It was University of Maine night in Chicago on Sunday. Paul Kariya playing in his seventh game since settling his contract with the Ducks; Keith Carney, Eric Weinrich, and the Blackhawks trying to shut Kariya down. They did, and the No. 1 star of the game was Carney. For Kariya, the night served as an indicator of what he will encounter from other teams.

Sunday morning, Chicago coach Craig Hartsburg and I were talking about the Blackhawks 0-5-4 streak at home. Fourteen teams in the NHL are below .500 at home. Last year there were eight, and 10 years ago there were three.

“Nobody’s intimidated in other teams’ buildings anymore,” said Hartsburg. “Everybody gets a big, fancy locker room, players of opposing teams are talking in the hallways before games. Everybody feels real comfortable on the road,” said the Chicago coach, shaking his head.

“Intimidation is still a part of this game,” said Hartsburg.

At his team’s practice skate on Sunday he made the air blue. In no uncertain terms he told the Blackhawks the 0-5-4 streak was a joke and he wanted to see some nastiness that night. He got it and Kariya paid the price.

Blackhawk Chris Chelios is a defensive all-star, captain of the team, and a three-time Norris trophy winner as the NHL’s best blue-liner. He can be real mean. His assignment was Kariya. Chelios slashed, tripped, face-rubbed, elbowed, held, cross-checked, and rabbit-punched Kariya, and that was on his first shift.

Chelios talked to Kariya all night, at one point telling Kariya from the bench, “I’ll get you, Paul.”

Chelios intimidated Kariya. The Blackhawks won 2-0. It was the 100th game Kariya and Teemu Selanne have played together as Mighty Ducks. It was the first time in those 100 games the Ducks had been shut out.

Then there was former Black Bear and Olympic-bound Keith Carney. Carney led Chicago penalty killers in denying the Ducks on seven power-play chances. In the first period, the Ducks had a 4-on-3 advantage and Kariya was open in the right circle. Chicago goaltender Jeff Hackett was watching Kariya set up.

“Kariya had it to my left and Keith [Carney] was patient, patient, and then all of a sudden he jumped on him and made a great play,” said Hackett, “Keith Carney and Chris Chelios were the story tonight.”

While all this was going on, former Black Bear Eric Weinrich played a solid defensive game. There was no mercy shown toward Kariya, who got belted all night, with or without the puck. Kariya and Selanne had a combined 20 points in six games since Kariya’s return. Sunday they had zero and a combined eight shots.

Sunday is a sign of things to be for Kariya. Intimidation will be used against him the rest of the year. Anaheim’s protectors are going to be busy. Chicago’s Tony Amonte said after the game, “You can’t let those guys [Kariya and Selanne] skate around. We talked about just trying to get a stick on them wherever they were, even if they didn’t have the puck.”

If they don’t have the puck, getting a stick on them is a penalty, of course. But will the calls be made? This ongoing NHL issue will be heightened as more teams take the Chicago approach and go after Kariya all over the ice.

Here are a couple of notes from Kariya in talking with him Sunday. On picking up the offensive pace of NHL games: “I think the stick blade should be allowed to be wider. With so much bad ice and bouncing pucks, that would give skaters a better chance to control the puck and make offensive plays.”

On the Canadian Olympic Team: “Hockey is still Canada’s national sport. It matters that we win the gold. We can do it if we get team unity immediately, and I think [Olympic captain Eric] Lindros can lead us in that regard.”

On NHL pros in the Olympics: “I’m in favor of it if it helps to grow the league. Let’s see if the ratings of NHL games increase because of Olympic exposure.”

The Nagano Games begin Feb. 7. Have a safe New Year’s celebration so you can enjoy them.

Happy New Year.