Tonight’s Tale Won’t Be Tired Story

If nothing else, the Ducks should be well-rested for tonight’s must-win game against the Phoenix Coyotes.

Goalie Guy Hebert did not play in the third period of Friday’s 8-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, giving way to backup Dominic Roussel.

The Ducks’ top line of Paul Kariya, Steve Rucchin and Teemu Selanne hardly played at all in the final period, each logging fewer than 20 minutes of ice time for the first time in a long time.

After the Canucks broke the game open, Duck Coach Craig Hartsburg gave his third- and fourth-line players plenty of ice time.

“We can’t look back, we’ve got to look ahead,” Hartsburg said. “It’s a great race. It’s still in our hands.”

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The Ducks have six games remaining--Phoenix tonight, Nashville (April 3) and the Kings (April 9) at home, and the Kings (Saturday), Chicago (April 5) and Nashville (April 7) on the road.

Tonight’s game is the Ducks’ eighth in 13 days. After tonight, they do not play again until Saturday against the Kings at Staples Center.

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The Ducks were 1-8 in Canada this season. They won their first game in the Great White North, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs, 2-0, then lost eight in a row.

TONIGHT vs. Phoenix

5, ESPN

* Site--Arrowhead Pond.

* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Records--Ducks 31-33-12-2, Coyotes 35-32-7-2.

* Record vs. Coyotes--1-4.

* Update--Phoenix is falling apart at the worst possible time. The eighth-place Coyotes have lost six consecutive games and are 3-12-1 in their last 16. Captain Keith Tkachuk will not play tonight because he’s serving the second game of a two-game suspension for high-sticking Aaron Miller of the Colorado Avalanche last week. Tkachuk sat out 16 games recently because of a sprained left ankle.

* Tickets--(714) 740-2000.