Coach Won’t Treat String of Tough Foes Differently

This may be the most difficult week of the season for the Ducks, who play the Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars and Phoenix Coyotes in their next three games.

But don’t mention that to Coach Craig Hartsburg. He doesn’t want to single out one opponent over another.

“We have to be ready for everybody,” he said.

He has a point, although it will probably be easier for the Ducks to get motivated to play the Eastern Conference-leading Flyers, Western Conference-leading Stars or Western runner-up Coyotes than a downtrodden team such as Tampa Bay.

“If you get into a situation at this time of the year where you find it easier to be ready to play a good team than a bad team, then you’re going to throw away a lot of points,” he said.

Asked what he expects to see when the Ducks host the Flyers on Wednesday, Hartsburg said:

“It’s going to be a high-tempo game and hard-fought against the boards. We’ve got to use our speed and quickness. When you play the best teams, you’ve got to use your strengths.”

The Flyers dominated the Ducks in winning the first meeting Oct. 11 at Philadelphia, 4-1, turning the game into a physical battle.

“We’ve taken a lot of steps since then,” Hartsburg said. “It seems so long ago. It’s amazing.”

Expect to see defenseman Pascal Trepanier in the lineup against Philadelphia. Hartsburg likes his aggressive play, which could come in handy against the physical Flyers.

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Center Steve Rucchin did not practice Monday because he has a cold. . . . Left wing Jim McKenzie practiced for the first time since spraining his right ankle last week and gave two thumbs up when asked how it went.