After Loss, It’s Time to Work

The Ducks went to work Monday sweeping away the stench from Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers.

While they were at it, they spent an hour or so in the gym working on their conditioning. The sticks and pucks stayed put and no one skated.

“It’s over and done with,” Coach Craig Hartsburg said of Sunday’s game. “There’s no sense dwelling on it. We know we’ve got work to do. We’ve got to sharpen things up.”

Hartsburg figures there are as many as four ruts a season for the average NHL team. He hopes the Ducks hit their last one Sunday and that a few days of intense practice will solve their troubles.

Of particular concern is the vanishing forecheck. When there, it causes turnovers that lead to scoring chances.

“The forecheck is just hard work and a sense of urgency,” Hartsburg said. “Part of it is just being tenacious. We seem to be backing up instead of pressing forward [recently].”

The Ducks return to the ice today for what Hartsburg promised would be a high-tempo practice.

He wasn’t certain whether defensemen Fredrik Olausson (bruised ribs), Ruslan Salei (sore shoulder) and center Steve Rucchin (groin strain) would skate today.

But he hopes all three will be fit to play Friday against the Dallas Stars. None played Sunday against Florida.

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Today is the trade deadline.

“If something happens, it happens,” Hartsburg said. “I’m not talking with Pierre [Gauthier, team president-general manager,] about anything. I think [the deadline] is on the players’ minds, but I don’t think anybody is biting their nails. We--the coaches and players--have more important things to worry about and that’s getting better.”

Gauthier declined to comment until after today’s noon deadline.