Ducks’ Pronger Fills In for Fallen Rucchin

INGLEWOOD — Steve Rucchin’s eyes were clear. Sean Pronger’s were sparkling.

That was two pieces of good news for the Mighty Ducks after a fierce 2-2 tie against the Kings Saturday at the Forum.

Rucchin, who was only dazed after Sean O’Donnell ran him into the boards and knocked him out of the game, plans to be back between Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne on Monday night in St. Louis.

But Pronger, a rookie called into first-line action when Rucchin went out, did fine as a stand-in, scoring his first NHL goal on the power play that followed O’Donnell’s charging major.

That gave the Ducks a 2-1 lead, and though the Kings tied the score on Kai Nurminen’s goal with 2:45 left to play, it gave the Ducks the precious point that put them into playoff position--a tie for eighth in the Western Conference standings.

“It was exciting, that’s for sure,” said Pronger, 24, the older brother of St. Louis defenseman Chris Pronger. “Rucchin goes down, and they need somebody to play with Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. What can I do? I just had to go out and try to get the puck to them and get out of the way.”

The Ducks’ search for a center for Kariya and Selanne has settled on Rucchin, who has a big body and plays heady hockey, enabling Kariya and Selanne to be at their best.

Rucchin scored the Ducks’ first goal Saturday off a highlight-film pass by Kariya, who made a touch pass--nearly a one-timer really--from the corner straight down the goal line to Rucchin, who simply had to redirect it.

“Great pass by Paul,” Rucchin said. “Playing with Paul and Teemu, just get that stick on the ice, and nine out of 10 times, they’re going to find it.”

The goal, Rucchin’s 11th, came in the first period. After O’Donnell’s third-period hit, Rucchin was done. He got a roughing penalty to go with a penalty for cross-checking Yanic Perrault--even though he thought one two-minute minor was all that was called for. Not that Rucchin was sharp on the details of O’Donnell’s hit.

“I got my bell rung a bit,” Rucchin said. “I didn’t want to come back because I didn’t want to be a liability to the team.

“I don’t think I saw him coming. I don’t remember. I just felt a big bang on my head.”

Coach Ron Wilson could have turned elsewhere for a fill-in. But he passed over snakebitten Kevin Todd, who hasn’t scored a goal in 21 games, and chose Pronger, a 6-2, 205-pound center who was called up from Baltimore Jan. 8 and has steadily moved up the depth chart since.

“He’s come along,” Wilson said. “In the heat of the game, you’re not going to be nervous. It’s not like he came out and started the game with Paul and Teemu.”

Nerves were an issue last season, when he played seven games for the Ducks.

“I’m not quite so in awe,” Pronger said. “Last year, I’d be on the ice saying, ‘Oh, God, it’s Doug Gilmour, it’s Mark Messier. Now it’s not that big a deal.”

Now it’s just, ho-hum, Kariya and Selanne?

“I’m just doing my job,” Pronger said. “Obviously, I’m not going to be playing with Paul and Teemu all the time.”