Path to the Playoffs

AUGUST

8: Paul Kariya, left, withdraws from World Cup with abdominal injury. He misses the first 11 games of the regular season

SEPTEMBER

7: Training camp opens without Coach Ron Wilson, Guy Hebert, Jari Kurri, Teemu Selanne and Mikhail Shtalenkov, who are participating in World Cup

15: U.S. wins World Cup

OCTOBER

1: Ted Drury acquired from Ottawa

5: Ducks open fourth NHL season, right, with 4-1 loss to Toronto

9: Shtalenkov shuts out Chicago, 2-0

12: A 4-2 loss to Phoenix starts franchise record eight-game losing streak

30: Kariya returns, but Ducks lose to Vancouver, 6-3, and finish month 1-9-2

NOVEMBER

1: Selanne records hat trick in 4-3 victory over San Jose

8: Milos Holan, right, makes first Pond appearance after undergoing bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia Feb. 21

11: Kariya suffers concussion, misses two games

18: Brian Bellows acquired from Tampa Bay

23: Hebert shuts out San Jose, 3-0, moves Ducks out of last place for good

24: Ducks get first victory ever over Detroit, 3-1

DECEMBER

9: Concussion knocks Hebert out of two games

13: Goalie Shtalenkov stops Washington’s Peter Bondra on penalty shot

20: Hebert streak of 19 consecutive starts begins with 7-0 shutout of Calgary

JANUARY

1: Hebert, right, shuts out Florida, 3-0

10: Kariya records first career hat trick in 5-2 victory over Buffalo

18: Kariya, Selanne, Hebert play in All-Star game at San Jose

FEBRUARY

4: David Karpa breaks right hand in 4-3 loss to New York Islanders

8: Selanne scores 45 seconds into overtime to give Ducks 2-1 victory over Edmonton

9: Calgary, above, inflicts worst Ducks loss of season, 6-1

20: Bitter loss to Kings, 3-1, sparks Ducks to 13-3-7 record rest of season

MARCH

5: Kariya scores 100th career goal in 4-1 victory over Ottawa

18: Richard Park, right, acquired from Pittsburgh, Mark Janssens from Hartford at trade deadline

19: Ducks reach .500 mark, 30-30-11, for first time since Jan. 31, 1995

21: Franchise-record 12-game unbeaten streak ends in 4-3 loss to Colorado

APRIL

4: Ducks clinch first playoff berth in franchise history with 3-2 victory over Dallas

9: Selanne scores 50th goal as Ducks clinch first winning record with 4-1 victory over Kings

11: Selanne scores team-record 51st goal as Ducks clinch fourth place in Western Conference

Compiled by ELLIOTT TEAFORD / Los Angeles Times