Game of Musical Chairs Ends

Today at 9 a.m. , the Ducks’ team bus will depart the Arrowhead Pond for Ontario airport and a chartered flight to Washington. For the first time in a very long time, every seat that is supposed to be occupied will be occupied.

Left wing Mike Leclerc, who did not play in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators because of an abdominal strain, will make the trip. He probably won’t play Tuesday against the Capitals.

Defenseman Ruslan Salei, sidelined for two months because of post-concussion syndrome, will be aboard. If all goes well, Salei could play Friday against the Ottawa Senators.

Center Steve Rucchin, who has been suffering from post-concussion syndrome since breaking his nose and cheekbone Nov. 15, also will travel with his teammates. Rucchin is not expected to play again this season, but has resumed light workouts in the gym.

As expected, goaltender Steve Shields is staying behind to undergo arthroscopic surgery later this week to repair ligament damage in his left shoulder.

He will be sidelined for the rest of the season.

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The Ducks have never played to a scoreless tie. They are 2-0 this season in games that end scoreless after regulation play, however.

Defenseman Mike Crowley’s goal 3:40 into the five-minute overtime period made the Ducks winners Sunday against Nashville.

Defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky’s power-play goal enabled the Ducks to defeat the Minnesota Wild in overtime Dec. 8.

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Tverdovsky has two goals and four assists during a five-game point streak. . . . Right wing Paul Kariya’s goal-scoring binge ended Sunday. He had scored two goals in each of the last three games. . . . Left wing Jeff Friesen, who assisted on all four of Kariya’s goals in victories Friday over the Chicago Blackhawks and Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens, also was blanked Sunday.