DUCKS FLY HIGHER THAN RED WINGS DOWN 3-0, ANAHEIM RALLIES; FEDOROV SCORES TWO GOALS DUCKS 8, DETROIT 6.

Byline: Brice Nixon Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The Mighty Ducks on Sunday managed a bit of relief from a season's worth of frustration with a victory over the NHL-leading Detroit Red Wings in a streaky, high-scoring game. The Red Wings will simply take their league-best 99 points and move on.

And it was longtime Red Wing and current Ducks offensive catalyst Sergei Fedorov who played the deciding role in a game in which he was booed in his own building. The large contingent of Red Wings fans who always show up when their team visits the Pond gave Fedorov a less-than-pleasant reception.

But Fedorov scored twice, including the game-winner, in the Ducks' 8-6 victory Sunday in front of a sellout 17,174. The teams were tied at 5-5 after two periods. Ray Whitney gave Detroit a brief lead before Vitaly Vishnevski tied the score again.

Fedorov then put the Ducks ahead for good when Keith Carney centered to Rob Niedermayer, who tipped it to Fedorov at the right edge of the crease. Steve Rucchin scored his second goal of the game into an empty net with 13 seconds remaining.

``When you freewheel like that, (Fedorov's) the master of freewheel,'' Detroit coach Dave Lewis said of the wide-open game.

Fedorov seemed somewhat surprised that half the fans booed each time he touched the puck.

``You can't get away (from it) when you play against your former team,'' he said. ``I don't take anything personal. I just had a lunch with four Red Wings fans. They said, 'We miss you in Detroit.' What can I say if then they come to the game and boo me? I guess that's the style now.''

Fedorov was also there to witness Ducks fans boo longtime Ducks captain Paul Kariya in his return to the Pond earlier this season with Colorado.

Brice Nixon, [phone]

brice.nixon(at)sgvn.com