Help wanted for duo
Ducks forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have been allowed to grow together as a duo since their days in the American Hockey League, but they’ve found consistency to be elusive in their second NHL season.
Getzlaf has four points in the last eight games, and Perry has one goal since Dec. 26.
“Their scoring isn’t where we’d like it to be or they’d like it to be,” Coach Randy Carlyle said after Friday’s practice at Anaheim Ice. “Right now, there’s several factors. Are they shooting the puck enough? Are they creating enough offensively?
“Sometimes we haven’t put them in enough situations for them to have success.”
Carlyle also acknowledged that the absence of a regular on the left side has at times held them back.
Even though Carlyle works his lines off of pairs rather than threesomes, the Ducks have had a conga line at left wing, using Todd Fedoruk, George Parros, Mark Hartigan and even Chris Kunitz and Dustin Penner.
“The fit for them on the left wing has been a challenge for us,” Carlyle said. “The best hockey has been when we played Kunitz with them.”
Getzlaf, whose 20 goals are second on the team behind Teemu Selanne (32), said he was looking forward to the Ducks’ four-game trip that begins tonight in Dallas.
“You’re going to go through little things when you’re not putting the puck in the net as many times as you should,” Getzlaf said. “It’s not a lack of trying or anything. We’re shooting the puck as much as we can. And that’s all you can do.”
Perry, who has 13 goals, admitted that it has been tough to replace Fedoruk, who was traded to Philadelphia on Nov. 13.
The Ducks are keeping an eye on Peter Forsberg’s availability, but are believed to be in the market for a scoring winger. Veterans such as St. Louis’ Keith Tkachuk and Bill Guerin, Columbus’ Fredrik Modin and Florida’s Todd Bertuzzi could be moved at or before the Feb. 27 trade deadline.
In the meantime, the Ducks again will try rookie Ryan Shannon, who was called up from minor league Portland, Maine, with Hartigan sent down to the Pirates. After winning a job in training camp, Shannon had been sent down on Jan. 4. In 14 games with Portland, he has two goals and seven assists.
*
TODAY
at Dallas, 12:30 p.m. PST
Site -- American Airlines Center.
Radio -- 830.
Records -- Ducks 33-14-8, Stars 32-20-2.
Record vs. Stars -- 3-0-1.
Update -- Ducks defenseman Sean O’Donnell is expected to return to the lineup.
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
