Anaheim Ducks take series lead with dramatic 2-1 victory over Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings goalie Dominik Hasek of the Czech Republic stops a shot by the Anaheim Ducks' Brad May in the first period of Game 5 of the NHL Western Conference finals in Detroit, Michigan, on Sunday. The Ducks won 2-1 to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. PHOTO: AP

Teemu Selanne converted a Detroit Red Wings turnover into the overtime game-winning goal, lifting Anaheim to a dramatic 2-1 win over the Red Wings and a three-games-to-two lead in the NHL Western Conference finals.

Skating out from behind his own net, Andres Lilja was pressured by Andy McDonald and Selanne gathered the loose puck in the left faceoff circle.

Selanne cut in and lifted a backhand shot over sprawling goaltender Dominik Hasek to give the Ducks the win.

It was the second goal of the series for Selanne, who was held without a point in the first three games.

The Finnish winger had a tally and also contributed two assists in the Ducks' 5-3 win in Game 4 on Thursday.

A 14-year veteran who has 540 regular-season goals and 29 playoff tallies -- including five this season -- Selanne never has reached the Stanley Cup finals in his career.

The Ducks could reach the finals with a win at home in Game 6 today.

Anaheim reached the finals in 2003, losing in seven games to the New Jersey Devils.

It looked like the Ducks, who were outplayed for most of regulation, would head home facing elimination before they tied the game in dramatic fashion in the final minute of the third period.

With the Ducks already on the power play, coach Randy Carlyle made the decision to pull goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere in order to give the team a 6-on-4 advantage on offense.

The decision by Carlyle proved to be the right one.

Defenseman Scott Niedermayer, who scored the game-winning goal here in overtime in Game 2, unleashed a hard shot in the slot that deflected off the stick of fellow blue-liner Nicklas Lidstrom and sailed over Hasek's left shoulder with 48 seconds left, tying the game at 1-1.

Under seemingly constant pressure, Anaheim's Giguere remained steady in goal with his best game of the series and went on to finish with 36 saves.