Western Conf QF. Game 1: Detroit @ Anaheim: Ducks Outfly Wings 3-1
In the lone game on opening night that didn’t require overtime, the Wings and Ducks put on a great performance that saw both goalies shine and power plays play a key role in the outcome. In the end the Ducks maintained home ice advantage and skated away with a 3-1 win after Teemu Selanne‘s goal early in the third held up as the winner.
April 30, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing
Corey Perry(10) and right wing Teemu Selanne (8) celebrate their 3-1 victory against the Detroit Red Wings following game one of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at the Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Ducks got on the board first, while on a power play as Nick Bonino won a faceoff to Cam Folwer, whose point shot hit Bonino on the way past Jimmy Howard at the 10:24 mark. In a case of monkey see-monkey do, the Wings answered on a power play of thier own just under 6 minutes later, as Jakub Kindl‘s long shot deflected off Dan Cleary‘s leg and past Jonas Hiller into the Ducks’s net.
Selanne had the third power play goal of the night, on a one-timer from the side boards at the hask mark, that beat Howard to give the Ducks a lead they would not relinquish. Hiller made three or four stellar saves down the stretch to maintain the lead. Then the Ducks put it out of reach as Francois Beauchemin iced it with the empty netter off a faceoff from the Ducks’ own end with 23 seconds left.
The Ducks take the 1-0 lead in the series, with game 2 set to go Thursday May 2nd at 10:00 Eastern (7:00 local).
SENSHOT’S 3 Stars
1. Teemu Selanne
2. Jonas Hiller
3. Jimmy Howard
OTHER GAMES OF THE NIGHT