Lebeau Scores Big, So Do Ducks : Pro hockey: Newly acquired center also contributes an assist in 6-3 victory over the Nordiques.

Six days after the trade that made Stephan Lebeau a Mighty Duck, fans were already wearing Duck jerseys with “Lebeau 47” on the back at Le Colisee on Saturday.

Lebeau, who is from nearby Montreal and had played his whole NHL career there, left a winner and notched his first goal and assist as a Duck in a 6-3 victory over the Quebec Nordiques, moving the Ducks within two points of San Jose for the final Western Conference playoff spot. Then he headed home to Anaheim and an arena he has never seen.

“It took the pressure off my shoulders,” said Lebeau, who was traded for goaltender Ron Tugnutt last Sunday. “I think after the goal I was playing better. I felt better . . . . Some rinks you always play well, and this is one of those for me.”

In three games with the Ducks, he has shown a knack around the net and a defensive awareness the Ducks appreciate. On Saturday, he ended the wait for his first official contribution.

“Tonight we saw what Stephan Lebeau can do for our team. He creates a lot of opportunities,” Coach Ron Wilson said. “I think he can fit in. He’s going to get a lot more quality ice time here. He was in situations (in Montreal) where he was going out with two guys trying to shut down the opposition. He’s going to get time five-on-four, four-on-four with us. He’ll get better, too, I can tell.”

Lebeau’s goal came off a two-on-one rush in the first period, when linemates Tim Sweeney and Terry Yake got him the puck out front and he kept it himself, beating Stephane Fiset in the near corner of the net for a 2-1 lead at 18:37.

“It’s a pretty easy adjustment for Sweeney and I,” Yake said. “We’ve moved the puck a lot the last couple of games with him, and he does a great job in our own end. We had quality chances in Pittsburgh. Sweeney and I had two or three chances and he had a couple himself. He’s at least a point-a-game type player in this league. You get a player of that quality, you want to use his skills to the best advantage.”

The Ducks trailed, 3-2, late in the second period before a 3 1/2-minute, four-goal flurry decided the game.

Mark Ferner, a defenseman who had been scratched for the last 10 games, started the rally when his point shot deflected off Quebec defenseman Steven Finn’s skate and into the net at 15:01.

Only 1:46 later, Garry Valk put the puck just inside the right post off a pass from Don McSween.

Then Lebeau, a small center, shook off Mike Ricci’s roughing, and flicked a perfect pass off the boards behind the goal to Bill Houlder, who scored from the slot at 17:23, nullifying the pending penalty.

Joe Sacco capped the rally at 18:31 when he banged home a well-timed pass from Shaun Van Allen, who held the puck long enough to force Fiset to commit.

Duck goaltender Guy Hebert, who became a No. 1 goalie for the first time in his career with the departure of Tugnutt, was breathing a sigh of relief after the victory, since he had lost his first two games as No. 1 and gave up a total of eight goals.

“I’d be lying if I said (the two losses didn’t bother me),” Hebert said. “I worked a long time to get to this position. It’s time to take charge and be No. 1.”

Duck Notes

Right wing Todd Ewen was a late scratch because of a sore left knee, and Coach Ron Wilson chose to replace him with a seventh defenseman, Mark Ferner.