KINGS EMERGE VICTORIOUS ALLISON ANSWERS DUCKS WITH GAME-WINNER KINGS 4, DUCKS 2.

Byline: Brice Nixon Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Jason Allison scored less than a minute after the Mighty Ducks had come back to tie the game, and Jamie Storr made 31 saves in his first start of the season as the Kings held on for a 4-2 victory in front of 11,332 at the Pond on Wednesday.

The Ducks' Steve Rucchin had knocked in a rebound as he fell to the ice, making the score 2-2.

But Allison answered back with his third goal in the Kings' first three games. Mikko Eloranta passed to Allison, who scored from right in front of Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

Eric Belanger added an empty-net goal with 18 seconds to play. Giguere made 34 saves, including several tough saves early in the first period.

The Kings were outworked at the start of the game, when they were outshot 5-0. Giguere had to make three tough saves to keep the Kings from scoring an early goal, as the Red Wings' Brendan Shanahan did in Detroit's 4-2 victory Sunday.

Dan Bylsma scored the Ducks' first first-period goal of the season with just 6.1 seconds left in the period. The Ducks had given up the first goal in each of their three games this season.

That streak might have continued if not for Giguere, who stopped two breakaways earlier in the period.

The Kings had a five-on-three advantage for 45 seconds, but the closest they came was Mattias Norstrom's shot off the post.

With 9:35 left in the period, Adam Deadmarsh took a pass near center ice and skated in alone on Giguere, who made a sprawling save. On a Ducks power play with 2:22 remaining, Bryan Smolinski had another breakaway opportunity, but Giguere again made the stop.

The Kings tied the scored just 1:31 in the second period. Norstrom hit the post again, and the rebound bounced behind Giguere and trickled across the goal mouth before Smolinski poked it in.

The Kings almost took the lead five minutes later, but Allison's shot hit the post.

After their slow start, the Ducks changed around their line combinations and created more chances. Adam Oates, who had been paired with left wing Paul Kariya since the exhibition season, was put with Petr Sykora and Patric Kjellberg. Kariya and Mike Leclerc were centered by Rucchin.

The changes did not result in any goals, nor did the Ducks' third and fourth power plays.

Adam Deadmarsh scored to give the Kings a 2-1 lead 3:10 into the third period. Jaroslav Bednar had the puck to Giguere's right. He then dropped it back to Deadmarsh, who beat Giguere high to his glove side.

The Ducks tied it less than three minutes later. Paul Kariya backhanded a pass to defenseman Keith Carney, who had trouble gathering the puck right in front of the Kings' goal. His shot hit the post, but Rucchin put in the rebound as he fell to the ice. It was Rucchin's second goal of the season.

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Mighty Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere (35) blocks a shot by the Kings' Adam Deadmarsh in the first period Wednesday.

(2) The Ducks' Marc Chouinard (32) shoots past Mattias Norstrom at Kings goalie Jamie Storr (1).

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press