Ducks Take Step Back in Loss to Stars

Breaking an eight-game losing streak was one thing for the Mighty Ducks. Finding an answer for the Dallas Stars is a task that’s proving overwhelming.

The Ducks’ brief moment of prosperity after a win over Phoenix on Tuesday was just that as Jason Arnott scored two goals in the third period to hand them a 3-1 loss Wednesday night at the American Airlines Center.

They haven’t solved the Stars, who defeated them for the third time in as many meetings. Nor can they stop Arnott, who scored his fourth and fifth goals against them this season.

Meanwhile, the Ducks have scored two or fewer goals in their last six games.

“I think we play pretty well enough to win the games,” forward Teemu Selanne said. “But we can’t score. If you score one or two goals a game, you can’t win.”

Arnott got his sixth three-goal game in a 4-2 victory when the teams played in Anaheim last week. On Wednesday, the big center took advantage of his opportunities in the third with goals on rebounds that Duck goalie Ilya Bryzgalov couldn’t corral.

Brenden Morrow also had a power-play goal as the Stars, who went two for eight with the man advantage. The Ducks failed in all seven of their chances.

“Not enough pucks are crossing the line,” Duck Coach Randy Carlyle said. “Their special teams were better than ours.”

Selanne put the Ducks up in the first period when he got a step on defenseman Martin Skoula and pushed a wrist shot past Marty Turco, who had to make only 20 saves.

Near the end, the veteran right wing lashed out at the referees and drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, one that Carlyle said was “unacceptable.”

“I think it’s just the overall frustration about the way we have been playing,” Selanne said.

It didn’t help that the Ducks were missing four regulars. Forward Petr Sykora was put on injured reserve because of a groin injury and goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere joined him because of a strained hamstring.

Right wing Joffrey Lupul sat out because of a stiff neck, the result of a hard hit by Phoenix defenseman Denis Gauthier in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over the Coyotes. Left wing Todd Fedoruk was suspended three games by the NHL for injuring center Petr Nedved in retaliation.

Fedoruk began serving his suspension Wednesday and will forfeit $6,887.76 of his salary. The forward won’t be eligible to return until next week at home against the Coyotes.

Gauthier was fined $1,500 for his borderline checks on Lupul and Todd Marchant, and Coyote captain Shane Doan was fined $1,500 for going after the Ducks’ Vitaly Vishnevski at game’s end.

“The league did their job,” said Fedoruk, accepting his punishment.

The most pressing problem with the Ducks is their pop-gun attack which has left Selanne and others frustrated.

Carlyle said they may need to play more conservatively, but he isn’t ready junk their up-tempo system.

“We’re committed to playing this system,” he said. “If we decide to change it, it’ll be our prerogative.”