The Dallas Stars eliminated Stanley Cup champions the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 and ended their NHL first-round playoff series in six games on Sunday.
Stephane Robidas, playing with a cage covering his broken nose, scored the tying goal on a power play early in the third period, then set up Stu Barnes for the go-ahead goal 52 seconds later.
The Ducks are the fifth straight defending champions to fail to make the second round. The NHL has not had a repeat winner since Detroit in 1997-1998. No champion has even taken a title to the finals since the Stars in 2000.
PHOTO : AP
The Ducks led 1-0 after two periods on a goal by Corey Perry. The team that had scored first had won every game so far.
But a power play just 17 seconds into the third unleashed the Stars, for whom Robidas plugged in a rebound for his first career playoff goal. Soon after Robidas set up Barnes. Loui Erickson and Mike Modano finished off.
Marty Turco stopped 17 shots for Dallas.
Red Wings 3, Predators 0
In Nashville, Tennessee, league favorites Detroit closed out Nashville in Game 6.
Nicklas Lidstrom and Jiri Hudler scored and Brian Rafalski added an empty-netter with 4.8 seconds left. Goalie Chris Osgood stopped 20 shots for the shutout in his second straight playoff start as top-seeded Detroit became the first road team to win in this series.
With the victory, Detroit passed Toronto for second on the list of playoff series won with their 59th.
Nashville had hoped to use hot goalie Dan Ellis and an earsplitting crowd to force Game 7 in Detroit today. But the Predators missed their best scoring chance when David Legwand hit a post in the first period and they failed to advance out of the first round for a fourth straight post-season — each time on their home ice.
Flames 2, Sharks 0
In Calgary, Alberta, Miika Kirpusoff made 21 saves, Owen Nolan and Daymond Langkow scored and Calgary forced a Game 7 against San Jose.
The decisive match today will be the first Game 7 the Sharks have hosted in franchise history after playing five on the road.
Facing elimination in front of a raucous home crowd that braved freezing temperatures and snow to get to the Pengrowth Saddledome, the Flames checked San Jose relentlessly along the boards. Kiprusoff was outstanding when the Sharks were pressing.
Nolan, a former Sharks star, opened the scoring midway through the first period and Langkow made it 2-0 with 57 seconds left in the second.
Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for the Sharks.
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