There’s Hay to Be Made on Upcoming Homestand

The Mighty Ducks begin the new year closer to last place than a playoff spot in the Western Conference. They play four consecutive home games, beginning Wednesday against Florida.

“It’s never too late,” defenseman Ruslan Salei said. “But we need to get a string going. We’re at home, so that’s a huge bonus.”

The Ducks play 21 of their next 29 games at the Arrowhead Pond. Whether they can take advantage of that remains to be seen.

They are in 12th place in the conference with 35 points, eight points behind Edmonton, which holds the eighth and final playoff spot.

Of course, the Ducks are also only five points ahead of the expansion and last-place Columbus Blue Jackets.

None of which concerns Duck Coach Guy Charron at the moment.

“I can’t look at long-term things,” Charron said. “We’re trying to build game by game.

“I look at Minnesota and they have given up 91 goals,” Charron said. “If we had only given up 91, we’d be right in the thick of it now. Every team I’ve coached has had a good goal differential. I’m not about to change that now that I’m coaching in the NHL. If we can hold teams to two goals, I know we can score three.”

*

Paul Kariya, who would certainly help in that three-goal-a-game plan, is taking small steps--literally--while recovering from a broken bone in his right foot.

Charron said he hoped that Kariya would begin skating in seven to 10 days. Kariya wasn’t ready to commit to that.

“I don’t want to say one thing, then be disappointed,” he said.

Meanwhile, left wing Mike Leclerc, who sat out Sunday’s game at Minnesota, probably will skate today to test his sore right knee. Center Steve Rucchin, still bothered by the effects of a broken cheekbone and broken nose suffered Nov. 15, continues to experience dizziness.