Their Power Play Badly Needs a Jolt

By definition, a power play is supposed to help and not hurt the team with the man advantage. But the Ducks have failed to reap the benefits.

“We are the power killers,” right wing Teemu Selanne said.

No one would blame the Ducks if they wished to decline their next power-play opportunity and continue skating five on five.

Last season, the Ducks had the league’s best power play, converting 22% of their chances. Selanne had 25 of his league-leading 47 goals on the power play.

This season, the Ducks have clicked on 16 of 137 chances for an 11.7% success rate, ranking ahead of only the expansion Atlanta Thrashers (11.6%) and the Buffalo Sabres (8.5%).

Only two of Selanne’s 15 goals have been on the power play.

The Ducks are 6-8 in games decided by one goal. They are 0 for 25 on the power play in those eight losses.

Imagine where the Ducks, off to the franchise’s best start at 18-17-4-1, would be if they had as few as five more power-play goals.

“Clearly, it’s been a source of frustration and disappointment in the first 39 games,” said assistant George Burnett, who directs the power-play units. “But we’ve had two great days of practice now and the guys understand the urgency.”

Crisper passing and harder work are the key ingredients to turning around the power play, Burnett said. With Selanne and Paul Kariya using their offensive magic, it would seem the Ducks have the necessary skill to be successful.

“We have to be more aggressive, more hungry,” Selanne said. “We have to turn it around. If we do it better, the future looks so bright.”

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The Ducks put center Steve Rucchin, who has an infected left ankle, on injured reserve and recalled Johan Davidsson from Cincinnati of the American Hockey League.