Ducks Fizzle, Page Steaming

Coach Pierre Page vowed Wednesday to make sweeping changes if the Mighty Ducks continue to stumble around the rink as they did in a 4-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.

“What you see on the ice, in my opinion, is a reflection of what some guys have been doing in practice, in the gym and in their preparation,” Page said after the Ducks’ winless streak reached six games (0-5-1) in front of 16,641 at the Pond.

“I don’t know what it is. Maybe too many distractions? If you work hard in practice, if you work hard in the gym, if you prepare mentally, if you’re relaxing enough at home . . .

“We’re going to come out of this. [But] we’re going to have to evaluate what players have done here over the last two years and make some decisions.”

Page, in his first season as Duck coach, said he hoped to consult with General Manager Jack Ferreira and assistant general manager David McNab in order to come up with a more productive lineup.

Certainly, the absence of unsigned free agent Paul Kariya has been more evident during the past six games and opponents’ extra attention to Teemu Selanne has proven to be an effective game plan.

But Page dismissed that as a reason for the Ducks’ struggles.

“That little corner store is competing against that big grocery store and the owner doesn’t have all the tools, but he’s still got to survive,” Page said. “It was a 1-0 game [against Chicago] and we just cracked and it was 4-0. Too many teams have looked too good against us the last few games.

“[Teemu] Selanne was on a hot, hot streak. Now it’s somebody else’s turn. Whose turn is it? Who is that someone else now?”

Page shrugged. Judging by Wednesday’s performance, he had no clue either.

“We need to invest in the guys who are going to practice hard, prepare hard in the gym and prepare hard mentally.”

The Ducks seemed to get it all wrong in getting shut out for the second time in three games.

Selanne, the NHL’s leading goal-scorer with 20, was held without a goal or an assist for the third consecutive game. Like past opponents, the Blackhawks shadowed him and belted him without mercy--knowing full well that if you stop him you stop the Ducks.

And like past games, the Ducks seemed unable or unwilling to come to Selanne’s defense after the rough stuff began.

Finally, defenseman Jason Marshall jumped Chicago defenseman Chris Chelios late in the game in apparent retaliation for several tough hits, including a first-period elbow that dazed Selanne.

It wasn’t much of a fight, more of a wrestling match along the end boards, but it was at least a sign someone was willing to stand up for Selanne.

“I must be the only one on the planet who sees what’s going on out there [against Selanne],” Page said. “The refs are in charge. When they don’t see things that happen on the ice, we have to take care of it sooner or later ourselves.”

The Ducks’ start seemed perfectly acceptable Wednesday, far better than against San Jose. It was a shoddy offensive effort in the second period that did them in this time.

They pressured the Blackhawks, hit them and outshot them, 11-9, in the first 20 minutes. But they seemed incapable of duplicating their solid first-period play in the second period.

Forget scoring chances. The Ducks had difficulty merely getting the puck out of their own zone as the Blackhawks tightened their defensive pressure.

Two goals in the first 13 minutes of the second period also helped Chicago adopt a more defensive posture.

Alexei Zhamnov scored first, taking advantage of a coverage mistake by the Ducks to score his third goal of the season.