Defense the Problem Here

Coach Craig Hartsburg gathered the Ducks around him Sunday, told them their defensive play stinks, then put them to work to correct it.

Hartsburg had the Ducks perform only one drill, but they spent more than an hour on a three-on-three exercise designed to stress defensive play in front of the net and in the corners.

“If they can do it today in practice, they can do it in a game,” Hartsburg said. “[Sunday’s practice] proves to me they can do it. It’s not a gift. It’s an attitude. If you want to be good defensively, you can be good defensively. It’s as simple as that.”

If that’s true, it doesn’t say much for the Ducks’ defensive effort in the last three exhibitions--all losses.

The Ducks lost Saturday to the Colorado Avalanche, 8-5. They were beaten by the Avalanche, 5-4, Wednesday and by the Kings, 8-3, Tuesday.

After five exhibitions, the Ducks are 1-4 and have been outscored, 27-18. That’s bad news for the Ducks, who are determined to return to the sound defensive play that carried them to the second round of the 1996-97 playoffs.

Last season, the Ducks had the league’s third-worst defense, giving up 261 goals. Only the Vancouver Canucks, with 273, and the Tampa Bay Lightning (269) gave up more goals.

“It’s exactly what we needed,” enforcer Stu Grimson said of Sunday’s workout. “We’re not having any problems in their end. We’re having a lot of trouble in our own end.”

Added goaltender Guy Hebert: “We’ve had a little trouble adjusting to a new defensive style and I don’t think everybody’s got it down just yet. It’s going to take a little more time to sort it out.”

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Hebert is expected to start tonight’s exhibition against the Kings at the Arrowhead Pond. Hebert did not play in the Kings’ victory last week at the Forum.

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Teemu Selanne has been impressed with rookie Antti Aalto, who has a shot to win a spot as the third- or fourth-line center.

Of course, Selanne might be a bit biased since he and Aalto are both from Finland. Aalto, 23, also is staying at Selanne’s home during training camp.

“He has a good chance to make the team,” Selanne said. “Last year was his first camp. Now, he’s wiser and more experienced.”