Duck Win Is Gross’ Natural Product

Another net gain for gross hockey. Another time the Mighty Ducks refused their expected destiny as first-round fodder.

Another victory.

The Ducks don’t have the pedigree of the Detroit Red Wings. They do have a 2-0 lead in their first-round NHL playoff series after a come-from-behind 3-2 victory Saturday.

Steve Thomas zipped a shot between the legs of goalie Curtis Joseph with 4 minutes 14 seconds left in the third period to give the Ducks the lead. Goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere then made a few more Velcro-like saves.

And suddenly the team that plays “gross” hockey, as Red Wing Brett Hull referred to it Friday, had a 2 in the win column and was coming home for Game 3 Monday.

The Red Wings, the defending Stanley Cup champions, dominated much of the game only to be sent packing with the boos from the 20,058 at Joe Louis Arena ringing in their ears.

“We knew that they were going to be the team with style,” center Adam Oates said. “We have a lot of respect for them. They know what and who they are. They are the Stanley Cup champions. They have the names. But we believe in ourselves.”

The visuals on that were Jason Krog’s tying goal 13:34 into the third period and Thomas’ game-winner 2:12 later for a stunning series lead.

For the Ducks, this is like being at the adults’ table for Thanksgiving dinner. They are sitting nicely and making mature conversation.

“They’ve been in this situation before,” defenseman Keith Carney said of the Red Wings. “They have a lot of character and a lot of great players. We can’t take it easy when we get back home.”

The Red Wings lost the first two games at home against Vancouver in the first round last season and came back to win the series and the Stanley Cup.

“We’re up, 2-0, but it is going to take four to win it,” said Giguere, who stopped 34 of 36 shots. “They are not going to panic.”

In case any of the Ducks thought differently, Coach Mike Babcock reminded them of the Vancouver series as soon as they hit the dressing room.

The Red Wings know that tale as well.

“It’s scary,” said Luc Robitaille, who batted in a goal while standing over Giguere to give the Red Wings a 2-1 lead 6:39 into the second period. “Last year we were real scared after the first two games and so are we this year. It’s scary.”

What should really give the Red Wings goose bumps is that the Ducks feel they have yet to play a good hockey game and have survived only because of Giguere.

“I was saying all night, ‘We just have to go play, fellas,’ ” Babcock said. “We had so much respect for them we couldn’t skate. We haven’t played that way all season. If we had, we wouldn’t have made the playoffs. We can’t rely on our goalie all the time.”

Giguere followed up his 103-minute, 63-save playoff debut Thursday by putting his nose back on the grindstone. The Red Wings had honed their offensive plans, which included creating chaos around the Duck net.

Yet the Ducks led, 1-0, after one period because Giguere made 13 saves and Joseph couldn’t handle a beach ball-like shot by Stanislav Chistov 7:17 into the game.

Giguere extended his shutout streak to 121:17, during which he made 74 saves, before Jason Woolley one-timed a shot past him to tie the score, 1-1, 2:14 into a second period in which the Ducks were overwhelmed.

They had only one shot on goal in the first 10:34 of the third period and no serious scoring chances until defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh started a rush. He passed to Rob Niedermayer, who spotted Krog skating down the right side. Krog deked Joseph to the ice, then tucked in a nifty back-hander up high.

Thomas was in the right place moments later, after Niedermayer intercepted a pass by future Hall of Famer Chris Chelios. Niedermayer quickly got the puck to Thomas, who fired through a scrambling Joseph.