Ducks Tie the Sharks; Goalie Battle Tightens

DENVER —  Guy Hebert is still the only Mighty Duck with his ESPN Sports Center fantasy highlight, but he has competition for the Ducks’ No. 1 goaltending job.

Mikhail Shtalenkov played all the way in the Ducks’ 1-1 tie with San Jose in an exhibition game Wednesday night at McNichols Arena, and the goal he allowed was one Coach Ron Wilson would have questioned if there had been video-replay capability here.

“I respect Mike (Shtalenkov) as much as I do Guy,” Wilson said. “Whoever plays best will be in there. Mike established himself last year and from here out, they’ll be alternated to see who starts opening night.”

That will be exasperating news to Hebert, who was 20-27-3 last season with a 2.83 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage.

He won the last battle he was in when Ron Tugnutt was traded to Montreal. But no sooner was the No. 1 job his than Shtalenkov got a foot in the door.

Shtalenkov appeared in 10 games, and had a 2.65 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.

“It would be great for me, but it’s difficult to be a No. 1 goalie,” Shtalenkov said. “It’s a long season. It’s good for the Ducks, we need two goalies. I hope we could do the job together, (between me and) Guy.”

Hebert played a period and a half Tuesday against Dallas in his only exhibition appearance, allowing one goal on 21 shots, and went home Wednesday.

Shtalenkov has allowed two goals while facing 46 shots in two appearances.

Jamie Baker scored the game-tying goal for the Sharks 35 seconds into the third period, with the Ducks protesting that the net had been dislodged before the puck entered it.

Peter Douris gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead at 3:57 with an assist from Jean Francois Jomphe.

Rookie Paul Kariya was held pointless but found considerably more open ice than in his debut Tuesday. He had some near breakaways and repeatedly set up scoring chances.

“A couple of people weren’t ready when he made plays,” Wilson said. “We don’t want them to watch a highlight film, but be a part of it.”

“It was a more wide-open game,” Kariya said. “The puck wasn’t bouncing today, but some days that’s going to happen.”

The Ducks, now 0-2-1 in exhibition games, play their first home exhibition Sunday against Vancouver.

Duck Notes

Garry Valk, who underwent an emergency appendectomy last month, played his first game of the exhibition season. “It’s just a matter of getting stronger. I was in the hospital basically for a week,” he said. “As the game went on I felt a little better.” . . . The Ducks haven’t beaten the Sharks since an exhibition game last October, going 0-6 in the regular season. Both teams had about half their regular lineups Wednesday. “We wanted to win and establish something,” Wilson said.