Small Steps Build System

Less, not more, has been the Mighty Ducks’ approach to the final stretch of the season, in what has been almost an inch-by-inch move forward.

The Ducks’ Sergei Fedorov spoke of breaking the remaining games into segments of five.

“Of the five games, we try to win three at least and try to win another two,” he said Thursday. “But if it’s not the case, it’s still all right. We move to another segment. So far the plan has been working a little bit better.

“You don’t spread your mental approach on the whole end of the season. Like 21, 27 games sounds a lot. Coaches try to tell us, ‘Guys, it starts from this segment, don’t worry about the rest of it.’ That’s how we’re going to work.... We can’t really skate backward anymore. We’ve got to go forward from now on. This is the bottom line.”

Fedorov leads the Ducks with 21 goals and 50 points. He has been sharp lately, scoring five goals and 19 points in the last 12 games. It was always going to take time to fit into the Duck system after so many seasons with the Red Wings.

“After the 10th or 12th goal, I started feeling more comfortable,” Fedorov said. “I finally started feeling the rhythm of the game. I got used to Mike Babcock coaching and the way he played me. In general, it was working out really well because a lot of things were addressed during that period of time. For me to learn all of them and react in a proper way on the ice during the game, that was the most difficult thing I have done.”

TONIGHT

vs. Nashville, 7:30, Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- Arrowhead Pond.

Radio -- XPRS (1090).

Records -- Ducks 21-24-8-7, Predators 28-22-7-2.

Record vs. Predators -- 0-1-0-1.