Ducks Still Have Stars’ Number : Hockey: They grab an early lead, then hold off two late Dallas charges to win in Phoenix, 4-2.

The Mighty Ducks slapped each other’s helmets and threw their arms around each other’s shoulders Tuesday night. But this time it was casual, almost routine.

Almost.

“Not like we won the Stanley Cup this time?” Coach Ron Wilson said after the Ducks won for the fourth time in 16 games, beating the Dallas Stars, 4-2, in a neutral-site game before 8,143 at America West Arena. “We’re getting used to winning.”

The Ducks took a 3-1 lead at 11:55 of the second period on Troy Loney’s power-play goal off a blind, backhanded pass from Shaun Van Allen. Then they held off Dallas’ furious charges as the Stars tried to avoid becoming the first team to lose to the Ducks twice.

Loney was set up on the left side of the net when Van Allen took a cross-ice pass from Alexei Kasatonov, then quickly flicked it back without looking.

“He knew Troy Loney was there,” Wilson said. “It was a beautiful pass play--maybe the nicest we’ve had this year.”

Dallas pulled close at 1:19 of the third on a power-play goal by Russ Courtnall, who used his speed to break open and get off a knuckling slap shot from the right side.

But goaltender Guy Hebert--starting in place of Ron Tugnutt, who was scratched after straining his neck during the morning skate--turned away another Dallas power play in the third period, and stopped Courtnall and Dean Evason in quick succession after Grant Ledyard’s shot hit the post.

The Stars pulled goalie Andy Moog for an extra attacker with 58 seconds remaining, but the only result was Bob Corkum’s empty-net goal with 29 seconds left. It was Corkum’s team-leading sixth goal.

“Guy played great,” Wilson said. “Our guys played well, especially in our own zone. We only counted four good scoring opportunities in the first two periods.”

Hebert was probably the only Duck to act like the victory was a big accomplishment.

“I was pretty darn ecstatic to be in the net for my second win,” he said. “The team itself has four wins. I’m like a pitcher; I only got my second. I had a pretty big grin on my face.”

The victory was only the Ducks’ second in 10 games--both at the expense of the Stars, who have also lost to San Jose and Ottawa this season. The Ducks won, 5-4, at Anaheim Arena last Wednesday.

“For whatever reason, they’ve struggled against the new teams and played well against the established teams,” Wilson said.

The Ducks took the early lead on Todd Ewen’s second goal of the season at 3:57 of the first, but Dallas pulled even at 10:13 when Mike Modano got his league-leading 16th goal.

Garry Valk’s power-play goal from the slot at 5:01 of the second gave the Ducks a 2-1 lead.

They seem to have hit a stride--they lost to Pittsburgh on Sunday, 5-4, but felt good about the performance.

“The newness and the novelty of the first couple of wins are gone,” left wing Stu Grimson said. “Guys in here understand we’re capable of playing pretty well. And capable of getting some wins. Consequently, when we play our game, we’re not elated. We don’t feel we’ve overcome all obstacles. We know that we’re capable of playing against the best teams in the league when we play our game.”

Duck Notes

Goaltender Ron Tugnutt was expected to start Tuesday but was scratched after straining his neck during the morning skate when he was hit by Shaun Van Allen’s knee. Guy Hebert started instead, and the Ducks also recalled Mikhail Shtalenkov from San Diego. Tugnutt has chronic neck problems, in part because of whiplash suffered in a car wreck three years ago. “I hit a moose in New Brunswick and rolled my car three times,” Tugnutt said. Weak neck muscles make his susceptible to injury and spasms. “I’ve even hurt it on the golf course,” he said. Tugnutt was seen by a chiropractor and said he and expects to be ready for his next start. . . . Shtalenkov, 28, was the Ducks’ fifth-round entry draft choice in June and had been on conditioning assignment with the Gulls. General Manager Jack Ferreira said Shtalenkov was likely to join the team either this trip or the next anyway, and the Ducks will carry three goalies. Because of his age, Shtalenkov cannot be assigned outright to San Diego without passing through waivers. . . . Hebert will probably get the call Thursday at Calgary as a reward, and Shtalenkov will get consideration for Sunday’s game at Vancouver.