GAME REPORT

FIRST PERIOD: COYOTES: 0, MIGHTY DUCKS 1 IN REVIEW: This one was enthralling from the start, a typical Game 7 filled with atypical occurrences. For instance, how often does Paul Kariya blast someone into the boards and take a roughing penalty? Well, it happened at 15:58 when he got fed up with Coyote left wing Keith Tkachuk. The Ducks set the emotional tone with an early goal and, of course, a Duck-Coyote series would not be complete without a disallowed goal. That happened at 4:25 when Teemu Selanne’s apparent goal was nullified because Steve Rucchin was in the crease. Biggest Duck break: Tkachuk had Guy Hebert beaten on a breakaway at 10:25 but hit the left post.

* SAVES: Anaheim--Hebert 7, Phoenix--Nikolai Khabibulin, 9.

* SCORING: Ducks 1, Phoenix 0: Defenseman Dave Karpa scored his first goal--and first point--of the playoffs when he played Dmitri Mironov’s cross-ice pass off the right-wing boards and beat Khabibulin low on the stick side at 3:11.

*KEY PLAYS: The line of Warren Rychel-Sean Pronger-Ken Baumgartner was tenacious. Their forechecking early on gave the Ducks a big lift and provided momentum leading up to the Karpa goal. . . . Rychel had the first good scoring opportunity, firing a hard slap shot from above the right circle at 2:21.

SECOND PERIOD: COYOTES: 0, MIGHTY DUCKS 3 * IN REVIEW: Bobby Orr, anyone? Kariya’s play of the game thrilled the sellout crowd as he took the puck from behind his own net, dashed up the right wing, went around Coyote players Dallas Drake and Teppo Numminen and threw the puck at the net, setting up Rucchin’s goal on the rebound. The Coyotes seemed stunned and couldn’t take advantage even though the Ducks went the next 5:07 without a shot on goal.

* SAVES: Hebert, 9, Khabibulin, 8.

* SCORING: Ducks 2, Phoenix 0: Rucchin scored his first goal of the playoffs, at 3:12, putting away Kariya’s rebound.

Ducks 3, Phoenix 0: Right wing Joe Sacco--an original Duck--scored his first goal and first point of the series, at 9:19, converting a rebound from the left circle off a shot by Brian Bellows.

* KEY PLAYS: Mironov was shaken up late in the first period when he was hit in the face by Kris King’s stick with 26.5 seconds remaining. But Mironov returned for the second period. . . . Rychel had another great scoring opportunity, missing on a breakaway with 11:22 remaining. Hebert kept the shutout intact with 9:54 left when Tkachuk broke in alone. As he tried to go to his backhand, the Duck goalie poked the puck away with his stick.

FINAL: COYOTES: 0, MIGHTY DUCKS 3 * IN REVIEW: The Ducks moved into their dump-but-don’t-necessarily-have-to-chase mode in hopes of capitalizing on a Coyote mistake that might produce a fourth goal. With a three-goal lead and a hot goalie, the Ducks could afford to play more patiently and they didn’t miss a beat. Hebert continued his sharp play, turning back the Coyote offensive surges and earning his first playoff shutout with one final glove save.

* SAVES: Hebert 15, Khabibulin 6.

* SCORING: None.

* KEY PLAYS: Hebert snared a potentially dangerous point shot by Numminen through traffic in the period’s first five minutes. . . . Hebert gave up a fat rebound on another long-range shot, but Jari Kurri cleared the rebound an instant later.