DUCKS DUO DOES ITS DUTY; KARIYA, SELANNE GANG UP ON TAMPA BAY : DUCKS 5, TAMPA BAY 3.

Byline: Associated Press 

Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne turned in world-class performances in their first trip to Tampa since the All-Star Game last month.

Kariya had two goals and an assist and Selanne added three assists as the Mighty Ducks beat Tampa Bay 5-3 Friday night, handing the Lightning its sixth straight defeat.

``We didn't play a great game, but it was good enough to get the win,'' Kariya said. ``It's tough playing a wounded team. It wasn't like we played better than them - the power-play got a couple goals for us and we got timely goals.''

Goals by Matt Cullen, Kariya, Steve Rucchin and Fredrik Olausson put the Ducks up 4-2 after one period.

Selanne assisted on three of the first-period goals. The right wing has 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) over the past 13 games.

Kariya made it 5-2 at 16:01 of the second period with his team-best 23rd goal.

``Our guys were ready and focused. If we weren't ready, then I think we could have been in big trouble,'' Ducks coach Craig Hartsburg said. ``Right from the start, our best players were ready, had a lot of jump early and got our whole team going.''

Tampa Bay, outscored 30-8 during its current losing skid, got goals from Andrei Skopintsev, Vincent Lecavalier and Pavel Kubina. The Lightning, who lost 10-1 at Washington on Wednesday, have lost six-or-more consecutive games three times this season and have the NHL's worst-record at 11-36-4.

``We're putting ourselves behind the eight ball before we even get out there,'' Lightning goalie Bill Ranford said. ``Then everybody gets down and you get off your job. When you have turn the game around and gamble, they feast on it.''

Cullen, who has a goal in three of his past four games, opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 3:05 of the first period.

After Skopintsev tied the game with his first NHL goal at 4:25, Kariya put Anaheim back on top with a one-timer from the right circle 23 seconds later.

Kariya set up Rucchin's goal from the left post at 12:12 by drawing Ranford toward the right post and sending a pass through the slot.

Olausson scored Anaheim's second power-play goal of the first period at 15:35. The goal moved Olausson within one point of becoming the second defenseman born outside North America and 37th overall to record 500 points.

The Lightning has allowed two power-play goals in four consecutive games.

Lecavalier, the top pick in the 1998 draft, got the Lightning within 4-2 by breaking a 13-game goal-scoring drought at 18:43.

Kubina's goal snapped an 0-for-17 Lightning power-play stretch and made it 5-3 with 5:57 left in the third period.

``It looked like another landslide, but they didn't let it happen,'' Tampa Bay coach Jacques Demers said. ``I don't think anybody can say this team folded its tents.''

Tampa Bay's Mikael Andersson will miss four weeks after injuring his right knee at practice Thursday. A team spokesman said the left wing has a partially torn medial collateral ligament.

Lightning right wing Stephane Richer played in his 900th NHL game Friday night.

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Photo

PHOTO The Ducks' Matt Cullen, right, celebrates his goal after beating Tampa Bay goalie Bill Ranford, left, and defenseman Mike McBain.

Steve Nesius/Associated Press