Monday, March 27, 2000
Panthers claw fading Ducks 4-1
BY JOHN P. WISE
Enquirer contributor
Though the Mighty Ducks have been chasing Louisville for that final playoff spot for a few weeks now, it was the visiting Panthers who looked like the team playing desperate hockey Sunday at the Gardens.
Louisville outshot, outmuscled and outscored the Ducks 4-1. All the Panthers need to do now to knock Cincinnati out of the playoff race is win or tie one of their remaining six games.
“I like those odds,” Louisville forward Eric Boguniecki said. “I think we can squeeze out a win or two before the season's over.”
Cincinnati center Marc Chouinard was disappointed after the loss, but relieved to catch his breath.
“We're just exhausted,” he said, referring to Sunday's conclusion to a stretch of 10 games in 16 days. “That's the problem right now. But I don't think anybody's giving up in here.”
The teams meet three more times this season, beginning Wednesday at Freedom Hall. A two-game, home-and-home series is scheduled for the season's final weekend, but those in the Ducks camp know the meetings could be pointless.
“It would be nice to make the playoffs, but the only thing we can focus on right now is going to Louisville and doing to them Wednesday what they did to us (Sunday),” captain Scott Ferguson said. “That was a big game and it was disheartening to lose.”
Paul Brousseau scored a pair of goals. Boguniecki's power-play goal in the first period turned out to be the decisive score. Boguniecki has 11 points in eight games against Cincinnati.
Louisville ....... 2 2 0—4
Cincinnati ....... 1 0 0—1
First period: Lou, Thompson 4 (Nilson, Novoseltsev) 8:18 (ppg); Lou, Boguniecki 33 (Brousseau, Ferguson) 15:12 (ppg); Cin, Laplante 12 (Hnidy, Wallin) 17:51.
Second period: Lou, Brousseau 18 (Boguniecki, Thompson) 3:42; Lou, Brousseau (2) 19 (Ferguson) 8:05 (ppg).
Third period: None.
Shots on goal: Lou, 18-18-19=55; Cin, 8-7-12=27. Goalies: Lou, Gauthier (51 saves); Cin, Naumenko (26). Power plays: Lou 3-for-7; Cin 0-for-5.
Attendance: 4,622.
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