Ducks assess loss to Blackhawks quickly as Blues await tonight

ST. LOUIS -- Expecting another big challenge Saturday night here against the Blues, the Ducks quickly reflected on the flaws unearthed in their 4-2 loss Friday night to the defending Stanley Cup-champion Chicago Blackhawks.

And they quickly said the problems -- like a lethargic first period and four second-period penalties -- were easily correctable.

“They were ready to play, and in the first two periods, we didn’t play our game -- weren’t aggressive enough -- and if you give them time and space, you’re on the defense,” Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano said of the Blackhawks. “That’s what happened. We were just trying to contain their forwards and their speed. You do that, you don’t get chances. You don’t do anything.”

Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau said the notion that his team didn’t have its legs came as “maybe we just didn’t look as good because Chicago had its legs. They were beating us to all the loose pucks, made it look like we were standing around, were right on us. A lot of that was Chicago playing better than us.”

Cogliano had scored seven goals in the last 11 games, but he was held scoreless on one shot Friday as the Ducks (36-9-5) lost for only the second time in 20 games while goalie Jonas Hiller’s 14-game winning streak was stopped.

The loss also snapped the Ducks’ run of eight consecutive wins.

Chicago “system-wise didn’t kill us” and “the goals they scored were preventable,” Cogliano said, but he foresees the Blackhawks as a future playoff opponent and said the Ducks took account of where they need to be better.

“We beat them the last five times, tough to make it six,” Cogliano said. “You’re not going to win every game, there’s going to be some you’re not at your best.

“Tonight, there’s no tippy-toeing around the fact that if we don’t come here ready to play hard, you’ll lose the game. We lost, we’ve got to get back on the horse again.”

Boudreau said St. Louis (32-9-5), which will be boosted by the return of forward Alexander Steen (38 points in 35 games) after an 11-game absence with a concussion, is “a power meat-and potatoes team that’ll run you right over … 30 hits against L.A. … every game is a man’s game.”

Tough Ducks forwards Tim Jackman and Patrick Maroon both told The Times they’ll play Saturday night after getting scratched Friday.

“When you get used to winning and lose, it stings,” Jackman said. “I hope tonight we’ll play better. We expect a physical game, I expect it in the first period. We’ve got to match it and get right back at them, get pucks deep in their zone and forecheck. That’s when we have success.”

Goalie Frederik Andersen was first off the ice at the Ducks’ morning skate at Scottrade Center, indicating he’ll start for the second time in three games.

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

Twitter: @latimespugmire