MIGHTY DUCKS NOTEBOOK: DUCKS TO GO ON WITHOUT KJELLBERG.

Byline: Brice Nixon Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Right wing Patric Kjellberg has left the Mighty Ducks and returned to his native Sweden for ``family reasons'' and is not expected back for the remainder of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Ducks open the Western Conference finals Saturday against either Vancouver or Minnesota but will have to do it without one of their top defensive forwards and penalty killers.

``It's only a distraction if you let it be,'' Ducks coach Mike Babcock said. ``We can't control it. Obviously, it was probably a tough decision for him.''

Kjellberg has averaged 10 1/2 minutes on the ice in the playoffs. He had no points in 10 games playing on the fourth line with Jason Krog and Marc Chouinard.

``It's going to be difficult,'' captain Paul Kariya said. ``He's been a fantastic player for us all year, especially defensively and on the penalty kills. But family comes first and you have to take care of your family. That's obviously the most important thing in any person's life.''

--Miracle man: Babcock has had to answer many questions about the turnaround he has helped the Ducks make this season, but, he said, ``this is nothing, relatively speaking,'' compared to what he accomplished in one season as head coach at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta.

The Pronghorns were a last-place team and the school was going to eliminate the men's hockey program when Babcock was named coach in 1993. In one season, he turned the Pronghorns into national champions and was named coach of the year.

--Helping with homesickness: Steve Thomas has never gone this long without seeing his family. However, his 9-year-old daughter, Lauren, has tried to bridge the gap.

``My daughter has figured out my cell-phone number and calls me every 10 minutes now,'' Thomas said, smiling. The Ducks acquired the right wing from the Chicago Blackhawks on March 11. Lauren, Thomas' wife, Lori, and their 10-year-old son, Christian, are in Toronto. They've missed out on seeing Thomas help the Ducks reach the conference finals for the first time in franchise history. The 39-year-old Thomas is tied for the team lead with six points.

``I wish they were here to see it,'' Thomas said. If the Ducks reach the Stanley Cup Finals, Thomas said his family might make the trip.

--Ticket info: Tickets for conference-final games at the Pond go on sale today at 10 a.m. The Ducks will host either Vancouver or Minnesota on Wednesday and May 16. Game 6, if necessary, would be at the Pond on May 20.

Prices start at $55. They are available through Ticketmaster or at the Pond box office. At the Pond, random-numbered wristbands will be handed out at 8 a.m.

CAPTION(S):

2 boxes

Box:

(1) WESTERN CONFERENCE

(2) EASTERN CONFERENCE