Anaheim Makes Dallas Pay in 6-1 Win

All the good news belonged to the Mighty Ducks on Friday, a novelty that they basked in. Call it a moment in the sun.

Their 6-1 victory over the Dallas Stars had to leave the 18,532 at the American Airlines Center wondering just which team has been wallowing this season.

Matt Cullen had two goals and an assist. Oleg Tverdovsky had three assists. Goalie Jean-Sebastian Giguere had a week’s worth of Duck offense to play with and stopped 20 of 21 shots. The Ducks scored three power-play goals. All of which handed Coach Bryan Murray his 500th victory.

“When we get the breaks and play well like that, the sun is shining all the time,” Cullen said. “It’s been raining all year.”

The Stars found themselves in the odd role of needing to borrow the Ducks’ umbrella.

Earlier in the day, Star management fired Coach Ken Hitchcock, who wasn’t on many of his players’ Christmas card lists. So the players seemed to get what they wanted and proceeded to play in a fashion that appeared to indicate the problem wasn’t the coach.

The Stars have turned dull and methodical into five consecutive division championships and the 1999 Stanley Cup. Let loose from Hitchcock’s reign, their play had a Three Stooges’ appearance.

An Anaheim onslaught on offense began with a trickle and became a downpour. German Titov poked a rebound through goalie Ed Belfour’s leg and it slowly slid across the line for a 1-0 lead 5 minutes 58 seconds into the first period. Within four minutes the Ducks had a 3-0 advantage.

Cullen tucked in a backhander. Paul Kariya then picked up a blocked shot and chipped home a power-play goal. The Ducks had more goals than the Stars had shots until the final 40 seconds of the period and finished with a 14-4 edge.

“We played hockey,” Tverdovsky said. “That was different from what has been happening this year. We have created chances all year, but we seem to panic at the end. Our forwards showed poise tonight. They were patient.”

More so than the Stars, who seemed to crumble after the first goal.

Mike Leclerc knocked down Jere Lehtinen in the corner, then skated to the net, where he was left alone on a power play. Tverdovsky found him, and Leclerc had time to switch forehand to backhand three times before beating Belfour for a 4-0 lead six minutes into the second period.

“I have never seen a Dallas team play like that,” Leclerc said. “I liked it. Keep it up.”

Marc Chouinard turned a turnover into a goal a minute later and Belfour was pulled.

Murray had empathy for Hitchcock.

“Kenny Hitchcock has done almost as much as any coach can do in an organization, as far as I can see,” Murray said.

“Winning the Stanley Cup, the team is always at top of the heap. He’s been demanding I guess. But if you’re going to coach in this league and you’re not demanding, you’re not going to last long.”

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TONIGHT

at Nashville, 5 PST, Channel 9

Site--Gaylord Entertainment Center.

Radio--KDIS (710).

Records--Ducks 16-29-6-3, Predators 19-23-9-0.

Record vs. Predators--2-1-0-0.

Update--Titov’s first-period goal Friday was his second in as many games. Kevin Sawyer, who was suspended two games, is eligible to play.

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Chris Foster