[0] DUCKS LOSE LEAD, MANAGE TIE; PENALTIES MAR GAME AS KARIYA HITS 100-PT. MARK : DUCKS 3, SAN JOSE 3.

Byline: Roger Phillips

It should have been a sleepy game between two teams locked in their playoff positions and meeting as a mere formality to complete their schedules, with a couple of Mighty Ducks trying to reach personal milestones.

Paul Kariya succeeded, reaching the 100-point mark for the second time in his career. Teemu Selanne came up short, finishing stuck on 47 goals, still enough to win the initial Maurice ``Rocket'' Richard Award as the NHL's goal-scoring champion.

But the 3-3 tie Saturday between the Mighty Ducks (35-34-13) and the San Jose Sharks (31-33-18) before a San Jose Arena sellout crowd of 17,483 proved to be anything but mellow.

An ugly incident in the final seconds of the second period took care of that.

Behind the play, Sharks defenseman Andrei Zyuzin slashed Ducks enforcer Jim McKenzie who was headed in the other direction. McKenzie turned, and both players slashed at each other - each connecting. Unfortunately for McKenzie, whereas his slash caught Zyuzin on the leg, Zyuzin's caught him on the neck.

McKenzie dropped to the ice in pain, and referee Dan Marouelli assessed him a two-minute minor and Zyuzin a five-minute major and a game misconduct. McKenzie did not return for the third period.

The third period was marked by plenty of nasty stickwork by both teams. The Sharks also managed to tie the score with an early goal by Owen Nolan 

Earlier, the Ducks - preparing for a first-round playoff series against the Detroit Red Wings, expected to begin Wednesday - had bolted to a 3-0 lead on first-period goals by McKenzie and Kariya, and a second-period score by Tomas Sandstrom. The Sharks, who will meet the Colorado Avalanche in the first round, rallied on goals by Alexander Korolyuk and Joe Murphy, closing the deficit to one entering the third period.

Sorry Suter: More than a year later, injured San Jose defenseman Gary Suter said he still regrets the hit that injured Kariya last season, and said he never intended to cause the Ducks' star such harm.

``No question it was a bad hit,'' Suter said Saturday morning. ``I feel bad I put him out for the rest of the year. People who say I did it intentionally are totally wrong. Take a look at my career. I'm not some derelict who goes around cross-checking people in the face.''

Suter has missed all but one game this season with an elbow injury. He said there is no chance he will return to the lineup for the playoffs, but he expects to be ready for next season.

It was last Feb. 1 that Suter (then a Chicago Blackhawk) cross-checked Kariya, who was sidelined the rest of the year with post-concussion syndrome. The play by Suter (an American) knocked Kariya (a Canadian) out of the Winter Olympics. Suter said he received threats from angry Canadian fans after the incident.

``Let's say that during the Olympics, I wasn't walking around with my name on my back,'' Suter said.

He also said he is relieved Kariya has returned from the injury to have a strong season.

``I kept hoping for him to come back last year and he never did,'' Suter said. ``I'm glad he's back on top of his game and maybe better than ever. The game needs players like him, especially with (Wayne) Gretzky retiring.''

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Photo

Photo: Dominic Roussel makes the save against San Jose's Brantt Myhres as Ducks defenseman Dan Trebil (34) looks on.

Kevin Sullivan/Associated Press