Coach Cancels Practice, Praises Tuesday Effort

Coach Craig Hartsburg called off practice Wednesday at a Westside Chicago rink, then rushed off to be with his family. Hartsburg’s wife, Peggy, and daughter, Katie, have remained at the family’s Chicago home while Katie finishes high school.

But before he departed, Hartsburg praised the Ducks’ effort in a 4-4 tie Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“It was a good point,” said Hartsburg, who coached the Blackhawks for three seasons before he was fired last April. “I thought that was by far the best we’ve played on this trip, and against one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. All in all, it’s a positive sign we’re getting better.”

*

Sunday marks one month since Tomas Sandstrom suffered a broken left wrist that required surgery. He’s expected to be sidelined for about another four weeks.

“I don’t think there’s any question, what with the way we were playing with him in the lineup, that we miss him,” Hartsburg said. “Somebody else has to do the job. We’ve got other people who should be able to step in.”

*

Travis Green chuckled when told of Teemu Selanne’s complaints of feeling slow because of a strained right thigh.

“I’ll take his slowness any day,” said Green, who has three goals in his first two games back in the lineup since sitting out three games because of a sprained left knee.

Tonight

at Chicago

5:30 p.m. PST, Channel 9

* Site--United Center.

* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Records--Ducks 8-10-5, Blackhawks 6-14-3.

* Record vs. Blackhawks--2-0.

* Update--The Ducks were 4-2 in the six games before this five-game trip, but are 0-3-1 since. They return to Anaheim after tonight’s game, plan to take Friday off, practice Saturday, then depart for Sunday’s game against the Sharks at San Jose. Chicago defensemen Jamie Allison and Paul Coffey will not play because of injuries. Of Coffey’s lingering back trouble, Blackhawk Coach Dirk Graham told a reporter, “It’s one of those day-to-day, wait-and-see, stay-frustrated kind of things.”