Passive Play Again Costs Ducks

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. —  Have the Mighty dull Ducks become as conservative as the county they call home? Are they simply too afraid to make mistakes to play effectively?

Those were the key questions after a lackluster 4-2 loss Saturday to the defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils before 14,789 at Continental Airlines Arena.

“The same thing happened at the start of last year,” said captain Paul Kariya, who called a players-only postgame meeting in an attempt to answer those questions. “We didn’t try to make plays for the first quarter of the season. That’s what we talked about just now. The first couple games [this season], we turned the puck over too much. We can’t do that. We have to make simple plays. As a team, that’s how we practice. It gets drummed into your head and that’s what you’re going to do.”

So, for the second time in four games, the Ducks went overboard. They chucked their up-tempo style of play in favor of a tedious dump-and-chase game plan that failed miserably. Instead of playing to their strengths, using their speed and their flair with the puck, the Ducks played it safe and paid the price.

After four games, Kariya has one assist and linemate Teemu Selanne has two goals. That’s all the production the Ducks have received from the NHL’s fourth- and fifth-leading scorers last season. Perhaps it’s no wonder the Ducks are 1-2-0-1.

“Our line was the worst offenders,” Kariya said, referring specifically to Saturday’s loss. “We’ve got to produce. We’re good skaters. If we turn the puck over, we can go back and get it. It’s ridiculous for us if our first option is to chip the puck in [the attacking zone].”

The Ducks started the game as if they were in awe of the Devils, reacting instead of acting--just as in a 5-1 loss Oct. 8 against the St. Louis Blues. They trailed, 4-0, giving up three power-plays, going into the third period Saturday.

When the Ducks finally relaxed and began playing their game, it was enough to make the Devils nervous and keep the fans in their seats until the final buzzer.

With the Ducks short-handed, winger Ladislav Kohn outmuscled New Jersey’s Petr Sykora for a loose puck at center ice and raced in alone against Martin Brodeur. Kohn then unleashed a slap shot over the goalie’s left shoulder and just under the crossbar for his first career short-handed goal 1:55 into the third period.

Next, with the Ducks on a power play, Selanne blasted a slap shot from the right faceoff circle past a well-screened Brodeur to trim the Devils’ lead to 4-2 with 11 minutes still to play.

Brodeur was then forced to make a spectacular save to rob center Antti Aalto on a point-blank shot from near the right goal post moments later. With Brodeur out of position, center Matt Cullen sent a missile off the crossbar with about three minutes remaining.

“We gave those guys way too much respect,” Selanne said. “In the third period, we finally started making plays.”

Desperation probably had something to do with the Ducks’ improved play late in the game, but so did abandoning their conservative style.

“Everything is about making the right decision,” Selanne said. “Sometimes, the play is not there and you should just dump the puck in. But that should be the last option. . . . We were too scared to make mistakes.”

Instead of creating trouble for New Jersey, the Ducks made it easy on the Devils. Kariya and Selanne did not record a shot on net in the first two periods. They ended up with one and three shots, respectively, in the third period.

“How are you going to be a skilled player if you don’t have the puck?” Selanne said. “Not to point fingers, but it’s the same with the defensemen. We can’t accept just dumping the puck in.”