New Year Opens With Familiar Feel

Oddly, today marks the second time the Mighty Ducks and the Florida Panthers have met on New Year’s Day in Miami.

Call it the Expansion Bowl.

Florida won, 4-2, on Jan. 1, 1994.

*

The Ducks’ overtime victory over Ottawa on Monday was their first of the season.

Before Steve Rucchin’s goal with 27 seconds left in the extra period, the Ducks were 0-0-5 in overtime this season.

Their all-time record in overtime is 11-7-23.

*

Roman Oksiuta was out of the lineup against Ottawa after playing the previous game, his only appearance in the past 18 games.

At $600,000, he’s an expensive press box employee.