Kariya Still Believes Despite Recent Slump

The Ducks’ current 1-6-1 slump is their worst eight-game stretch since ending last season with a 1-5-2 skid that dropped them from fourth to sixth in the Western Conference standings.

So, what is the Ducks’ state of mind at the moment?

“It’s not skyrocketing confidence,” captain Paul Kariya said. “It would be tougher if there were no signs we could be a good team, though.”

The first item on the Ducks’ to-do list this week in practice is tightening up their defense. They gave up an average of 2.18 goals a game before their slide began with an 8-2 loss Dec. 22 against the Phoenix Coyotes. But opponents have averaged 4.25 goals in the last eight games.

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Coach Craig Hartsburg hammered the Ducks pretty well after they squandered a four-goal lead in Friday’s 4-4 tie against the Carolina Hurricanes.

But he tried a different approach--at least with reporters--after Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

“This is a team that’s still learning,” Hartsburg said. “We’ve taken some steps backward lately. We were all pretty angry [Friday] night. We took a little step forward [Saturday] night. We showed up and battled. Three games in four nights with cross-country travel is really tough.”

The Ducks played at home Wednesday, losing to Florida, 5-1, before flying Thursday to Raleigh, N.C. They departed for Detroit immediately after Friday’s tie, then headed home after Saturday’s defeat.

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For what it’s worth, the schedule is far kinder on the Ducks in the season’s final 40 games.

The Ducks travel to the Eastern time zone only once more--for a trip to play the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers, which takes them to the All-Star break in early February.

After the break, the Ducks play only 11 of their final 28 outside Southern California. They do not play again this season at Dallas or Detroit, two spots where they have a combined three victories in seven seasons.