DUCKS, RED WINGS TIED IN OT.

Byline: Tim Trepany Daily News Staff Writer

It figured a Russian would have a big hand in the Mighty Ducks-Detroit Red Wings' playoff game Thursday at the Pond.

But instead of it being one of the Red Wings' fabled ``Russian Five,'' it was Mikhail Shtalenkov, a relatively anonymous backup goalie for the Ducks, who loomed largest.

Shtalenkov, starting only because Guy Hebert is out with a pulled groin, made 43 saves in regulation as the Ducks tried to steal a victory over the Red Wings in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinal playoff series.

The Ducks were badly outplayed, but the teams were tied 2-2 heading into the first overtime period.

The Ducks needed every one of Shtalenkov's saves as they tried to stave off elimination. Detroit won the first three games of the best-of-seven series.

After goals by Joe Sacco and Brian Bellows, the Ducks carried a one-goal lead into the final 11 minutes of regulation. But a tremendous effort by Detroit's Kris Draper led to the game-tying goal.

With Teemu Selanne all over him behind the Red Wings net, Draper passed to Nicklas Lidstrom in the slot. Lidstromg beat Shtalenkov at 9:09 of the third to make it 2-2.

The five Russian players for Detroit provided a goal (by Nicklas Lidstrom) and an assist (Sergei Fedorov) to bring their series' scoring totals to six goals and 11 assists.

As they did in Tuesday's Game 3, the Red Wings kept the puck in the Ducks' zone the majority of the game. The Ducks had spans lasting 6:55, 7:10 and 10 minutes where they went without a shot.

But Shtalenkov kept them in it by making tremendous save after tremendous save.

His biggest stand came during a Red Wings' power play early in the third period, when he preserved a one-goal Ducks' lead by making five saves during the two-minute span.

The first two saves were on slap shots by Lidstrom. His toughest came on a rebound after a shot by Slava Fetisov. Steve Yzerman got it in front and quickly sent it toward the Ducks net, but Shtalenkov got his pad on it.

The Red Wings controlled play from the outset, but the Ducks took advantage of a lucky break to take a 1-0 lead.

It happened when a clearing attempt by Detroit hit referee Kerry Fraser's skate, keeping the puck in the zone.

Sacco picked up the errant puck and fired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle past Mike Vernon at 3:01 for a 1-0 Ducks lead.

The Red Wings kept up the puck mostly in the Ducks' zone the rest of the period, finally cashing in on a goal by right wing Doug Brown at 18:25.

Sergei Fedorov won a faceoff cleanly against Mark Janssens in the Ducks zone. The puck went to Brown, who beat Shtalenkov with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle, tying the score 1-1.

From the end of the first period to the early minutes of the second period, the Ducks went 6:55 without attempting a shot.

But the Ducks kept chipping away, and took a one-goal lead on Bellows' power-play goal.

After goalie Mike Vernon blocked Paul Kariya's wide-open shot from the slot, Bellows came right back and found the back of the net from a tough angle on the right wing.

Bellows' second goal of the playoffs made it 2-1 at 15:23 of the second.

After being outshot 15-8 in the opening period, the Ducks matched the Red Wings' 12 shots in the second.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: (Color) The Mighty Ducks' Richard Park, right, celebrates his team's first goal against Detroit goalie Mike Vernon.

Associated Press

Box: (Color) MIGHTY DUCKS vs. DETROIT