DAN WOOD.

ANAHEIM The Mighty Ducks expected big things from Stanislav Chistov in the wake of the flashy left wing's 12-goal, 30-point rookie season in 2002-03.

Perhaps the problem was that Chistov did, too.

"After we went to the Stanley Cup Finals, I thought it was going to be easy," Chistov said.

The past season-plus has been something else entirely for Chistov, who will be back at Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks for tonight's 7:30 American Hockey League matchup with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The game is the first of three Cincinnati will play at The Pond because of the NHL lockout, with the other two scheduled for Dec. 17-18 against the Edmonton Road Runners.

Chistov, skating on an effective third line with center Samuel Pahlsson and former Ducks right wing Steve Thomas, played in all 21 Ducks playoff games in 2003, contributing four goals and two assists, including the winning goal in a 2-1 victory in Game 3 of an opening-round sweep of the Detroit Red Wings.

Chistov, whose breath ta king puck-handling skills made him the fifth overall selection in the 2001 NHL entry draft, followed up his promising debut campaign by scoring just two goals in 56 games last season as the Ducks plummeted to 12th place in the Western Conference. Chistov's lack of production, combined with a failure to fit into Ducks coach Mike Babcock's team concept, resulted in Chistov being banished to Cincinnati in late January.

Chistov, still trying to find himself and his game, is Cincinnati's leading goal scorer this season, but has just five in 16 games after striking twice on 5-on-3, power-play opportunities in Friday's 4-3 victory over the visiting Chicago Wolves that snapped a seven-game Cincinnati losing streak.

After opening the season with only one point, a goal, in six games, the 5-foot-9, 193-pound Chistov has heated up. He has generated three goals and two assists in the past six games to raise his point total to eight.

"He's had some outstanding games, and some where he hasn't been nearly as noticeable," Cincinnati coach Brad Shaw said. "Where he can get better is near the net. He's a world-class talent. It's a matter of him doing the stuff away from the puck more consistently, bringing that `A' effort every night and every shift."

Chistov, 21, has no quarrel with Shaw's assessment.

"I play one game good, but no consistency," Chistov said. "We play like three games in a row -- no energy in the third game. It's hard to play every game the same, with the travel."

Certainly, the AHL schedule is anything but friendly. Cincinnati, having completed a run of six games in nine nights Saturday in Chicago, now embarks on a week-long stretch that will include five games in five cities.

If not for his sophomore slump and the lockout, Chistov might have avoided the overnight bus rides and everything else that goes with a minor-league lifestyle. Now he will have to earn his way back to the big-time.

"I don't think the issues have changed for Stan," said former Ducks winger Dan Bylsma, in his first season as an assistant coach at Cincinnati. "I'm sure they're the same that Mike Babcock would have said at the end of last year.

"He's been told over and over again, in meetings with the general manager, in meetings with the coach in Anaheim and in meetings with the coaches here.

"When Stan puts it all together, with his skill package, he's going to be an elite player. He's a young kid. One thing I know about Stan for sure is that he cares. He has the will. He wants to be a good player. He has to find a way to understand what's important, and how he's going to have success."

NOTES

After opening the season with five victories in seven games, Cincinnati has dropped eight of nine to fall to 6-10. ... Right wing Joffrey Lupul is the team's leading scorer with 11 points, but he has only two goals. ... Goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, who figured to be the backup to Jean-Sebastien Giguere in Anaheim if not for the lockout, is 5-6 with a 2.84 goals-against average and .902 save percentage. ... Like Chistov, Lupul and Bryzgalov have struggled with consistency, Shaw said. ... Among the Cincinnati players out because of injuries are left wing Chris Kunitz (broken jaw) and center Tim Brent (sprained ankle). ... Center Alexei Smirnov returned to the lineup Nov. 18 after having missed six games because of a separated shoulder.