Anaheim knocks out Minnesota to move to semifinals

Posted: Fri Apr 20 1:41 AM

Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Jean-Sebastein Giguere, in his first start of the postseason, stopped 26 shots as Anaheim sent Minnesota packing with a 4-1 win in Game 5 of their Western Conference quarterfinal at Honda Center.

"I felt surprisingly good. I was hungry," Giguere said. "It's been an emotional couple of weeks, and once that was behind me I could focus on the game."

Giguere had not started in net since leaving the team on March 31 due to health issues with his son.

Chris Pronger had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who move on to the Western Conference semifinals for the second consecutive season and for the fourth time in franchise history.

Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Travis Moen also lit the lamp, while Scott Niedermayer and Samuel Pahlsson picked up two assists apiece.

Marian Gaborik scored the lone goal for the Wild, who are 1-8 against the Ducks in postseason play. Niklas Backstrom made 35 saves and recorded an assist in defeat.

The Ducks protected their one-goal lead in the third period in the best way possible -- by turning it into a three-goal victory.

Perry picked up his first goal of the series as his stuffer from the right side of the net snuck over the goal line before Backstrom could smother it in the crease, with 9:31 left in regulation.

Backstrom headed to the bench with 1:48 to play, and Moen hit the empty net with 57 seconds left to cap the scoring and set off a celebration on the Ducks' bench.

"We knew we had to play our top game," said Ducks forward Teemu Selanne. "Everybody did the job they needed to do. Sometimes, it's not pretty and you need to find a way to do the job. It's a good win, we have a day off tomorrow to reflect and get ready for the next round."

Anaheim struck only 62 seconds into the game, as Pahlsson won a left-circle draw back to Pronger for a wicked blast that hit the top-right corner of the net.

Minnesota forward Derek Boogaard was hit with a double-minor for high-sticking with just under five minutes remaining in the second period, and each team managed to score.

Gaborik knotted the game, 1-1, with 4:18 left in the second, one-timing a perfect pass from Wes Walz on a 2-on-1 break. Backstrom began the play by sending an outlet pass ahead of the Ducks point men up to Walz who broke down the right side.

However, the Ducks kept pressing on the advantage, and Getzlaf pushed his team ahead, 2-1, on a perfectly-placed backhander that hit the left post and bounced home 47 seconds later.

Game Notes

In the pre-game warmups, both teams were involved in a scrap. Boogaard traded shoves and punches with Ducks forward George Parros, and Selanne was struck in the head from a puck shot by an unknown Minnesota player. Selanne had a noticeable raised cut above his left eyebrow which required stitches...Prior to the National Anthem, a moment of silence was observed for the killings at Virginia Tech...Minnesota lost for just the second time in franchise history in an elimination game, both to Anaheim (2003 and 2007)...Anaheim was 1-of-4 on the man advantage, and Minnesota finished scoreless in five chances.