Leclerc Gets Play in Sync With His Line

A few weeks ago, Mighty Duck right wing Mike Leclerc had lost his way.

Center Matt Cullen had lost his spot in the lineup.

Left wing Jeff Friesen was just lost.

Now they are the Ducks’ most productive line, with 10 goals in their last eight games.

Leclerc, who has three goals and eight points in eight games, has made opponents uncomfortable by knocking them around with the type of physical play that had previously made him effective.

“That’s how he has to play,” Coach Bryan Murray said. “He’s a big, strong guy. A power forward has to bang around and get in front of the net.”

Leclerc is second on the team with 11 goals, but he had a league-high minus-18 three weeks ago. That has dropped to minus-12.

Cullen too improved his form after having been benched for three consecutive games.

He has scored five goals in the eight games since he was reinstated.

“Matt is playing great hockey right now,” Leclerc said. “He’s kind of carrying our line.”

Friesen, an enigma much of the season, has a goal and two assists in the last two games.

The Ducks have killed 26 consecutive penalties. More impressive are the teams that have been quashed during that streak. The Kings and Minnesota Wild each had the NHL’s top power play when the Ducks recently beat them.

Murray said assistant coach Guy Charron’s behind-the-scenes work has been a big reason for the success.

“He pays a lot of attention to it,” Murray said. “He meets with the players regularly, breaks tape down for them. We set up the plan at the start of the year with a philosophy. Guy has really been on that firsthand.”

Defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski, who sat out Thursday’s game because of a sprained left ankle, did not practice Friday and is questionable for Sunday’s game at Chicago.