Changes Planned for Top Line

With center Steve Rucchin sidelined for up to a month, Coach Craig Hartsburg plans to break up his top line for tonight’s game against the Phoenix Coyotes.

Paul Kariya will join center German Titov and right wing Marty McInnis on one line and Teemu Selanne will be teamed with center Matt Cullen and left wing Mike Leclerc on another.

Kariya and Selanne have struggled to score during the Ducks’ eight-game winless streak, which helps to explain why the team is 0-6-2 during this stretch. Kariya has only one goal and three points in the last eight games and Selanne has two goals and four points.

“It doesn’t matter who we play with, we’ve got to produce,” said Kariya, who leads the Ducks with 18 points [six goals, 12 assists]. “We’ve got more skill up front and, more so than in the past, the lines are interchangeable.”

Asked if he felt added pressure to score in light of the Ducks’ winless streak and of a 20-minute lecture Thursday to the players by Pierre Gauthier, team president and general manager, Kariya said, “Yep. Absolutely.”

Gauthier told reporters Hartsburg would not be fired and that neither Kariya nor Selanne would be traded. Gauthier said he told the players he expects more from them.

“We’ve done the talking,” Hartsburg said. “Now we have to do it. . . . We’re at a point now where we’ve got to be fed up and angry instead of feeling sorry for ourselves.”

*

Guy Hebert will start in goal tonight. But Hartsburg said he wouldn’t decide on Sunday’s starter against the New York Islanders until after tonight’s game.

Hebert is among those Hartsburg is hoping to see improve his game. Hebert is 5-8-2 with a bloated 3.40 goals-against average and a disappointing .888 save percentage in 17 appearances.

TONIGHT

at Phoenix, 6 PST

Fox Sports Net 2

(joined in progress)

* Site--America West Arena.

* Radio--KOGO (600).

* Records--Ducks 6-9-3-2, Coyotes 11-3-6-0.

* Record vs. Coyotes--0-0-1.

* Update--Center Jeremy Roenick, suffering from a concussion, did not play in the Coyotes’ 6-3 victory Thursday against the league-leading Colorado Avalanche. Roenick was injured when Washington’s Joe Reekie elbowed him in the head during a 2-2 tie Tuesday. Reekie was suspended by the league for two games, but that wasn’t punishment enough for Roenick, who complained Thursday that the suspension wasn’t long enough. Phoenix also will be without Brad May, suspended for 20 games for clubbing Steve Heinze of Columbus last week. Keith Tkachuk leads the NHL with nine power-play goals. Fox Sports Net 2 will switch to the hockey game after the USC-UCLA football game, which begins at 3:30 p.m.