They’re Paying the Penalty

It’s the penalties, stupid.

“It’s just ridiculous,” left wing Paul Kariya said. “Stupid penalties every game. Even if we kill them off we’re taking away from our momentum.”

The Ducks marched to the penalty box six times in Friday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars, killing all six, but losing their rhythm each time they trudged to the box.

“We’re horrible defensively, which is why we take so many penalties,” Kariya said.

The Ducks have been forced to kill 13 shorthanded situations in the last two games. Remarkably enough, the Ducks have blanked the opposition 13 consecutive times. But each time the Ducks take a penalty, they yield momentum to the opposition. At this point, mired in last in the Western Conference, it’s something they cannot afford.

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Coach Guy Charron hinted at making a change on his top power-play unit, which has given up four shorthanded goals in as many games. But he wouldn’t come out and say he will shuffle the deck.

Kariya and defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky have been playing the points, which gives the Ducks loads of offensive firepower on the blue line. But it also leaves them vulnerable to a counterattack while on the man-advantage.

“Paul and Oleg are two veteran players,” Charron said. “It’s not one or two persons, it’s the whole unit. I don’t think any decisions will be made between now and the next game.”

The Ducks play host to the Calgary Flames on Monday at the Arrowhead Pond.

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Center German Titov participated in the morning skate Friday, but was sidelined for a second consecutive game because of a bruised shoulder. Titov was injured in Sunday’s game against Carolina. He is expected to play Monday.