ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Penguins' productive young players and early season resurgence, which included a recent five-game winning streak, likely reminded some people of a time more than a decade ago when the team won two Stanley Cups.

Anaheim Ducks coach Randy Carlyle goes back further. He remembers when people were wondering if hockey would make it in Pittsburgh and whether the city could produce a champion in the NHL.

"I was a young player traded from Toronto to Pittsburgh, and, in my time there, there were some highs and some lows," Carlyle, a former Penguins defenseman and captain, said before the Ducks and Penguins played at Honda Center late last night.

"There was a huge change in Pittsburgh. We used to wear blue and white uniforms. Then, we changed to black and gold because the Steelers and Pirates were winning world championships. We had to fight for our space on the radar screen. But I had fun there."

He's no doubt having at least a little bit of fun now, too. The Ducks were undefeated in their first 14 games with at least one point in each before facing the Penguins last night.

Carlyle played for the Penguins from 1978-79 to '83-84, just before they drafted Mario Lemieux first overall and slowly began to build a championship-caliber team. Carlyle won the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman in 1981.

It was a bit of a shock to go from Toronto, where hockey meant everything, to Pittsburgh, which had only been in the NHL a little more than a decade.

"The Penguins gave me an opportunity to develop into a player," Carlyle said. "The perception was, I wasn't getting that in Toronto."

With the Maple Leafs, he was destined to play behind top defensemen Borje Salming and Ian Turnbull, but to play in front of an arena that was always filled with passionate fans.

"It was a drastic change at first, but, once the ownership thing got settled and the DeBartolo Corp. bought the [Penguins], there seemed to be a lot more stability off the ice," Carlyle said. "Paul Martha was president, and they seemed to be serious about committing to the city of Pittsburgh.

"We had some fun on the ice and maybe not so much fun off the ice as far as maybe not so many people in the stands, but, when you had success and got to the playoffs, the fans would come out."

Carlyle is aware that Mellon Arena has become obsolete and the Penguins' future in Pittsburgh depends on getting a new facility.

"It's hard to believe that that's the oldest building in the league," he said. "There are some buildings in the league that are outdated, and probably that is one of them. But I don't want to cast any stones in the direction of the city of Pittsburgh or the building or the situation there because some of the rink rats I know, like the Zamboni drivers, are the most fun guys I've met in my life.

"Obviously, there's a feeling that there's time for change. Hopefully, with the market they have created and the excitement they have created with their new, young team, things will come together off the ice for them."

Surgery for Eaton

Penguins defenseman Mark Eaton is scheduled to have surgery today on his left wrist and will be out indefinitely.

Eaton, considered the team's top defensive defenseman, was injured early in the 3-2 loss Saturday night at San Jose when he and Sharks winger Jonathan Cheechoo crashed into the corner boards. Cheechoo received a major boarding penalty and a game misconduct.

Night off for Fleury

Marc-Andre Fleury, who started the Penguins' first 11 games, the longest stretch of his career, was given a rest last night.

That gave veteran Jocelyn Thibault a chance to start against the Ducks. He had played once, replacing Fleury Oct. 14 midway through a 5-1 loss to Carolina when Fleury left after losing his helmet and being hit in the head during a scramble around the net.

"It's been a while, but I was getting myself ready for when it would happen," Thibault said before the game. "You try to target some drills, target some moments in practice and act like it's the game. You try and visualize yourself playing. That's the best you can do, so [you're ready] when you do get a start."

Penguins coach Michel Therrien said he's happy with Fleury's play -- he was 7-4-0 with one shutout, a 2.65 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage -- but wanted to give Thibault a start on the road. In addition, Therrien was reluctant to change his lineup while the team was winning.

Ducks recall Moran

Like the Penguins during their recent winning streak, Anaheim has been sticking with pretty much the same lineup. Before the game, the Ducks recalled former Penguins defenseman Ian Moran and winger Stanislav Chistov from conditioning assignments in the minors. Neither had played this season.

"It's one of those things for a coach -- do you leave them out [of the lineup] forever, or do you change a winning lineup?" Carlyle said. "Those are decisions that are not easily made."

Slap shots

The Ducks will play 15 of their first 22 games and 17 of their first 25 at home. ... The Ducks this season dropped the "Mighty" from their name, got a new logo and uniforms. Their home arena, formerly Arrowhead Pond, is now called the Honda Center. ... Although it was some half-hour away by car, a large fire in the Rialto area that was spurred by Santa Ana winds could be smelled outside the Honda Center.