Paul's boutique

Kariya busted out of his slump at just the right time

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Every story worth telling has a villain and a hero. In Game 6, those roles were reserved for Scott Stevens of the Devils and Paul Kariya of the Mighty Ducks, respectively.

Stevens laid out Kariya with one of his patented, mid-ice hits just after Kariya moved the puck to his left at the Devils' blueline. As Kariya watched his handiwork, Stevens -- always the stalker from his left defensive position -- stepped up and felled him. Kariya lay motionless, save for the unnerving twitching that often accompanies a KO.

The crowd -- which had been racous and was fully enjoying the Ducks' 3-1 lead until then -- went eerily quiet. It wasn't exactly silence, as murmurs persisted throughout.

The Ducks themselves seemed stunned by the turn of events, sleepwalking through a power play that followed shortly after the incident. The game, the series and Kariya's health all seemed in jeopardy in an instant.

Miraculously, Kariya returned to action later in the period after a brief stay in the Ducks' locker room -- somehow shaking off the effects of the hit and all of his previous concussion calamities. The lift his presence gave the fans was evident by their standing ovation. The adrenaline rush he provided his teammates was obvious from the return of vigor to their game. The Ducks reasserted themselves when Kariya returned, skating and bumping with the passion they started the game with.

Even before the hit, Kariya was the catalyst in this one. He assisted on two of the three first-period goals, making good on his pregame declaration that he had to "create more offensively -- that's my role."

Well, he extended that role by scoring a beautiful goal with 2:45 remaining in the second period. Only a select few individuals are capable of such drama. On this night, Kariya proved worthy of the hero worship raining down upon him, with the second period of Game 6 forever transporting him to the legion of legendary Stanley Cup moments.

The only way this saga could have been more compelling was if it had occurred in a Game 7. Which, due to Kariya's exploits while facing elimination, is yet to come. Meaning, this tale is far from over.

Three Stars

First Star: It was Kariya's night -- the scene in which the hero overcomes his personal demons and vanquishes the villain's taunts.

Second Star: Every hero needs a sidekick and Steve Rucchin fit the bill perfectly by chipping in with two goals.

Third Star: Yes, it was a night in which Jean-Sebastien Giguere's team staked him to a large lead, but before it ever got to that, he made several message-sending saves. The message? "I'm in top form and in full control back here."

Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for SI.com. Eliot will provide Stanley Cup Playoffs commentary throughout the postseason, and he is also broadcasting the Stanley Cup Finals for NHL Radio.

 

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