Ducks defenseman Ric Jackman waited years to have a game like he had Thursday night.
Jackman, 28, played in his first NHL playoff game and scored on his first shot.
Playing because of the suspension of Chris Pronger, Jackman scored the Ducks’ first power-play goal of the series against the Red Wings, ending an 0-for-16 slump. His goal at 11 minutes 46 seconds of the first period gave the Ducks a 2-1 lead.
The Red Wings trailed 3-1 before coming back to tie the game, then gave up a power-play goal to Ryan Getzlaf in the third and an empty-net goal to Rob Niedermayer in a 5-3 loss in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
“It was real exciting,” Jackman said. “I’m more excited for the win. I was just glad to contribute any way I could and be a part of it. What a great feeling it is.”
Jackman, the fifth overall pick by the Dallas Stars in 1996, helped Canada win gold at the world junior championships in 1997. He spent parts of his first three seasons as a pro with the Michigan K-Wings.
The Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999 and lost to the Devils in the finals in 2000. Jackman was a practice player for the Stars in their attempt to defend the Cup.
“Early in my career, I had a chance to be part of an organization that had won a Stanley Cup,” he said. “Although I wasn’t there for the winning of the Cup … I got a little taste.”
Since then, he has played in 232 NHL games with six teams: the Stars, Bruins, Maple Leafs, Penguins, Panthers and Ducks.
Jackman battled alcohol problems early in his career.
“I had some problems when I was younger that I dealt with, and things are going great for me and my family,” Jackman said. “That’s all in the past.”
Jackman acknowledged his career hasn’t turned out as he once expected it would as a high draft pick.
“You come in with these big dreams of playing and being a successful hockey player,” Jackman said.
“Sometimes it takes some players longer than others. There’s a growing curve there and a maturity curve.”
Before Thursday night, Jackman hadn’t played in the playoffs at any level since 2002, when he saw action in two games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins.
He played in just seven games for the Panthers this season before he was traded for a conditional draft pick to the Ducks on Jan. 7. He had a goal and 10 assists in 24 games during the regular season but hadn’t played in a month because of back spasms.
“I got a great opportunity this year, getting traded to this team,” he said. “Things weren’t going so well down in Florida. It was exciting to come to a contending team and have a chance to compete for the Cup.”
Teammate Todd Marchant praised Jackman for making his opportunity count.
“Ric Jackman comes in after being out of the lineup for a month and scores a big goal for us,” Marchant said. “That’s what the playoffs are all about. It’s a different hero every night. It’s not your top scorers all the time. It’s guys that come out of the woodwork and have to fill a void.
“It’s a tribute to those guys that have to put in the effort day in and day out. Their chance of seeing the lineup might be slim, but you know what? There’s still that hope. Last night was a perfect example of that.”
Jackman’s play in Game 4 might have earned him some ice time in Game 5 on Sunday in Detroit.
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“You know, as far as where he’ll be in the lineup in the next game, we’ll assess the situation and see how we feel and what we’re going to need from our back end,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said after Game 4, which tied the series at 2-2.
“Obviously, Pronger will be back in the lineup. That means somebody might come out or we could go with seven” defensemen.