuffed the San Jose on four chances Friday and did a pretty fair job of containing the Red Wings.

“The penalty-kill was good when the game was on the line in the third period,” Coach Craig Hartsburg said. “In the third period, every time we got the puck and had a chance to clear it, we got it out. On their first [power play], we had chances to get it out and didn’t.”

Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom’s power-play goal gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead 9:57 into the game. But the Ducks rallied with two power-play goals by defenseman Fredrik Olausson and one by Paul Kariya.

“I have to give a lot of credit to our penalty-killers because Detroit has a wonderful power play,” Olausson said.

*

Hartsburg turned to Niclas Havelid to replace injured defenseman Pavel Trnka against Detroit. Trnka is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks because of a sprained left ankle. Havelid played his first game for the Ducks since breaking his right middle finger Jan. 15 against the Phoenix Coyotes.

Havelid, who played two games last weekend with Cincinnati of the American Hockey League, did not have a goal or an assist. But he was poised during 19 minutes 6 seconds of ice time Sunday.

“Niclas played awesome tonight,” Kariya said. “He’s going to be crucial for us down the stretch.”