Slow Starts Irk Hartsburg

Coach Craig Hartsburg gave the Ducks a chance to sleep late, have a leisurely breakfast and watch football on television Sunday before the team gathered for an afternoon flight from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., to Washington.

Hartsburg, who called off Sunday’s workout, plans to give the Ducks an earful at practice today.

Recent lackluster starts have upset Hartsburg. Friday, the Ducks gave up a goal in the first 61 seconds against Tampa Bay. Saturday, they lasted 63 seconds before Florida scored.

“We’re going to talk about it with the players,” Hartsburg said when asked about the Ducks’ poor starts the last two games. “At some point, the players have to take responsibility for it. We’ve told them in the last two games what to expect. Once we get going we’re fine. We don’t need these wake-up calls early in the hockey game.”

The Ducks rallied in each game, defeating Tampa Bay, 3-2, but losing to Florida, 3-2, in overtime.

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Hartsburg isn’t overly concerned about the sluggish start of the Paul Kariya-Matt Cullen-Teemu Selanne line, which has scored four goals in seven games.

“The goals will come if people work,” Hartsburg said. “That’s why Aalto’s line [Antti Aalto, Mike LeClerc and Ladislav Kohn] has been so successful--they’ve outworked the line they’re playing against. They are probably our hardest-working line.”

Kariya continues to be frustrated by his line’s lack of a finishing touch.

“We’re creating tons of scoring chances,” said Kariya, who has two goals and one assist in six games. “Our finish, whether it’s a pass or a shot, isn’t there yet. We have to keep working at it.”

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Defenseman Fredrik Olausson’s sprained left ankle has improved and he might practice today. Olausson did not play Saturday against Florida.