Ducks end season on high

On the final weekend of NHL’s regular season, Anaheim beat another divisional leader Colorado 3-2 in overtime to complete their best campaign in franchise history.

Among other results on the final day, New Jersey beat Eastern Conference leaders Boston, Detroit tuned up for the playoffs with a win against sliding St. Louis, and Ottawa showed what might have been by downing playoff-bound Pittsburgh.

Anaheim’s Nick Bonino scored 1:33 minutes into overtime to give the Western Conference-leading Ducks a fitting climax to the regular season ahead of a first-round playoff series against Dallas.

Patrick Maroon and Saku Koivu scored 3:13 minutes apart to tie the game early in the third period for the Ducks, who used the game to honour Teemu Selanne, who plans to retire after the season.

The 43-year-old Finnish Flash got standing ovations on every shift in the third period in Anaheim, his home for 15 of his 21 NHL seasons.

Detroit make playoffs

Detroit’s backup goalie Petr Mrazek kept injury-riddled St. Louis down heading into the playoffs with his second career shutout, giving the Red Wings a 3-0 win.

Justin Abdelkader scored twice and Riley Sheahan added a goal for the Red Wings, who earned the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and will face Boston in the first round of the playoffs.

The Blues had been in contention for the number one overall seed but lost their last six and missed a chance at taking the Central Division.

Tampa edge Washington

Tampa Bay wrapped up home-ice advantage for its first-round playoff series against Montreal by edging Washington 1-0 after a shootout.

The victory clinched second place in the Atlantic Division for Tampa Bay, which finished with 101 points, one more than Montreal.

The shootout was Washington’s NHL-record 21st of the season.