RERUN OK WITH DUCKS SERIES HAS HINT OF DETROIT IN IT.

Byline: Brice Nixon Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The Mighty Ducks have turned another favored Stanley Cup playoff opponent into a team facing a 2-0 deficit after two games at home.

The Ducks remain unbeaten this postseason after sweeping Detroit and winning the first two games of their second-round series against the Dallas Stars in overtime in Dallas, with the series shifting to the Pond tonight for Game 3.

But the Ducks don't want to compare the Dallas series with their first- round sweep over the Red Wings.

``It's your job to look at that,'' Rob Niedermayer said to reporters after Game 2.

But there are similarities. The underdog Ducks won the first game in overtime in Detroit, then rallied to win Game 2. They did the same against Dallas.

The Stars even are sounding like the Red Wings.

``There's not much we can do outside of fly to California and play the same type of game we played here tonight,'' Dallas left wing Kirk Muller said after Game 2. ``I don't think we can look at the chalkboard and say change this or change that.''

The Red Wings also insisted they didn't need to change their approach, rather just find a way to win a game. They never did.

``You have to find a way to win and we didn't,'' Dallas coach Dave Tippett said. ``It's to easy to say it's the goaltender. We've got to find a way to get it done.''

Detroit coach Dave Lewis said the same thing, assuring reporters it wasn't Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere beating his team, and that the Red Wings just needed to make their own breaks. They never did.

The Ducks are on a roll but won't admit they have the Stars on the ropes, and they might be right. In this year's first round, Tampa Bay rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to advance to the second round.

But the Ducks at least will admit having momentum heading into Game 3.

``Yeah,'' center Adam Oates said. ``We got home ice. We obviously want to play well at home and get the next one and really put the pressure on them.''

But, he added: ``You really have to approach it one game at a time. You can't really look too far ahead. That team's too good over there.''

But the Stars do have a reason to be concerned, right?

``Right,'' Ducks coach Mike Babcock said. ``But I mean they have a great road record, and they have a real good team. It's going to be a war in our building.''

Stars center Mike Modano recognized the Ducks' state of mind and the challenge facing the Stars.

``Somehow, we have to burst their little confidence level,'' he said. ``We have to bring them back down and take that away. It's going to be hard. They're riding high.''

MIGHTY DUCKS vs. DALLAS

Game 3

7 tonight at the Pond

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net, ESPN; 830-AM

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Photo:

Kurt Sauer (34) and Petr Sykora celebrate the Mighty Ducks' Game 1 victory in Dallas. Game 3 is tonight in Anaheim.

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press