Ducks zero in on another loss

PHILADELPHIA -- Another long night for the Ducks was punctuated by dozens of hats that littered the ice following Mike Knuble’s third goal.

It was the final indignation. Knuble had no trouble scoring goals, but the Ducks sure did. Again.

A hat trick by the Philadelphia winger provided all the offense in the Flyers’ 3-0 victory Saturday night, but one would have sufficed against the suddenly punchless defending Stanley Cup champions at Wachovia Center.

In losing their season-high sixth in the row, the Ducks (27-22-7) extended their scoreless stretch to 155 minutes 20 seconds, a span of 2 1/2 games since Corey Perry’s second-period goal Wednesday at Minnesota.

“It’s all mental right now,” Perry said. “That’s the name of the game. It’s about your mental focus.

“We’re battling. We’re trying out there. When things don’t go your way, you have to stay mentally focused and try to figure out a way to get out of this thing.”

The Ducks were shut out for the seventh time this season and they’ve scored exactly five goals in their current losing streak, only two more than what Knuble provided Saturday with the first hat trick of his 10-year career.

Knuble scored twice in the second period as he got credit for jamming in a loose puck past Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller and redirected a shot from the point by Mike Richards with 10 seconds left. The final goal came when he ripped a slap shot past Hiller in the third period.

“I’ve even had like two in 27 seconds in a game in Florida when I played for Boston,” Knuble said. “I thought that was going to be the night, but it wasn’t. Tonight was just a good moment.”

The Ducks’ struggle to score goals was best exemplified by Ryan Getzlaf’s missing high at an open net when Flyers goalie Martin Biron was caught out of position.

Otherwise, Biron didn’t have to work as hard for his shutout as St. Louis Blues goalie Manny Legace did Friday night as the Ducks generated far fewer quality scoring chances. Biron stopped 27 shots, and Hiller made 22 saves.

“We just can’t find a way to create some offense even when we have glorious opportunities,” Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle said. “Getzlaf missed a wide-open net with no goalie in it. Corey Perry has one at the end hit the post on his backhand. Those are things that are coming back to haunt us.”

And with the top line of Getzlaf, Perry and Todd Bertuzzi now cold, the Ducks seem incapable of finding any secondary scoring.

Doug Weight is scoreless in his last nine games. Chris Kunitz has two assists in his last 10. Brandon Bochenski is scoreless in his last six.

It adds up to a team that needs Teemu Selanne more than it may have anticipated. Selanne didn’t skate Saturday but said he would today and didn’t rule out being ready to play Tuesday against the New York Islanders.

“Obviously Tuesday is the first possibility,” Selanne said. “But we haven’t really talked about that yet. I feel that I need a couple of good practices.”

Carlyle warned against putting expectations on a player who has sat out five months and hasn’t played any hockey since hoisting the Cup last June, even though Selanne has 540 career goals, 88 in the previous two seasons.

“Well, you always hope that level of player can come in and make a contribution,” Carlyle said. “But it’s unfair to put that kind of pressure on him. We’ve got other people that we think can provide us with offense.”

They’re not at the moment. Selanne said it has been hard to watch the team slumping.

“I’m very anxious to get back,” he said. “Obviously the team is struggling. I’d like to be out there. But your body has to be ready.

“Every day I feel better. That’s a good sign. . . . Let’s see after Monday’s practice.”

It’s the only good sign for the Ducks these days.

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eric.stephens@latimes.com