Duck Shots

A weekly update on the Mighty Ducks.

Time is beginning to run short on the Ducks, who are trying to get a playoff berth and rid themselves of bad habits, which cost them against the Canucks. Here’s a look at what’s ahead.

* Where they stand: 23-30-6 (52 points), fifth in the Pacific Division, 10th in the Western Conference.

* Who’s hot: Steve Rucchin has been a steady point producer on the top line with Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne.

* Who’s not: At times, defense is a dirty word to the forward lines. Consistency just isn’t there yet.

UPCOMING

* Saturday, Phoenix (noon, KTTV Channel 11): It’s nice to know that your enforcer is willing to contribute on the scoreboard and take the load off Keith Tkachuk. Jim McKenzie, who had only one goal before Tuesday, scored three goals against the Kings and fought Matt Johnson late in the second period. “I told Keith, ‘I don’t care if you have 37 [goals] or not. If you see your goal scorer in trouble, you have to get out there,’ ” McKenzie told the Associated Press. Said Mike Stapleton, who had three assists, “I should have jumped in and protected our goal scorer, but I saw he was doing OK.”

* Sunday, Vancouver (5 p.m., KCAL-TV Channel 9): The Canucks say all the right things, but their actions speak louder. On Tuesday, the Canucks were trailing the Maple Leafs, 3-2, early in the second period before giving up four consecutive goals and the game. Pavel Bure was particularly unproductive, going pointless on nine shots and finishing the game a minus-2. “We got down too far,” Bure said. “We’re going to have to work on playing a full game.”

* Wednesday, Edmonton (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports West 2): The Ducks are 3-0 against the Oilers, who remain high in the Western Conference standings. But things have turned a bit ugly for the Oilers, who are 1-2-1 in their last four games after having won seven of eight. Something to remember: The Ducks have shown they can beat Edmonton in a skating contest and can hold their own when the gloves come off.