Scoring Has Taken a Holiday

The situation is daunting for the Mighty Ducks no matter how you crunch the numbers.

They are 11 points out of a playoff spot (and only six out of last place) in the Western Conference.

They would have to climb over five teams to get into a playoff spot.

They have scored 12 goals in their last seven games.

And so on. Which led Coach Mike Babcock to a calm yet stern dissertation after Tuesday’s practice. With the situation the same -- or rather a little worse -- he was pitching the nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic.

“In 17 years, this is my second time I have had to talk about this kind of [junk],” Babcock said. “I’m not used to this kind of stuff. What I do know is you have an obligation.”

To which he offered a simple suggestion.

“Take responsibility,” Babcock said. “The buck stops right here.”

Meanwhile the puck seems to get stopped here, there and everywhere by opposing goalies.

The Ducks have four goals by defenseman Todd Simpson -- who had 10 career goals prior to this season -- in the last seven games. In that same time, Sergei Fedorov, Vaclav Prospal and Petr Sykora -- who combined had 667 career goals before this season -- have scored four goals among them.

The Ducks are 1-4-2 in those seven games.

“Obviously, if you don’t score, you don’t win hockey games,” Fedorov said.

And if you don’t win hockey games, you don’t make the playoffs.

“We think every game is crucial for us,” Fedorov said. “Every game we have to be desperate. Every period is a crucial point of turning the season around. That’s how we have to think. That’s how I think. That’s the main attitude we should maintain.”

Although the Ducks have played better in recent weeks, they have few points to show for it. They have a 3-7-3 record since the Christmas break and have sunk deeper in the conference heading into tonight’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.

“This season, without any doubt, at this point, has felt like 150 games,” Babcock said. “Where last year this point, it felt like 20. So what? Find a way.

“We’re 10 points out and the bottom line is, not only are we out, we have to climb over other teams. But the other teams are playing better than you are. If there was ever a point of urgency in your life, this would be it.”

TONIGHT

vs. Detroit, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- Arrowhead Pond.

Radio -- XPRS (1090).

Records -- Ducks 14-21-7-5; Red Wings 27-14-5-2.

Record vs. Red Wings -- 0-2.

Update -- The Red Wings’ Brett Hull is mired in a career-high 19-game goal-less streak. Martin Gerber will start in goal for the Ducks.

Tickets -- (877) 945-3946.