After a week in which they scored just one goal in three games, the previously high-scoring Kings are looking to end the goal drought and return to normal.

"I can't see why we don't score goals now," said Ian Laperriere. "It's not because we didn't try -- we're trying.

"Maybe we're gripping the stick a little too tight right now; we're not as loose as we were a couple of games ago. We just have to keep working. Goal scorers have to score goals; grinders have to grind again; everyone has to do their job -- not try to do everyone else's. It's a cliche, but we have to get back to the basics."

The offensive problems began with a 3-0 loss at Philadelphia last Monday. Three nights later, Calgary's Fred Brathwaite made 21 saves to send the Kings to a second consecutive 3-0 setback. Against Minnesota on Saturday, LA launched 36 shots at Wild goaltender Manny Fernandez but could muster only a third-period goal by Eric Belanger in a 4-1 loss.

"The chances are there," Belanger said. "We will get a bounce in our favor, and it's going to turn around."

With skilled forwards such as Ziggy Palffy (24 goals), Luc Robitaille (21 goals), Brian Smolinski (16 goals) and Jozef Stumpel (12 goals) in the lineup, goals should follow.

"The guys in this room who score goals, I don't think you can keep them down too long," Nelson Emerson said. "This league is a good league, and teams believe in defensive play first. You play 82 games, so it might happen three games in a row. Look at our chances -- pucks just bouncing wide, deflections off the post, the goalie not seeing the puck and it hits him."

Against the Wild, Rob Blake had seven shots on Fernandez, Palffy added five and Robitaille took four. Coach Andy Murray knows the players will simply have to work their way out of the goal-scoring doldrums.

"We talk about things all coaches talk about when you're not scoring goals -- let's get traffic to the net, let's get pucks to the net, not let him (the opposing goalie) see the puck -- all the things you do to get your team to recognize it needs to score," Murray said. "But the pucks are not going in for us and that's the bottom line.

"You have to want to shoot the puck right through the net, right through the backboard all the way back to the training center. That's not what we have with us right now."

The Kings will look to regain their scoring touch tonight against a tough defensive team, the Dallas Stars, in a 7:30 game at Staples Center.

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The Mighty Ducks are hoping Saturday's 2-1 loss at Columbus, which dropped them into last place in the Western Conference, will mark the low point of the season.

The Ducks have lost five games in a row and 14 of 18. But Paul Kariya has returned after missing 16 games with a broken foot, left wing Mike Leclerc is practicing with the team again and there is optimism that better times may be ahead.

Anaheim managed to avoid early deficits while twice taking the lead in a pair of games last weekend. Inexperienced play down the stretch hurt the team in both contests. A 2-0 lead at Detroit became a 3-2 loss. A 1-0 lead at Columbus turned into a defeat.

"We can't turn it around overnight -- there were some positives but it wasn't good enough," Coach Guy Charron said after putting the Ducks through a two-hour practice Monday. "We have to learn to play better defense when we have the lead. This team can be better, because they have a good work ethic. They gave me a good, solid practice today."

The Ducks will host Nashville at the Pond on Wednesday.

"We need a little more commitment to what we are doing out there," said veteran center Tony Hrkac, who has emerged as the Ducks' top line center playing with Kariya and Teemu Selanne. "Not just working harder, but playing smarter. We can't duplicate coverage, where two guys work to help each other but leave another guy open. Have faith that the other guy is going to do the job."

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Anaheim will be without hard-hitting defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski, who was placed on seven-day injured reserve Monday with a muscle strain over his right hip. Vishnevski suffered the injury while trying to land a check in the third period of Saturday's game at Columbus. Defenseman Ruslan Salei remains day-to-day with post concussion syndrome, and Steve Rucchin continues to skate while overcoming dizziness. Marty McInnis (groin injury) also skated after Monday's regular practice.

Although Leclerc has resumed practicing with the team, he is not likely to see action until after Sunday's NHL All-Star game in Denver.

"He's progressing as expected. You don't want to press him," Charron said.

The Ducks will head to the break after playing at Phoenix on Thursday and resume play Feb. 7, hosting Chicago.

Kariya was the top vote-getting forward and will start for the North American squad in the All-Star game. Blake will replace an injured Chris Pronger and also start for the North American team. Robitaille is on the North American team, Palffy will skate for the World team.