Corkum Doesn’t Need to Be Reminded Again : Hockey: Duck center has picked up his play after slow start and pep talk from General Manager Jack Ferreira.

When the word came, Bob Corkum couldn’t help but cringe. Mighty Duck General Manager Jack Ferreira wanted to see him, wanted to talk. That couldn’t mean good news.

But it turned out to be nothing more than a pep talk and an assurance that Corkum wasn’t on the trading block. It also served as a kick in the rear.

Joe Sacco and Garry Valk also were called into Ferreira’s office a few weeks ago.

“I can’t speak about other people’s performances, but I’m definitely not playing the same as last year,” Corkum said. “Jack was concerned about my play. He assured me he was not going to move me. For that I thank Jack for being up front with me.”

Since that chat, Corkum has responded with his best play of the season. His second-period goal ignited the Ducks in their 4-2 victory over Calgary Thursday at The Pond. It was his fourth goal and sixth point in the past eight games.

Almost better for the Ducks is that Corkum played the bruising style he displayed so often last season. A crushing third-period check on Calgary center Joe Nieuwendyk was one of the best of a hard-hitting game.

“For Bob Corkum, that was probably his most physical game of the season,” Coach Ron Wilson said. “He sees the other guys hitting and he sort of falls in line.”

Wilson expressed disappointment with Corkum’s physical play some weeks ago, but lately has no complaints.

“He and Garry Valk have really come alive the last seven or eight games,” Wilson said.

Last season, Corkum relied on aggressive forechecking and tough play in the corners and in front of the net to score the bulk of his 23 goals. He wasn’t one to put together an end-to-end rush. More likely he would be the one knocking in a rebound with a defenseman hanging all over him.

This season, that sort of play from Corkum had been absent for much of the season. To be sure, the Ducks were counting on others--particularly rookies Paul Kariya and Valeri Karpov--to score, but they also needed help from Corkum.

Thursday’s goal, on assists by Valk and Oleg Tverdovsky, was only Corkum’s seventh.

He could have had two others early in Tuesday’s 5-0 loss at Vancouver, however.

“I hit two goalposts,” he said. “If they go in, it’s a different ballgame.”

But that’s just part of the Ducks’ recent struggle to find a consistent groove. They’re good one night, then bad the next.

They were good Sunday in defeating the Kings, bad against Vancouver and good against Calgary on Thursday.

“We’ve had trouble with consistency,” Corkum said. “We’ve got to straighten that out the next few games. Tonight showed we’re capable of playing 60 minutes of solid hockey. Everybody (in the Duck dressing room) believes we can make the playoffs. Some nights it’s just not there for whatever reason. We just have to be more prepared.”

The Ducks matched Calgary hit for hit, which proved to be a key to the victory, according to Corkum.

“Everybody’s playing more physically,” he said.