Page Takes a Shot at Ducks’ Defense

Coach Pierre Page, searching far and wide for something good to say about his struggling defensive corps, praised Jason Marshall. And that’s probably a slap at veterans such as David Karpa and Dmitri Mironov.

“He didn’t even play regularly last season and right now he’s our best defenseman,” Page said of Marshall, who had one goal and 10 points in 73 games last season. “Why? Because he works his rear off. It’s not right. He’s not Bobby Orr, but he’s our best damn defenseman. He takes the body and he makes the first pass.”

Page was so unhappy with Karpa after Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks that he scratched him Sunday for the first time this season.

“David had a tough game last time,” Page said of Karpa, who has one goal and nine points in 59 games.

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Gary Roberts of the Carolina Hurricanes on facing Teemu Selanne of the Ducks: “The guy is an unbelievable player. As soon as I saw him out there lined up against me on that first shift, I said, “Better be skating tonight, better play well defensively or he’s going to burn us.’

“We were very fortunate to keep him off the scoreboard.”

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Carolina has had a terrible time attracting fans in their temporary home at the Greensboro Coliseum, averaging 8,500 fans while going head to head with Atlantic Coast Conference basketball.

Perhaps that’s why Hurricane Coach Paul Maurice seems at home amid all the empty seats Sunday at the Arrowhead Pond.

“Maybe it’s just us,” he said.

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The Ducks are 12-23-5 against the Western Conference going into tonight’s game against the Kings, the worst intraconference mark in the West. They have been outscored, 131-89.