No Longer a Novelty, but Ducks Will Take It : Hockey: They are ‘getting used to winning’ after beating Stars for second time, 4-2, to reach four victories.

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 their 16-game existence, 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 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.

“It was a great play,” said Loney, who was set up by the left side of the net when Van Allen took Alexei Kasatonov’s pass from the other side, then quickly flicked it back without looking. “I didn’t get a chance to yell at him. Before it was out of my mouth, he threw the puck over there,” Loney said.

Dallas made it 3-2 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 slap shot from the right side.

But goaltender Guy Hebert--starting in place of Ron Tugnutt, who has a sore neck--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 to play, but the only result was Bob Corkum’s empty-net goal with 29 seconds left.

Hebert was probably the only Duck to act as if 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--and both have come at the expense of the Stars, who have also lost to San Jose and Ottawa this season.

“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.”

Duck Notes

Goaltender Ron Tugnutt was expected to start Tuesday’s game but was scratched after straining his neck during the morning skate when he was hit by the knee of center Shaun Van Allen. Guy Hebert started and the Ducks recalled Mikhail Shtalenkov from minor league affiliate 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,” said Tugnutt, who expects to be ready for his next start. Hebert will probably get the nod Thursday at Calgary as a reward for his performance, and Shtalenkov will get consideration for Sunday’s game at Vancouver. . . . 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. Because of his age, Shtalenkov cannot be assigned outright to San Diego without passing through waivers.