Star forward shoulders the blame for his coach's firing.

In an all-too-familiar situation, the Anaheim Ducks find themselves looking for answers after yet another disappointing end to a once promising season.

The Ducks suffered their fourth consecutive loss in a Game 7 on home ice to the Nashville Predators on Wednesday, something the club is finding very difficult to swallow after high expectations.

This early exit spelled doom for their head coach Bruce Boudreau, who despite a sparkling 208-104-40 record behind Anaheim's bench, was relieved of his duties on Friday.

For his part, Ducks' captain Ryan Getzlaf isn't making excuses as to why the team didn't get the job done. Getzlaf spoke to the media at the team's closing interviews on Saturday and lent his support to his former bench boss, while taking responsibility for the end result.

"Coaches can only do so much," said Getzlaf. "They have a responsibility, as do we. We have to absorb a lot of that.

"I take a lot of responsibility for things that go on here," Getzlaf added. "I look in the mirror and look at the group and what we can do better."

To his credit, Getzlaf did tally five points in seven games, but was held pointless in Games 6 and 7. 

Although it was Boudreau's head on the chopping block this time, the players are aware that the series was lost on the ice. Getzlaf is shouldering the brunt of the criticism for his team's performance, which is exactly what a good captain should do.

GM Bob Murray is deciding to hold his own ultra-talented players accountable for not getting the job done.

"It's the way we go out. It's the way it happens," Murray said Friday, referring to the Ducks' four straight Game 7 eliminations. 

"Let's face it ... I'd like to know where the heck they were in Games 1 and 2. The players are going to have to answer that in the next four or five days. Where were they? They showed up in Game 7, but where was that passion? That controlled emotion? Where the heck was that? They're going to have to be held accountable too."

"It's on all of us," Murray added. "I'm not pointing a gun. There are lots of people involved in this not going well. We're all held accountable."

The core of the Ducks', which has remained intact for years, is now being called into question by many.

"There are definite concerns in that area," said Murray, at Anaheim's state of the franchise address . "The core has to be held responsible. They have to be better. Maybe I haven't been hard enough in the last few years, but they're going to hear different words this time."

Do not be surprised to see some significant changes to the Ducks' roster this offseason, as it is becoming clear that a shake-up may be what is needed in Anaheim.

[pub]