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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Guy Hebert, the only player remaining
from the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim's inaugural season, was getting sick
and tired of losing to the Detroit Red Wings.
| | Detroit's Sergei Fedorov, front left, and Anaheim's Teemu Selanne fight for the puck in front of, from left, Marty McInnis, Chris Chelios and Steve Rucchin. |
It especially hurt during home games, when the decibel level
from Red Wings fans made Anaheim Arena take on the atmosphere of
Joe Louis Arena. But after Sunday's 3-1 victory, all Hebert heard
were positive sounds.
"It feels great," Hebert said. "We've been on the backside of
a lot of lopsided games against Detroit. Then you come in here, and
there are more Red Wings fans than Ducks fans. But I think our fans
stood up against them today and by the end of the game, there were
no Red Wings fans -- or at least you couldn't hear 'em anymore."
Matt Cullen ended a 16-game goal-scoring drought and Marty
McInnis had three assists for the first time in his career.
Paul Kariya had a power-play goal and Jim McKenzie also scored
for the Ducks, helping extend their winning streak to a season-best
four games and improving their all-time regular-season record
against the Red Wings to 5-16-5. Anaheim was swept out of the
playoffs by Detroit in 1997, and again last April.
"We know how we can beat them now," Teemu Selanne said. "We
can win these games if we are smart defensively. We just need
everybody. It's not going to be easy, but the way we've played
lately has given us a lot of confidence and the feeling that we can
do it."
Coming off a 2-0 victory against Chicago on Friday night, Hebert
made 30 saves and lost his shutout bid on a slap shot from the right
point by Chris Chelios that beat him high to the glove side with
3:59 to play. It ended Hebert's scoreless streak at 149 minutes, 17
seconds. The goal was just the 10th that the Ducks have surrendered
over their last eight games.
"They're winning a lot of low-scoring games now, and basically,
that's what you have to do in this league," Detroit coach Scotty
Bowman said. "Goals are not as plentiful as they used to be."
The Red Wings, who entered the game with the NHL's best record,
slipped to 21-9-3. The loss ended their five-game winning streak
and dropped them to 6-6-2 on the road, despite a 15-3-1 home
record.
"We didn't get many great opportunities and a lot of our shots
were from the perimeter," Steve Yzerman said. "Their defense is
very mobile. They're all pretty good skaters and they move the puck
very well. So they didn't spend much time in their own end and were
able to get the puck out of there quickly."
The Ducks opened the scoring at 3:48 of the first period, when
McKenzie pounced on a loose puck at the right of the crease after
goalie Ken Wregget was handcuffed by McInnis' hard slap shot from
the top of the right circle. It was the second goal in 19 games
this season for McKenzie, who was suspended for four games in
October and missed nine more in November because of a broken left
hand. It also was his first in 23 career games against the Red
Wings.
Cullen's sixth goal and first since Nov. 11 gave Anaheim a 2-0
lead at 12:45 of the first. McInnis set up the goal with a perfect
backhand pass from the left boards.
"I think today was just a carryover of how we have played
lately," Selanne said. "Every line is playing with a lot of
confidence and a lot of energy. But the biggest thing is we're not
making turnovers in the neutral zone, and that's how Detroit lives.
We didn't give them anything."
Brendan Shanahan, playing in his 900th NHL game, was sent off
for high-sticking McInnis midway through the second period and the
Ducks capitalized nine seconds into the ensuing power play.
Kariya got a pass from behind the net from Selanne and beat
Wregget to the stick side with a 45-foot slap shot for his 14th goal
and a 3-0 lead. The power-play goal was Anaheim's sixth in six
games, after going 0-for-25 with the man advantage in its previous
seven contests.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Anaheim Clubhouse
RECAPS
Phoenix 4 San Jose 3
NY Islanders 5 New Jersey 3
NY Rangers 5 Tampa Bay 4
Nashville 1 Philadelphia 1
Anaheim 3 Detroit 1
Ottawa 3 Edmonton 3
AUDIO/VIDEO
Jim Mckenzie scores the first goal for Anaheim.
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