Hartsburg Returns to Haunts With Same Old Nightmares

Tonight Craig Hartsburg returns to Chicago, where he coached the Blackhawks for three seasons before being fired in April. The Ducks, his new team, look a great deal like his old one: Neither can score.

The Ducks are winless after three games for the first time in their six-season history and have been outscored, 6-1.

Chicago has only three goals after two games. The Blackhawks had 14 shots on goal in a 3-1 loss Tuesday to the Dallas Stars. They did not record a shot in the first period of a 2-1 victory Saturday over the New Jersey Devils.

The Ducks’ 1-0 loss Tuesday to the Montreal Canadiens had been over for only a few minutes and already goaltender Guy Hebert was looking forward to tonight’s game.

“We’ll go to Chicago and Craig will be all whipped up,” Hebert said. “The crowd will be in a frenzy. I’m sure Craig will certainly be excited to go in and have a great showing. It’ll be a lot of fun.”

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Hartsburg admits he’s puzzled by the Ducks’ sudden inability to score.

“It’s certainly been frustrating,” he said. “With any breaks at all, we could be 2-1. We’ve got to keep playing hard and we’ll be rewarded. Sometimes scoring goes in spurts. Hopefully, we’re getting our drought for the season over now. We’ve got to keep plugging away and not let ourselves doubt anything.”

Tonight

at Chicago

5:30 PDT, Fox Sports West 2

Site--United Center.

Radio--XTRA (690).

Records--Ducks 0-3, Blackhawks 1-1.

Record vs. Blackhawks (1997-98)--2-2.

Update--Keep an eye on Chicago defenseman Chris Chelios and Duck left wing Paul Kariya. Neither likes the other much and, if Chelios sticks to his usual method of operation of cracking Kariya as often as possible, things could get violent. Defenseman Gary Suter, whose cross-check gave Kariya a severe concussion Feb. 1, no longer plays for the Blackhawks. He signed with the San Jose Sharks as a free agent July 1. There are still bad feelings between the teams, however. Expect Hartsburg to have enforcers Stu Grimson and Jim McKenzie in the lineup.