New-look Ducks, without all of their new pieces, lose to Avalanche, 4-3

After a dizzying rush of trades — five deals Wednesday before the noon PST NHL deadline and a mind-boggling eight over the last three days — the Ducks took the ice for their first post- Olympics outing Wednesday night against Colorado at the Honda Center.

They skated off with a 4-3 loss that halted an 11-game home winning streak — a team improved in theory but not yet completely whole.

The two veteran defensemen General Manager Bob Murray acquired at the deadline — Lubomir Visnovsky from Edmonton and Aaron Ward from Carolina — will join the team at Thursday’s practice.

That left the Ducks a defenseman short against the Avalanche after dealing Ryan Whitney to the Oilers for Visnovsky, so they had to make do with five. Scott Niedermayer, captain of the Canadian team that won the Olympic gold medal Sunday, logged more than 31 minutes and James Wisniewski played more than 29.

“That’s always a strain. But that’s the hand we were dealt, and that’s what happens on trade deadline day when you play that night,” Coach Randy Carlyle said. “We couldn’t get anybody here by the time everything was settled, and the NHL won’t allow you to bring people in until the trade call is complete.”

The Ducks started fine, taking a 2-0 lead on goals by Jason Blake and Teemu Selanne, his 19th of the season and the 598th of his career.

Colorado came back with four straight goals — three on power plays by Chris Stewart, Peter Mueller and Matt Duchene. The Avalanche took a 4-2 lead with 10:41 left in the game on a goal by T.J. Galiardi.

The Ducks, their power play off-kilter with Whitney gone, scored late in a four-minute power play on a goal by Niedermayer that cut the lead to one with 3:05 left in the game but got no closer.

“We worked hard before the break to get in position where if we come in and play well the rest of the way we can at least chase a playoff spot,” said Niedermayer, who said he “didn’t really notice” the extra minutes.

The flurry of deals included some that were a matter of salary shifting. But there was no mistaking Murray’s mission as the Ducks try to make a late push for the playoffs a second year in a row: improving a defense that he acknowledged “hasn’t played well.”

Visnovsky, a 33-year-old former King, has 10 goals and 32 points this season and will be expected to run the Ducks’ power play. Ward, 37, is a physical player who had a rough start for Carolina but is playing better.

The day was a bummer for Whitney, who won a silver medal with the U.S.

But the day the Ducks honored their seven Olympic medalists, he was sent packing before the trade deadline for the second season in a row.

“They just didn’t think it was working here,” he said, shortly after spotting a Ducks official.

“Do you have my medal?” he said. Then, almost with a shrug, he told the employee, “Just ship it.”

robynnorwood@verizon.net