DUCKS TAKE KINGS' BEST SHOTS AND STILL GET VICTORY HEDSTROM, GIGUERE ARE KEY FOR DUCKS DUCKS 6, KINGS 2.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The margin of defeat was nothing new. Twice before this season, the Kings had lost games by a four-goal margin. But Monday's loss might have stung more than any other.

The Kings faced the Mighty Ducks, a team 13 points below them in the standings and mired in a two-game losing streak. With a two-game East Coast trip coming up, the Kings wanted to make a statement.

They did, but not a very good one.

The motivated Ducks came out strong and never really let up. Rookie winger Jonathan Hedstrom recorded his first career hat trick as the Ducks beat the Kings 6-2 in front of 17,174 at the Pond.

``If we're not going to score a lot of goals, we have to shut teams down defensively,'' said Kings center Craig Conroy, who scored a first-period goal.

Monday's game was the first of four meetings between the rivals this month, and the Ducks set a strong precedent. Perhaps boosted by the energy of 20-year-old forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, the Ducks were massively outshot (43-27) but managed enough strong plays to win.

Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere relived the form of his Stanley Cup playoff run with a strong game, particularly when the Kings threatened to break a 2-2 tie in the second period.

But instead it was Hedstrom who came through, as he scored twice in the second period to give the Ducks a two-goal lead and capped his first career hat trick with a goal with 6:32 left in the third period.

``It felt like every shot they had was a good scoring chance,'' said Kings goalie Mathieu Garon, who had a second consecutive shaky outing after a Jan. 5 shutout of Phoenix.

Giguere was a rock for the Ducks, particularly when they needed him most.

Lubomir Visnovksy scored 46 seconds into the second period with the Kings on a 5-on-3 advantage to tie the score 2-2. Over the next several minutes, the Kings looked poised to take the lead, but Giguere made several tough saves, including two against Kings forward Michael Cammalleri on the power play.

Then, less than a minute after that penalty expired, Hedstrom skated down the left side and fired a slap shot that beat Garon cleanly to his left side to give the Ducks a 3-2 lead.

Hedstrom scored seven minutes later to give the Ducks a 4-2 lead after two periods, and Chris Kunitz scored a third-period goal before Hedstrom capped the scoring by completing the hat trick.

Hedstrom entered Monday's game with eight goals in 39 previous games this season.

``I wish my parents could have been here because it's probably never going to happen again,'' Hedstrom said. ``This is a big thing for me and the team.

``I always look to pass first, but I need to shoot more. You need to be selfish sometimes.''

The Kings had scored at least three goals in 11 consecutive games - and had a 9-2 record in those games - until Saturday's loss at San Jose, in which they had two goals on 29 shots.

The frustration only multiplied on Monday, as the Kings totaled a season-high 43 shots but felt the sting of not having a strong offensive finisher such as injured winger Pavol Demitra.

``You can't give up six goals on (27) shots,'' Kings coach Andy Murray said, ``but to be honest I found more fault with our offensive game and not being able to finish.''

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Ducks' Andy McDonald, right, is hugged by teammate Chris Kunitz after his first-period goal on Monday.

(2) The Kings' Alexander Frolov, center, tries to get a shot on goal on Monday.

Matt A. Brown/Associated Press