MIGHTY DUCKS NOTEBOOK: DUCKS TALK UP SECOND PERIOD.

Byline: Brice Nixon Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The second period of the Stanley Cup Finals had belonged to the New Jersey Devils. Mighty Ducks coach Mike Babcock knew that had to change if the Ducks were to have any chance of keeping the Devils from putting a stranglehold on the series with a 3-0 lead, and he made sure his players were aware of that Saturday.

``What we talked about was they've actually dominated the second period in the series,'' Babcock said.

The first two games of the series were scoreless after the first period. The Devils took over in the second, outshooting the Ducks 15-4 in Game 1 and 6-2 in Game 2. The second period in Game 2 was especially disheartening, as the Ducks had come out with more fight in the first period than they had in the first game. But the Devils scored twice on their six shots on goal, and the Ducks could not recover.

The first period Saturday was scoreless as well. But the Ducks, and particularly defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh, kept up the pressure in the second period to get their first goal of the series less than four minutes in. Even when the Devils tied the score, Ozolinsh's hard work paid off with another goal for a 2-1 lead. The Ducks won the game 3-2 in overtime.

--Honeymoon over: The Ducks became the darlings of the playoffs on their way to the Finals. With that came many positive reviews from the media. But that came to an abrupt halt after the first two games against New Jersey, and so did Babcock's interest in newspaper articles about the Ducks.

Babcock said he generally reads the newspaper clippings put together by the Ducks' public relations staff when the Ducks win. So after the Ducks won Game 3 of the Finals, Babcock said he was tempted to see what had been written but thought better of it.

``When you get to the Stanley Cup Finals and all the people who were writing nice things about you start burying you, you realize the only people that matter are the guys in the (locker) room,'' Babcock said.

--Faceoff factor: Winning faceoffs has been one of the Ducks' strengths all season, and the effect of that success was never more evident than in overtime Saturday.

Center Adam Oates, one of the top faceoff men in the NHL, won a draw in the Devils' zone, getting the puck to defenseman Ruslan Salei for the winning goal.

--Signings: The Ducks signed centers Igor Pohanka and Joel Stepp to three-year entry-level contracts.

Pohanka, a 19-year-old native of Piestany, Czech Republic, had 25 goals and 56 points in 56 games with Prince Albert (Saskatchewan) of the Western Hockey League. He co-led the team in goals, finished second in points and tied for second in assists (31). In three seasons he has 66 goals and 173 points in 184 regular-season games.

Pohanka was acquired from New Jersey in a trade July 6 that brought Petr Sykora to Anaheim.

Stepp, a 20-year-old native of Estevan, Saskatchewan, played for Red Deer (Alberta) of the WHL.

Brice Nixon, [phone]

brice.nixon(at)sgvn.com

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MIKE BABCOCK

In Game 3, coach made sure Ducks didn't let Devils dominate second period again.