``I think everyone agreed we should have done far better than this,'' defenseman Christian Backman said. ``Everyone feels we're capable, but we've got to find a way to do it.

``We're going through a tough stretch and I hope everyone can step up and get out of this together.''

It's a tough stretch that's lasted all season. They've won two straight only once. They've lost a franchise-record seven straight at home, where historically they've dominated with a 217-118 record the previous 10 seasons.

They've suffered through a downward spike in attendance, with rows and rows of empty seats replacing almost nightly sellouts. The guess-the-crowd feature and make-some-noise meter are both gone, lest they cause embarrassment.

A week ago, there was a glimmer of hope. Players and coaches alike thought the worst was over after tight, inspired play sparked a rare victory at Detroit.

``We played the perfect game,'' Backman said. ``We stuck to our game plan and put the puck in the right areas.''

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