Up Against It, and Loving It

Coach Pierre Page senses a change for the better in the Ducks, and not only because they have scored an uncharacteristic 15 goals in their three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1) since the All-Star break.

“The last few games we seem like a different team,” Page said. “This team is used to taking off after the break. The players seem to like it with their backs against the wall. It’s like pulling a couple of all-nighters to get a term paper done.”

However, there has been at least one troubling development. The Ducks have given up at least 40 shots on net in each of the last three games.

“At least we’re not running around now, and we were before,” Page said of the Duck defense. “We’re in front of the net more and we’re covering the slot better. We don’t have three guys stuck in the corners like before. We’re not giving up as many second and third shots.

“But we’ve got to get the shots down.”

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By now the Ducks are used to being labeled a one-line team. They might not like it, but they have accepted it.

“We have to play as good as we can,” Teemu Selanne said. “If we only have one line, then [opponents] have to make sure the one line doesn’t beat them. Good luck has to come to [our] other players. But if everyone is doing their job, that should be enough.

“Last year, we went pretty far [to the second round of the playoffs] and this year is a good chance to go far again.”

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Goaltender Guy Hebert, expected to be a backup for Team USA in Nagano, on the upcoming Olympics: “We’ve been fighting for our lives here. In our locker room, the Olympics could be a year away as far as we’re concerned.”