Hartsburg Searches for Right Combinations

The Mighty Ducks had a far different look at practice Monday. Their line combinations were shuffled and their intensity greater than in Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues.

In an attempt to get more from all-star wingers Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne, Coach Craig Hartsburg split them up. Kariya played with center Matt Cullen and right wing Marty McInnis. Selanne joined center Antti Aalto and left wing Mike Leclerc.

German Titov, who centered the Ducks’ ineffective top line in the season’s first two games, played between wingers Andrei Nazarov and Ladislav Kohn. Dan Bylsma, Tony Hrkac and Jim Cummins formed the fourth line.

It’s a good bet the Ducks will line up that way Wednesday against the Boston Bruins. Selanne hopes the Ducks play with the same fire they showed during Monday’s 90-minute practice.

“We have to be more aggressive,” Selanne said. “[Sunday] wasn’t the way we should play. I don’t think anybody can say they played a good game. It brought us back to reality. What a good lesson that was.”

Hartsburg put the team through a series of one-on-one drills designed to simulate game conditions. There were plenty of tough hits and some angry glances as teammates fought for loose pucks. It was not a practice for the faint of heart.

“You play the way you practice,” Hartsburg said. “It’s a simple game. Everybody has systems they play. Everybody has good players. It comes down to who is the hungriest and who is going to win the battles for the puck. It’s a simple game, but sometimes we all want to complicate it.”

*

There was still no definite word on how long defenseman Pavel Trnka would be sidelined, but Hartsburg indicated a badly sprained right ankle could keep him off the ice for a month or more. Trnka was injured during a second-period collision Sunday. Jason Marshall will replace Trnka on Wednesday. . . . Winger Jonas Ronnqvist did not practice because of an injury to his right knee. A puck struck him in the second period of Sunday’s game. Hartsburg expects Ronnqvist to skate today.