Ducks Win One for the Road : Hockey: Team gets expansion record with 3-1 victory over Vancouver despite depleted lineup.

The Mighty Ducks started the final road game of their first season beaten and battered.

But in the end, they weren’t beaten.

Playing without their top two scorers, their best fighter, and three of their top four centers, they defeated Vancouver, 3-1, Saturday at Pacific Coliseum anyway--and set NHL records for most victories (33) and most road victories (19) by a first-year team.

One other note. The victory guaranteed that the new Southern California team with the goofy nickname will finish ahead of the 1993 Stanley Cup finalist Kings in the standings. Under last season’s postseason format, the Ducks’ fourth-place finish would have put them in the playoffs.

Their expansion companions, the Florida Panthers, are still alive in their playoff race and have set an expansion record with 80 points with three games left (the Ducks have 71). Florida has won 32 games and can overtake the record for victories--which was 31 before this season.

But the road record is the Ducks’ to keep. They finished at 19-20-3, and Florida ended its road schedule with 18.

“That was unbelievable, with what we had to work with tonight,” Coach Ron Wilson said after the Ducks’ victory was assured by Joe Sacco’s empty-net goal with 20 seconds left as a six-on-four Vancouver advantage expired.

“We were down to one regular center. . . . We as coaches were looking at the cards tonight not knowing how we would come through.”

Mikhail Shtalenkov made 32 saves in his first game since March 22, and shut out fellow Russian Pavel Bure--the NHL goals leader with 58.

The injury-struck Ducks had to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. They have been without center Bob Corkum since March 27, when his season was ended by a severed tendon in his foot. Right wing Terry Yake, who shares the scoring lead with Corkum, had to sit out because of a mild concussion suffered against Edmonton on Friday. Center Shaun Van Allen had gone home to Anaheim because of the birth of his first child.

Patrik Carnback, a double-shifting center, broke a 1-1 tie at 14:34 of the third when he put a rebound into a nearly open net after Kirk McLean went down near the right post to stop a shot by Sacco, who had a goal and two assists.

“We want to go out like lions, not like lambs,” Wilson said.

Duck Notes

Paul Kariya, the Mighty Ducks’ unsigned No. 4 overall draft pick and a North Vancouver native, was in the stands and will travel to Anaheim this week to watch the final game of the season Wednesday. He and the Ducks are still millions apart on a multiyear deal. He doesn’t plan to negotiate further until after playing in the World Championships later this month.