Kings eliminate Ducks in decider
The LA Kings beat major rivals the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 in Game 7 of their NHL Western Conference semi-final.
Los Angeles continued their remarkable run of crunch wins in this postseason by beating Anaheim 6-2 in the decisive Game 7, advancing to the NHL Western Conference finals for the third-straight year.
The Kings improved to a 6-0 record in games where a loss meant elimination from this season’s playoffs.
The team from Los Angeles took charge in the first period and led 5-0 late in the second, never allowing the Ducks to get close on their own ice.
Jonathan Quick Quick improved to 3-0 in Game 7s in his career, while Williams kicked off Los Angeles’ first-period onslaught with his sixth goal in six career trips to Game 7.
Gaborik scored six goals in the series’ four games in Anaheim, giving him an NHL-best nine goals in his first postseason with the Kings.
Gaborik, Williams and Richards are unbeaten in six career trips to Game 7, while Carter improved to 4-0.
Anaheim’s 20-year-old goaltender John Gibson yielded four goals from just 18 shots before getting replaced early in the second period by Jonas Hiller, the dependable veteran who was twice benched by coach Bruce Boudreau in the season’s final weeks.
Ducks share blame
Gibson didn’t deserve all the blame behind a team that made innumerable mistakes in its biggest game of the season.
Corey Perry scored early in the third period, but also missed a penalty shot and got denied on a second-period breakaway.
Kyle Palmieri scored late in the second period after Anaheim already trailed by five goals.
The result was a bitter farewell for Teemu Selanne, whose 21-season NHL career began in Winnipeg in 1992 and included parts of 15 seasons in Anaheim.
The Finnish Flash scored 684 regular-season goals, but had just two goals in 12 playoff games this spring.
Next up is a West Conference decider against reigning Stanley Cup champions Chicago, with the Blackhawks to host the opener.