THIS WEEKWEDNESDAY VS. TAMPA BAY* Starting time:...

THIS WEEK

WEDNESDAY VS. TAMPA BAY

* Starting time: 7:30 p.m.

* Television: None

* Radio: XTRA (690 AM)

* Key:The Ducks’ mental approach to the game. Every time they seem to get on a roll, they are tripped up by a lesser team.

* Season series: The Ducks came away with a 3-2 victory in Tampa Bay on Oct. 15, but only because goalie Dominic Roussel stopped Stan Drulia’s penalty shot in the third period.

* About Tampa Bay: The Lightning went 2-8-1 in November last season but went 5-6-2 this season. Vincent Lecavalier has two goals and four assists in the last four games. The Lightning will be without defenseman Stephane Richer (abdominal strain), right wing Paul Mara (fractured jaw) and defenseman Ian Herbers (hand injury).

FRIDAY VS. KINGS

* Starting time: 7:30 p.m.

* Television: Fox Sports West 2

* Radio: XTRA (690 AM)

* Key: The Ducks’ penalty-killing and power-play units are still wallowing. At some point, they need to make a jump.

* Last year’s series: The Ducks won five of the six games.

* About the Kings: The Ducks can only envy the Kings’ fast start. Even injuries haven’t slowed them too much. The Kings are 5-4-1 since Luc Robitaille and Jozef Stumpel--two-thirds of their top line--went down. This is the first meeting between the teams since Sept. 20 when tempers flared in an exhibition game. It was so chaotic that coaches Craig Hartsburg and Andy Murray jawed at each other in the photographers booth that separates the benches.

SATURDAY AT PHOENIX

* Starting time: 6 p.m.

* Television: KCAL (Channel 9)

* Radio: XTRA (690 AM)

* Key: Can Coyote fill-in goalie Bob Essensa continue his hot streak?

* Season series: The Coyotes have won both games this season.

* About Phoenix: The Coyotes’ 33 points ties them with the Kings for the most in the NHL. They have won six consecutive games, including rallying from a 2-0 third-period deficit to beat Detroit, 4-3, on the road Sunday. This team has come together despite goalie problems. Nikolai Khabibulin is still holding out. Sean Burke, acquired in a Nov. 19 trade, is out six weeks with a thumb injury. But Essensa, a 34-year journeyman, is 6-0-1 since being signed as a free agent.