Ducks Receive Needed Boost

Just as rock bottom appeared to be in sight for the Mighty Ducks, they received a welcome shot of good fortune Tuesday night.

A game against the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Ducks got two goals in the first period and made them stand up at Glendale Arena in a 2-1 victory that broke an eight-game losing streak and avoided setting a club mark for futility.

As they survived and won for the first time since Nov. 1 against Nashville, the Ducks also got their third victory in four games against the Coyotes.

“I thought it was a work of art,” Duck Coach Randy Carlyle joked. “It looked like a beautiful game. We haven’t had this feeling in a while.”

The victory also ended a run of hard luck for rookie goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, who took a 1-7-0 record into the game. All three of his career victories have come against the Coyotes.

“I have a good feeling in this building,” said Bryzgalov, who made 18 saves. “I played my first full game here in the NHL [in 2003-04] and we won 3-2.”

Two recent acquisitions, forwards Todd Marchant and Tyler Wright, accounted for the first goal to give the Ducks a rare first-period lead. Marchant, who was claimed on waivers Monday, took a shot from the point and Wright deflected it past Curtis Joseph at 4:37.

Teemu Selanne gave them a 2-0 lead less than two minutes later with his second goal in three games and team-leading 11th.

The Ducks then got defensive while showing some fight in the third period.

Phoenix defenseman Denis Gauthier, who leveled Marchant with a high check in the first period, knocked wing Joffrey Lupul out of the game early in the third. Duck left wing Todd Fedoruk responded by charging into Petr Nedved, who suffered a mild concussion.

Fedoruk received a five-minute match penalty for intent to injure and could face a fine and possible suspension by the NHL. But he didn’t regret his actions and implied that Gauthier didn’t own up to his.

“Unfortunately someone got hurt, but it’s a rough game,” Fedoruk said. “After that hit, I was more than willing and ready for someone to come deal with me. And that’s the way it should be.

“If you’re going to play that way, you have to back it up. If you don’t back it up, your teammates get hurt.”

The Ducks didn’t go without making a critical error. Defenseman Keith Carney’s poor clearance near the end of the first period resulted in a goal by Geoff Sanderson.

Still, they survived.

“It is nice to finally break the streak, but our concern is being focused on what we’re trying to do out there,” defenseman Scott Niedermayer said. “Just because we won one game doesn’t mean anything.”

*

TONIGHT

at Dallas, 5:30 PST, FSNW2

Site -- American Airlines Center.

Radio -- 1090.

Records -- Ducks 8-10-2-2; Stars 13-6-1-0.

Record vs. Stars -- 0-2-0-0.

Update -- Defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh was benched in the third period against Phoenix and played only 6 minutes, 36 seconds. “It was coach’s decision,” Carlyle said. Forward Petr Sykora was scratched because of a groin injury.