Leclerc Suffers Latest Injury

ST. PAUL, Minn. —  As if the Mighty Ducks needed more bad news, left wing Mike Leclerc is questionable for tonight’s game against Minnesota because of a knee injury. Leclerc underwent an MRI exam Saturday and the team was awaiting the results.

Leclerc was injured with 10 minutes left in Thursday’s game against Nashville. He is tied with Marty McInnis and Paul Kariya for the team lead with 12 goals and is second on the team with 30 points. If he cannot play, the Ducks will be without one more scoring threat. Kariya and center Steve Rucchin are sidelined because of injuries. Of course, not even that prospect could dull Coach Guy Charron’s sun-will-come-out-tomorrow philosophy.

“You know what, I’m ready for everything,” Charron said. “You seen the movie ‘The Perfect Storm’? When you see that boat up there on that big wave, that’s us right now. Except the boat didn’t make it. We are going make it. The boat fell, went lopsided, but we’re going to climb that thing eventually. We’re going to get over and ride the wave, baby.”

The Ducks recalled Marc Chouinard from their minor league affiliate in Cincinnati in case Leclerc cannot play.

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The Ducks, needing some rest and relaxation after a month of woes, spent their day off bowling Friday. Yes, bowling.

The players and coaches divided into five teams and bowled two games.

“The winning team, captain Tony Hrkac, Mike Crowley, Pavel Trnka, [assistant coach] Terry Simpson and Guy Charron,” Charron said. “We beat Rusty Salei’s team by two pins.”

Salei, though, had the day’s top score, bowling a 190 in the second game.

The Ducks’ team building continued after practice, as Charron arranged for a game of Pictionary.

TONIGHT

at Minnesota, 3 p.m. PST

* Site--Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn.

* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Records--Ducks 13-18-5-4, Wild 11-17-7-2.

* Record vs. Wild--2-0.

* Update--The Wild certainly hasn’t played like an expansion team lately, going 4-0-1 in its last five games. That includes victories over Dallas and Detroit. Duck defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky sat out most of Saturday’s practice because of a cold. There is little chance he will miss tonight’s game. Tverdovsky has played in 248 consecutive games.