GAME REPORT: COYOTES 2, DUCKS 0

FIRST PERIOD: MIGHTY DUCKS 0, COYOTES 0

* IN REVIEW: The Ducks came out determined to force the Coyotes wide when they skated into the attacking zone. The Ducks’ more physical style left the Coyotes little chance to get to the front of the net as in Game 3. Duck Coach Ron Wilson threw the Coyotes a curve by starting Paul Kariya, Steve Rucchin and Teemu Selanne for the first shift, then breaking them up. Kariya skated with Rucchin and Brian Bellows. Selanne was on a line with Jari Kurri and Joe Sacco.

Saves: Guy Hebert 10, Nikolai Khabibulin 4.

* SCORING: None.

* KEY PLAYS: The Ducks held the Coyotes to two harmless shots after Richard Park took a hooking penalty at the 4:30 mark. . . . Defenseman Jason Marshall, in the lineup to give the Ducks a more physical presence, delivered big checks against Darrin Shannon and Jocelyn Lemieux. . . . Duck defenseman David Karpa applied a face wash to center Cliff Ronning inside the period’s final 10 seconds and drew a roughing penalty, giving the Coyotes a power play to start the second period.

SECOND PERIOD: MIGHTY DUCKS 0, COYOTES 0

* IN REVIEW: The Ducks doubled their shot output from the first period in the second’s first 4 minutes. Wilson continued to mix and match his lines, hoping to cross up the Coyotes. The hitting picked up and things threatened to get ugly after referee Stephen Walkom let a number infractions go without a whistle. The Ducks played sound defensively again and Hebert had no trouble handling shots from the perimeter. Each team played it close to the vest, not wishing to make a critical mistake that could lead to a goal. After 40 minutes, it looked as if it would take a major breakdown for either team to put the puck in the net. And it appeared one goal might be all the winning team would need.

Saves: Hebert 9, Khabibulin 13.

* SCORING: None.

* KEY PLAYS: Selanne was hooked to the ice by Phoenix defenseman Teppo Numminen, foiling a breakaway with the Ducks shorthanded early in the period, but Walkom doesn’t call a penalty. . . . Hebert stopped Keith Tkachuk’s shot from the slot with his chest, then snared the rebound with his glove at the 10:46 mark. . . . Wilson reunited the Kariya-Rucchin-Selanne line midway through the period. . . . Twice Brian Bellows failed to beat Khabibulin on one-timers off cross-ice passes from Kariya. . . . Jeremey Roenick missed a wide open net after Hebert tried to play the puck along the boards with the Ducks on a power play late in the period.

FINAL PERIOD: MIGHTY DUCKS 0, COYOTES 2

* IN REVIEW: Incredibly the game turned on yet another washed out goal, the sixth of the series in only four games. Rucchin appeared to put the Ducks into the lead, 1-0, at the 11:58 mark. But a Duck was ruled to be in the crease by the video replay judge and there’s no goal. The Coyotes energized by the crowd reaction when the goal is waved off, counter with the game’s only goal less than a minute later. The Ducks buzzed the Phoenix net in the games final minutes, but couldn’t put another puck past Khabibulin, who was superb for the second consecutive game.

Saves: Hebert 4, Khabibulin 8.

* SCORING: Phoenix 1, Ducks 0--Former Duck Bob Corkum intercepted a poor clearing pass, moved down the slot and slipped a backhander through Hebert’s pads at the 12:45 mark.

Phoenix 2, Ducks 0--Numminen seals it with an unassisted empty net goal at the 19:54 mark.

* KEY PLAYS: Nothing was bigger than the washed out goal by Rucchin, which made Wilson livid. TV replays available to reporters showed Bellows’ skate only partially in the crease as he was locked up with Numminen at the right post, unaffecting the play in front of Khabibulin. . . . Corkum picked off a bad clearing attempt moments later and scored his first of the playoffs. . . . Khabibulin stops Kariya with a pad save with the Ducks on a power play after Roenick went off for holding Selanne at 13:54.