Defense Is Anything but Mighty for Anaheim

The Mighty Ducks showed that their goal scorers could score in a 7-4 loss to the Kings on Sunday at the Arrowhead Pond. Paul Kariya, Steve Rucchin and Petr Sykora all had goals. Adam Oates had two assists and Kariya one.

Four goals would have been plenty a year ago, when the Ducks gave up the eighth-fewest goals in the NHL. But Sunday the Ducks had mammoth holes in their defense.

Veteran Jason York did little to help his cause, as he was on the ice for four King goals.

True, one was Alexander Frolov’s empty netter with 10 seconds left. But York was out of position on two other goals.

“It’s hard to evaluate one guy [in a game like that],” Coach Mike Babcock said when asked about York.

York and left wingers German Titov and Denny Lambert were the three veterans put on notice early in training camp, as they were left out of the NHL group for practice after the first week.

Their status remains uncertain, especially with the waiver draft being held this week. Lambert has played in only two exhibition games and Titov one.

“I know what Lambert and Teets can do,” Babcock said. “I need to evaluate other guys.”

York, owed $4 million over the final two years of his contract, realizes he is being watched and that he is on the bubble.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about it,” York said. “All I can do is play. I’m just coming to the rink each day and concentrating on playing well.”

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The Kings’ Mathieu Schneider fired in a one-timer that broke a 4-4 tie at 3:46 of the third period. It came 46 seconds after Rucchin had tied the score.

Frolov then scored two goals to bury the Ducks.

“It’s pretty humbling when someone comes into your house and out-works you,” Babcock said. “Sometimes you’re the teacher. Sometimes you’re the student. There was no question which one we were tonight.”

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Duck defenseman Pavel Trnka was scratched from the lineup because of a slight groin strain.

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Mike Cammalleri, whom the Kings are hoping will be able to make a contribution this season, scored his first goal of the exhibition season Sunday.

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It was only an exhibition game, but Steve Heinze finally scored a goal. In the second period of the Kings’ 5-4 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night at San Jose, a shot by winger Jaroslav Bednar deflected off Heinze’s body and into the net for the veteran winger’s first goal since Jan. 15.

Heinze, signed as a free agent in July 2001 to a three-year, $6-million contract, scored 15 goals last season but none in the last three months, ending the season with a 27-game goal-scoring drought and a head full of doubt.

Retreating to his summer home in Maine, he tried to put the second half of last season out of his mind while preparing for this season.

“I’ve been told that I’ve got to earn a job and that’s fine with me,” he said early in training camp. “You should come to camp every year thinking you’ve got to earn a job. I just showed up and tried to show them I deserve a job.”

His effort hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“I give Steve Heinze a lot of credit,” Coach Andy Murray said. “His work ethic in training camp has been stronger than it was last year. I think he’s trying to do everything that the coach has asked him to do. He’s worked very hard.”

Heinze, 32, laughed when asked about the challenge of trying to hold off younger players trying to usurp his position on the team.

“I’ve had young guys coming in my whole career,” said the 11-year NHL veteran, who broke into the league with the Boston Bruins in the 1991-92 season and assisted on the game-winning goal Sunday night against the Ducks. “In Boston, it would happen year in and year out. They’d say this or they’d say that and then all of a sudden I’d still be there and all those kids would be somewhere else, or in the minors.”

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B.J. Boxma, a 21-year-old prospect who wasn’t expected to play in any exhibition games, finished up in goal for the Kings Saturday night after starter Felix Potvin was ejected for fighting Todd Harvey with 6:23 to play in the second period.

After Harvey skated into the crease and he and Potvin started to scuffle, Harvey ripped Potvin’s mask off and the two exchanged blows.

“Felix is a competitor,” Murray said.