The Anaheim Ducks continued their strong NHL postseason with a 2-1 home victory over defending Stanley Cup champions Detroit in their Western Conference semi-final on Tuesday.
Anaheim netminder Jonas Hiller made 45 saves as the hosts took a 2-1 lead over the Red Wings in their best-of-seven series. Game Four is scheduled for today, also in Anaheim.
Hiller, who had 59 saves in Sunday’s 4-3 triple-overtime win, stopped 16 of Detroit’s 17 shots in the second period and all 18 in a scoreless third, including a controversial no-goal.
“We all knew he [Hiller] could do it,” Ducks forward Corey Perry told reporters. “He’s showing everyone now.”
The Red Wings thought they had tied the score with 1:04 to play.
Referee Brad Watson lost sight of the puck and blew the play dead just before Detroit’s Marian Hossa’s shot found the net.
“We got two [goals], they got two, but we’re not playing [overtime],” Red Wings coach Mike Babcock told reporters. “There’s no sense worrying about that now. We controlled the majority of the game. But two nights in a row, we could have been better at the start.”
Teemu Selanne gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead in the first period with his third goal of the playoffs and Scott Niedermayer’s tip-in on a power play made it 2-0 at 8:16 of the second.
Detroit responded with a power-play goal six minutes later on Henrik Zetterberg’s wrist shot.
CANUCKS 3, BLACKHAWKS 1
In Chicago, the Canucks took a 3-0 lead and made it stick behind Roberto Luongo’s 23 saves in Tuesday’s other Western semi-final to also take a 2-1 series lead.
Mason Raymond, Steve Bernier and Henrik Sedin scored for the efficient Canucks, who took only 21 shots. Brian Campbell scored Chicago’s goal on a second-period power play.
The teams play Game Four in Chicago today.
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