Emphasis Shifts to the Defense

They didn’t exactly break out champagne in the Duck dressing room to celebrate the best October in team history Tuesday. They got something with a little more bite:

A lecture from Coach Craig Hartsburg on defense.

The visual aide was a video of Monday’s 5-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, which left the Ducks with a 6-4-1-2 record. Not bad for a team that was 20-38-12 in seven previous Octobers.

“I don’t look at it that way,” team captain Paul Kariya said. “I look at the way we have to play in our next game.

“We’ve done some good things and we’ve done some bad things. We need to be a lot better, No. 1 on defense.”

Hartsburg made that clear during a one-hour team meeting, then gave the same speech, complete with escalating voice, to reporters afterward.

“Our defensive play is not where we want it to be,” Hartsburg said. “I’m not just talking about the guys who play defense. This isn’t like football, where some players play defense and some play offense.

“When we got the puck, fine, let’s go. We got skilled players who can do some things. When we don’t have the puck, everybody better be playing defense.

“I hear some player comments that we haven’t been very good in our own end. There are some things happening up the ice where we have to be better. Our whole mind-set of defense has to be better.”

Hartsburg preaching defense is nothing new but his level of concern seemed higher than usual.

True, the Ducks have a winning record in October for only the second time and are second in the competitive Pacific Division. They have also given up 45 goals, which works out to 3.5 a game. Only Columbus (3.6), Philadelphia (3.6) and Tampa Bay (4.3) are giving up more.

The Ducks have scored 40 goals.

“Scoring goals is not going to be a problem,” Hartsburg said. “At the end of the season, we’ll have plenty of goals. For us to be successful, defense has to be first on our minds.”

*

The Ducks added defensive depth by recalling defenseman Antti-Jussi Niemi from Cincinnati.

Niemi was recalled earlier this season, and played against the Kings, before being sent back down. He had one goal in eight games with Cincinnati.

The Ducks need depth on defense, what with Ruslan Salei questionable for tonight’s game against Phoenix. Salei has missed four of the last five games because of a bruised left foot.

The Ducks will be without right wing Marty McInnis, who will be examined by a doctor today. McInnis suffered strained muscles in his neck after crashing into the boards against Calgary on Sunday.

Defenseman Pavel Trnka skated for the first time since suffering a sprained right ankle Oct. 8 against St. Louis.

TONIGHT

vs. Phoenix, 7:30

Fox Sports Net

* Site--Arrowhead Pond.

* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Records--Ducks 6-4-1-2; Coyotes 9-1-2-0.

* Record vs. Coyotes (1999-2000)--2-4.

* Update--The Coyotes have all kinds of turmoil, just not on the ice. Wayne Gretzky’s effort to buy the team is still in limbo, which also leaves dangling the future of General Manager Bobby Smith. The team, however, has few worries on the ice. The Coyotes have the league’s best record after knocking off previously unbeaten Colorado on Monday. Even so, goalie Sean Burke had to stop 45 shots in the 4-0 victory.

* Tickets--(714) 703-2545.