With Goals in Mind, Murray Tinkers Again

The Mighty Ducks labor, and stress, each day, trying to keep the dam from bursting. One hole, though, continues to leak--their offense.

The Ducks have scored 17 goals in their last 11 games.

Coach Bryan Murray again has juggled his lines and tinkered with the power play, which has three goals in the last 56 opportunities.

“The power play is suppose to be an advantage, not a disadvantage,� Murray said. “It’s supposed to be an advantage because you have that odd man that can create space.�

With that in mind, Murray moved Marty McInnis back to the point and dropped Paul Kariya to the half-board during the Ducks’ final two power plays in a 2-0 loss to Edmonton on Wednesday.

That seemed to bring a little more puck movement, but no goals.

“I like Paul on the back end at times because he does have an overpowering shot,� Murray said. “But what other teams do to him, of course, is overplay him. He’s the one threat we have back there.�

McInnis does not have Kariya’s blistering shot, but he has previously been effective on the point.

Improvement might take some doing. The Ducks play San Jose tonight. The Sharks rank first among NHL teams in penalty killing

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Matt Cullen will center the first line and German Titov, the enigma on skates, will center the second line tonight. Samuel Pahlsson moves to the third line.

Just more center juggling while they wait--and wait--for first-line center Steve Rucchin to recover from a stress fracture in his left ankle.

Three players the Duck could not afford to lose this season were Kariya, Rucchin and defenseman Keith Carney.

“And we’ve lost two of them,� Murray said.

Carney is out because of a chipped bone in his right hand. He was supposed to undergo another CT scan Wednesday, but no appointment was arranged. Carney said Thursday that he wasn’t sure when the procedure would be done, which seems to indicate he won’t be back soon.

Nor does Rucchin appear to be close. The Ducks are 1-8-1 since Carney was injured on Nov. 7. Rucchin was injured the next game.

TONIGHT

vs. San Jose Sharks, 7:30, Fox Sports Net 2

Site--Arrowhead Pond.

Radio--XTRA (690).

Records--Ducks 7-15-3-0, Sharks 11-7-4-3. Record vs. Sharks--0-2-0-0.

Update--Teemu Selanne had six goals in his five games before the Sharks’ game against Pittsburgh on Thursday. Duck defenseman Jason York missed Thursday’s practice with strep throat, but Coach Andy Murray said York probably will play tonight.

Tickets--(877) 945-3946