DUCKS IN A ROW ANAHEIM GOES OT TO COMPLETE STUNNING SWEEP OF CHAMPIONS DUCKS 3, DETROIT 2.

Byline: Brice Nixon Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The Mighty Ducks knew the Detroit Red Wings weren't going to go down without a fight, even if if was a last-gasp effort.

Detroit's Sergei Fedorov scored with 2:15 remaining in the third period to tie the score and force overtime in Game 4 of the teams' first-round Stanley Cup playoff series.

But in the end, it prolonged the Red Wings' season only a few minutes, as Ducks center Steve Rucchin at 6:53 of OT to give Anaheim a 3-2 victory and shocking sweep over the defending Stanley Cup champions Wednesday at the Pond.

Rucchin scored his first goal of the series with a one-timer from 10 feet after defenseman Keith Carney centered the puck from behind the net.

The Red Wings were bewildered for three games and looked liked they'd be the first defending Stanley Cup champion in 51 years to be swept out of the first round the following year. They didn't go quietly before a sellout crowd of 17,174 at The Pond on Wednesday.

Jason Krog scored early in the third period to give the Ducks to a 2-1 lead.

Fedorov kept the Red Wings alive for at least another period. He threw a shot toward the Ducks' crease. Ducks defenseman Niclas Havelid was the only one there, but the deflected of him and into his own goal.

Solid defensive play, better goaltending and goals from the usual suspects and unlikely sources have been the staples of the Ducks' playoff run. This was the case again Wednesday. They just couldn't hold the lead despite the best efforts of goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who had held the Red Wings in check in the first three games. Giguere made 34 saves Wednesday.

Only two teams in NHL history have lost the first three games of a series and come back to win it, the last time in 1975. The Red Wings haven't been far off, losing the first three games by a goal.

Krog's goal 4:35 into the third period looked like the series-clincher the way Giguere had stymied the Red Wings in the series. Krog took a pass from Keith Carney and one-timed a blistering shot over the shoulder of Detroit goalie Curtis Joseph for his second goal of the playoffs. Krog is the teams' fourth-line center.

Giguere stopped Brendan Shanahan with 3:25 remaining but could do nothing about Fedorov's goal.

The Red Wings had 1-0 lead late in the first period after Petr Sykora's turnover led to Henrik Zetterberg's goal. That lasted less than two minutes as Ducks left wing and captain Paul Kariya tied it with 4:52 remaining.

Sykora lost the puck to Brett Hull in the Ducks' zone. Hull fed Zetterberg and he beat Giguere. Sykora got a tough assist to start Kariya's goal. Sykora lost the puck after a stick to the face from Detroit defenseman Mathieu Dandenault. Adam Oates swooped past Dandenault as the defenseman hesitated when the linesman raised his hand for a delayed penalty. Sykora got off the ice just in time to see Oates pass cross-ice to Kariya for his 10th career playoff goal.

There were only 16 total shots on goal in the period but plenty of action around both goals. Steve Thomas and Rob Niedermayer hit the post for the Ducks. Giguere made big saves on two Detroit power plays.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 3 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Ducks celebrate a goal by Paul Kariya (9) in the first period of their playoff game against Detroit,

(2) The Ducks' Samuel Pahlsson, left, and Sergei Fedorov of the Red Wings fight for the puck in the first period Wednesday at the Pond.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Box:

(1) STORY LINES

(2) WESTERN CONFERENCE

(3) EASTERN CONFERENCE