DUCKS FIT TO BE TIED DEADLOCK WITH COLUMBUS THIRD IN FOUR GAMES.

Byline: Brice Nixon Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - As unlikely as it was that Mighty Ducks defenseman Todd Simpson would score for the third consecutive game, it was a good bet Columbus Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash would add to his NHL-leading total on Sunday.

And the odds the Ducks will get a win seem to be getting only longer, whether they play one of their best games, as they did Friday against Vancouver, or have the lead in the third period, as they did Sunday in a 2-2 tie with the Blue Jackets before 15,559 at The Pond.

``We need to get two points,'' Ducks coach Mike Babcock said. ``And once again we have our opportunities, but the (opposing) goalie leaves here being the first star.''

That would be Columbus' Marc Denis, who made 41 saves and increased the Ducks' frustration, and their winless streak to six games. They tied three of four games on the recent homestand, and lost the other game 5-2 to Vancouver.

``I don't think the competitiveness of our team at home was any problem at all, or the work ethic,'' Babcock said. ``But the bottom line around the net, we have a lot of (opposing goaltenders) leaving feeling pretty good about themselves.''

A big problem for the Ducks before was a lack of contribution from the defensemen. The Ducks have received five goals from defensemen in the past six games, but they are winless in that span.

Simpson scored for the third consecutive game to give the Ducks a 2-1 lead in the third period. But Nash tied the game with his 25th goal of the season.

``I don't know what you can say about a guy like Rick Nash,'' Denis said. ``He just keeps getting big goal after big goal for us.''

The Ducks spent the final 2:56 of overtime on a four-on-three power play. They had 11 shots on goal, but Denis stopped them all.

``That's the tough part,'' Babcock said. ``If that goes in, we're all talking about how great it was. Even if we did it worse and just wristed it at the net and it went in.''

Sergei Fedorov and Nicals Havelid each had four shots, including a flurry in the final minute.

``Guys like Fedorov got off a lot one-timers, but I could see them,'' Denis said. ``Guys like Fedorov will pepper you with shots, but when the defensemen do a good job letting me see the shots it makes my life much easier.''

Simpson's three goals in three games are one more than he had ever scored in a season. It is the only time in his career he's scored in consecutive games. The three-game streak tied Andy McDonald and Petr Sykora for the longest on the team this season. And the streak is one game longer than Fedorov's high this season.

``A lot of jealousy in the room. I feel a lot of envy coming my way,'' Simpson said jokingly. He was able to make light of the situation, but the frustration of the 13th-place Ducks is only building.

Babcock said: ``I could just tell when we walk in (the locker room), it feels like a loss because you've had the opportunity.''

Defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski scored his second goal of the season to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead 9:24 into the second period.

Rookie Joffrey Lupul went by a defenseman in the neutral zone and centered to Vishnevski, who was charging through the slot. Vishnevski put a backhander past Denis for his first goal since Nov. 16.

``I took a bit of a chance there, gave us an odd-man rush,'' Lupul said. ``I gave the coach a heart attack, too.''

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Photo:

Rick Nash of Columbus, right, sends the game-tying goal past Steve Rucchin and goalie Martin Gerber of the Mighty Ducks in Sunday's 2-2 tie at the Pond.

Chris Carlson/Associated Press