Ducks can't continue to leave it to chances

Detroit forward Dan Cleary offered a simple summation of the Ducks' strategy in the teams' second-round playoff series.

"Strong push, and then they hold," Cleary said.

It's more like make a strong push and then leave Jonas Hiller to face more dangerous shots during crunch time than many goalies see in a week.

The Ducks have been outshot in each of their nine playoff games and by 375-249 overall, including 145-93 by Detroit. That they upset San Jose in six games and hold a 2-1 edge entering Game 4 tonight at the Honda Center is a tribute to Hiller, but the escalating quality of Detroit's late shots makes the Ducks' high-wire act appear ever more precarious.

The Red Wings believe the Ducks are due for a fall.

"When you're shooting the puck and you've got people at the net, I'm a big believer over time you're going to get a tip that goes in or you're going to get a rebound that comes to you eventually," Detroit Coach Mike Babcock said Wednesday.

"Right now that's not happening, but it's a process. Stay with it."

Marian Hossa, whose apparent tying goal was disallowed during the Red Wings' 18-shot third period Tuesday, credited the Ducks' defense for limiting rebounds but said that won't last forever. The Ducks have been outshot in the third period in eight of nine playoff games and in this series have been outshot, 80-34, after the second period.

"There's lots of loose pucks and we have to keep after them," Hossa said, "and sooner or later rebounds are going to come to us and we're going to put it in."

It could be sooner because the Ducks are likely to be without defenseman James Wisniewski tonight while he recovers from the lung contusion he suffered when he took a shot to the chest during the second period Tuesday.

Wisniewski has done a fine job killing penalties and beefing up the defense. Brendan Mikkelson is the likely candidate to replace him, having spent most of the second half of the season with the team before losing his job when Francois Beauchemin returned from knee surgery.

"There will be more asked of everybody, for sure," defenseman Scott Niedermayer said.

Is it too much to ask that they limit the number of high-percentage chances Hiller faces in the third period?

Defenseman Ryan Whitney said the Ducks' video session Wednesday focused on just that.

"They played well. They were putting everything on net. But we can't leave Jonas out to dry," he said. "He can't play like that every game, I don't think. So it's important to not give up as many shots."