Ducks’ Defense Is a Drag

Maybe Paul Kariya could play the role of defensive hit man.

Sure, it makes about as much sense as asking Brent Favre to field punts or Ken Griffey Jr. to pitch. But that’s the type of outrageous suggestion the Mighty Ducks have left themselves open to with their pathetic defense lately.

As Coach Pierre Page said after a 4-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Sunday at the Pond, “We’ve got to reshape our thinking on a lot of things.”

For all of the punch Kariya added to the Ducks’ attack, it has become obvious that it isn’t enough to make up for the team’s glaring defensive deficiencies.

The magic he produced in his first game back after ending his holdout masked the fact that the Ducks gave up four goals that night. They’ve given up 16 more in the three games since, all losses.

Over the past seven games they have given up 32 goals, holding an opponent to less than four goals only once in that span.

“We’re so poor defensively,” Teemu Selanne said.

The Ducks play defense as if they’re trying to help guys make the SportsCenter highlights. Sunday night, Shark rookie Patrick Marleau skated untouched through the zone for a clean shot that hit the post. Friday night they let Phoenix Coyote Keith Tkachuk set up camp outside the crease for an easy goal. Wednesday night they allowed Toronto’s Mats Sundin to skate from the right side of the net to the left untouched, holding onto the puck so long it seemed he would score simply by attrition before he finally put the puck past Guy Hebert.

The rest of the time it’s guys scoring off rebounds because the Ducks took care of neither them nor the puck. Or teams scoring power-play goals with regularity. (If you were busy trimming the tree this weekend, the Ducks gave up four on Friday and two more Sunday). When Warren Rychel finally took out his frustrations and laid a good check on somebody, Rychel hurt himself and went meekly to the bench.

It isn’t just the defense, it’s a general malaise on everything the Ducks do when they’re in their own zone. Even when they get the puck they’re liable to do something stupid, such as turn it over to guys like Sundin or Jaromir Jagr. Those guys are great players, but if they’re going to score, make them do it with a spectacular play, not an uncontested, one-on-one shot against the goaltender.

The Ducks should do what the Sharks did with Selanne: If an opponent’s gunner is bearing down on the goal, take him down. As pitiful as the Ducks have been on the power play lately, it was like fouling Shaq before he can dunk and taking your chances with him at the free-throw line.

He scored twice when they left him untouched as it was, and could have had more, but whenever he had a breakaway opportunity they tripped him, hooked him, did whatever they had to to stop him.

And the Ducks couldn’t make them pay with a power-play goal. They went 0 for 6 Sunday and are now one for their past 21.

On defense, the Ducks can’t afford to have the same “intentional foul” approach if another team’s star breaks loose.

“When you don’t kill penalties, you don’t take penalties,” Page said.

Not only does the Duck penalty-killing unit give up goals, it takes away the team’s edge. They can’t afford to take a penalty for an intimidating hit or an inspirational fight.

So the special teams are helping to drag everything down. But the real weight sinking this team is the defense. It always starts with the defense. And defense starts with desire.

You don’t see the Ducks making the sacrifices, doing the things like laying their bodies on the ice to block the puck.

“We’ve got to do a better job of stopping shots and lining up shots,” Page said. “It’s a big price to pay. You won’t see Gretzky do it.”

Guys like Kariya shouldn’t have to either. He and Selanne have done their jobs. They put up the points. Although Kariya didn’t score Sunday for the first time since his return, he did assist on both of Selanne’s goals.

The Ducks never have been shut out in the 97 games Kariya and Selanne have played together. If those two combine for two goals and someone else adds another, it should be enough to produce a victory on most nights.

But not with this defense.

Don’t expect the cavalry to come in the form of a trade. General Manager Jack Ferreira says nothing’s happening.

Brent Severyn hopes to come back from the herniated disk problem in time for the upcoming trip, so that should help a little.

“Only these guys can make the difference right now,” Selanne said, looking around the locker room.

It was empty, all too appropriate for a team waiting for someone to step in, and waiting for someone to step up.