By MARK MILLER 
Calgary Sun OTTAWA 

Andrei Nazarov can't get it right. Accused by his coach of playing more like a Russian teddy bear than Nasty Naz, the big winger set his sights on injecting some physical play into his game. Instead, he's led a parade to the penalty box, the worst offender on a team that is killing its chances at winning by playing the first period of each game shorthanded. 

Seventeen minors in the first period of the last four games. Last game alone, Nazarov was whistled down for slashing, roughing, cross checking and roughing again. He took three more minors against Florida, two in St. Louis. The only game of this trip he stayed out of the box was Tampa, where he scored the team's only goal. Observers may point to the team's lack of offence for its horrid 1-3 record on this road trip. But the truth is that no team can score from the box. 

"We can't keep taking these penalties -- you're darn right we are playing with fire," said head coach Brian Sutter. Nazarov admits he's the worst offender on a team full of culprits. "We're having a tough time as a team right now," said Nazarov, the 6-ft. 5-in., 234-lb. winger. "We're losing one-goal games and that's hard to accept. I'm probably trying to do a little too much. "I know it's not good for the team, taking a lot of penalties. I hear about it from the coach and the guys, but it's just tough to play hard but a little smarter. It's really hurt our team, all the penalties we are taking, but especially my penalties." 

Nazarov heard the criticism from Sutter last week when he accused the big winger of shirking the physical part of his game to "play in La La Land." So he tried to respond. But every time he takes the body, or comes to the aid of a teammate, he's been whistled for an infraction. And he's hurt his team instead of helping. Nazarov may still be dealing with a lingering reputation from his early years with San Jose when he earned a tag as a dirty player. 

One hockey magazine dubbed him, "The Dirtiest Player in the Game." Yet in Calgary, fans have seen little of that side of Nazarov's play. In trying to adapt his game, he's lost the physical play that teams expect from his 6-ft. 5- in. frame. "I talked about this before and I said I'm not a dirty player," said Nazarov, who has three goals in 11 games, but has been taken off the scoring line with Russian mate Val Bure. 

"Sometimes things happen and sometimes you have to do a job to help your team win. I'm not trying to hurt somebody -- I'm just trying to help my team win. "Sure I had a reputation, but it's still my fault now why I'm taking the penalties. Sometimes I may elbow a guy a little too hard in trying to make a play. I'm sure the refs look at me a little extra, but still those penalties are my fault. "Sometimes I should stay away from trouble instead of jumping in." But this team has found trouble early this season from its lack of discipline. Only one other team has taken more penalties on average per game. 

When you have a limited offence, that can be fatal. It explains to a large degree the team's abysmal 2-7-2 start to the year. Now the trip gets hard with games in Ottawa and Toronto. It's not hard to imagine the Flames returning to Calgary 1-5. "The whole team can play better," says Nazarov. "We talk about this pretty much every day, but we just have to go out and win some games now. "I'm pretty frustrated. We have two wins in 11 games, six points out of the playoffs already. "These last two games are really important. It means a lot to show now how we can finish this trip -- we have to win. If we play hard and play our best, the wins will come. "But I have something to prove big time. Lots of things. Any time you are losing, you have to improve your own game first and do everything to help the team win. That's what I'm trying to do. "I just need to do it smarter." And so do his teammates.