Ales Kotalik's power-play goal snapped a third-period tie, and backup Steve Valiquette made 18 saves in the New York Rangers' fourth consecutive victory, 3-0, over the Anaheim Ducks yesterday at Madison Square Garden in New York.

New York, 4-0 since a season-opening loss at Mellon Arena against the Penguins, earned this victory in Sean Avery's season debut after his knee injury in training camp. Avery played his annoying style and goaded Ducks defenseman Ryan Whitney into a roughing penalty 1:34 into the third, setting up Kotalik's winning score.

Valiquette stopped 11 shots in the second period after a quiet start and earned his fourth NHL shutout and 15th career victory.

Little-used forward Artem Anisimov scored his first NHL goal with 5:38 left during another power play to make it 2-0, with an assist from Avery. That goal was set up by Evgeny Artyukhin's four-minute, high-sticking penalty.

Dan Girardi sealed the win with a short-handed, empty-netter with 1:59 left.

On New York's first goal, Marian Gaborik worked the puck around the right-wing boards before sending a pass up top to Michael Del Zotto. The defenseman moved it down to Kotalik at the bottom of the left circle for a shot that clipped the stick of Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer and caromed up and over goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, inside the left post at 2:14.

It was a hard-luck loss for the Ducks, who were playing for the second day in a row with starts less than 24 hours apart. Anaheim rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period Saturday night at Philadelphia and won, 3-2, in a shootout. All the goals, including the lone shootout tally, were scored by forward Teemu Selanne. He had scored twice in two consecutive games.

Giguere, making his second start of the season while splitting time with Jonas Hiller, finished with 35 saves as the Ducks wrapped up a four-game road trip, 2-1-1. Dating to last season, Anaheim had earned points in 12 consecutive road games (9-0-3).

The Rangers dominated on the shot clock, but failed to generate many early scoring chances. In addition to being stymied by Giguere, New York was also victimized by the goal posts. Kotalik rang shots off the pipes in each of the first two periods, and Gaborik clanked one in the second.

n The Vancouver Canucks will be without top forward Daniel Sedin for four to six weeks because of a broken foot. Sedin, who averaged more than 30 goals for the Canucks over the past three seasons, was hit in the foot Wednesday by a shot from teammate Alex Edler.

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