1996-1997 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim: Quack!

1996-1997 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim: Quack!

1996-1997 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim: Quack!

What originally sparked the creation of the NHL franchise known as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim was the first of a movie trilogy named “The Mighty Ducks”, a story about a youth hockey team coming together to become the best youth hockey team out there. This movie was released in 1992, and shortly after the NHL franchise bearing the name of Mighty Ducks came to be. It would only take the franchise 4 years to make its first ever postseason appearance.

In the 1996-1997 NHL season the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim went 36-33-13 with 85 points, finishing in 2nd place in the Pacific Division and 4th place in the Western Conference. The Mighty Ducks finished 11 games and 22 points behind the Colorado Avalanche in the Pacific Division. The Avalanche notwithstanding, Anaheim fared very well in head-to-head play as they went 4-0-1 against the Edmonton Oilers, 3-0-1 against the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, 3-1-1 against the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks, 2-0 against the Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals, and 2-2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Right winger Teemu Selanne had 51 goals and 58 assists for 109 points with 11 power play goals, 21 power play assists and 8 game-winning goals off 273 shots. Left winger Paul Kariya was named the new Captain of the Mighty Ducks after the retirement of defenseman Randy Ladoucer, and Kariya answered the call as he had 44 goals and 55 assists for 99 points with 15 power play goals, 19 power play assists and 10 game-winning goals off 340 shots.

Center Steve Rucchin had 19 goals and 48 assists for 67 points with 6 power play goals and 10 power play assists off 153 shots. Left winger Brian Bellows had 15 goals and 13 assists with 8 power play goals off 151 shots. Right winger Jari Kurri had 13 goals and 22 assists off 109 shots. Defenseman Dimitri Mironov had 12 goals and 34 assists for 46 points with 19 power play assists off 158 shots. Right winger Joe Sacco had 12 goals and 17 assists off 131 shots. Right winger Warren Rychel had 10 goals and 7 assists in 70 games played. Center Kevin Todd had 9 goals and 21 assists off 95 shots in 65 games played. Left winger Ted Drury had 9 goals and 9 assists off 114 shots.

Guy Hebert was the main option at goaltender for Anaheim as he went 29-25-12, allowing 172 goals off 2133 shots in 3863 minutes, recording 1961 saves, a .919 save percentage, a 2.67 goals against average and 4 shutouts. Mikhail Shtalenkov was a serviceable backup goaltender, going 7-8-1 and allowing 52 goals off 539 shots in 1079 minutes, recording 487 saves, a .904 save percentage, a 2.89 goals against average and 2 shutouts.

Paul Kariya would win the Lady Byng Trophy, an award that is given to the player that represents good sportsmanship and has the class of a gentleman on and off the ice. Teemu Selanne set a team record by having the most points in a single season with 109.

The Western Conference Quarterfinals was a back and forth affair between the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the Phoenix Coyotes, a franchise that was getting used to its new Arizona home. In Game 1 on April 16 at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, the Mighty Ducks won 4-2. While center Jeremy Roenick and left winger Keith Tkachuk both scored goals for Phoenix, Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne doubled down and scored 2 goals each along with 1 assist each.

In Game 2 on April 18 the Mighty Ducks won again by the same score of 4-2. Scoring with Tkachuk this time for Phoenix would be defenseman Teppo Numminen. However, Anaheim trumped Phoenix with 2 goals scored by defenseman J.J. Daigneault and 1 goal each by Selanne and Dimitri Mironov. In Game 3 on April 20 the series shifted to the American West Arena, and it appeared that momentum shifted as well. The Coyotes beat the Mighty Ducks 4-1. Kariya got the lone Anaheim goal while left winger Darrin Shannon scored 2 goals for Phoenix, and the combination of Tkachuk and right winger Mike Gartner had 1 goal each.

The Coyotes would then blank the Mighty Ducks 2-0 in Game 4 on April 22. Numminen and center Bob Corkum scored 1 goal each. Returning home to the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim the Mighty Ducks lost again by the score of 5-2 on April 24 to trail 3 games to 2. Keith Tkachuk couldn’t be contained for much of the series as he scored 2 goals in Game 5. Corkum had 1 goal and 2 assists while both Numminen and Roenick had 1 goal and 1 assist. Selanne scored 2 goals for Anaheim but he wouldn’t receive enough help.

Anaheim would get a much-needed win in Game 6 at the American West Arena on April 27 by the score of 3-2. Tkachuk and Shannon scored 1 goal each for Phoenix with Brian Bellows scored 1 goal for Anaheim and Kariya scored 2 goals, including the game-winning goal in overtime. In the “Winner Take All” situation of Game 7 on April 29, the Mighty Ducks silenced the Coyotes in a 3-0 shutout victory in front of their home crowd at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim. It would take goals scored by the supporting cast of Rucchin, Sacco and defenseman Dave Karpa to get the job done. Guy Hebert was superb protecting the net as he had 31 saves.

Sadly for the Mighty Ducks they wouldn’t be able to overcome the offensive firepower of the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Semifinals as the Red Wings swept them out of the playoffs 4 games to none. However, with their foundation firmly established in the National Hockey League as a legitimate franchise, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim were positioned for more success down the road.