Anaheim Ducks Honor Selanne, Beat Avalanche In Overtime
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Anaheim Ducks may have won the season finale, but the result was the last thing on everyone’s mind in Honda Center.
After clinching the top spot in the Western Conference on Saturday night, the focus soon shifted to Sunday night’s game that would be the last regular season game at Honda Center for Teemu Selanne.
With emotions running high throughout the contest, the Ducks defeated the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in overtime in another comeback victory.
Anaheim finishes the regular season with a 54-20-8 record and will face the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. at Honda Center.
With the score tied at 2-2 at the end of regulation, Nick Bonino would send Ducks fans home happy as he potted his 22nd goal of the season past a sprawling Jean-Sebastien Giguere.
Despite plenty of buzz surrounding the finale, the Ducks fell behind 2-0 in the first two periods but immediately felt the momentum shift their way once the standing ovations for Selanne began in the third period.
Patrick Maroon tipped in the rubber 1:41 into the final frame to cut the deficit to 2-1 after receiving a nice pass from Mathieu Perreault.
No later than five minutes following the Maroon goal, Saku Koivu made a nifty move and put his backhand past Giguere to tie the game at 2-2.
It was a quiet first two periods before the ovations started.
Brad Malone put the Avalanche up 1-0 midway through the first period on an unusual play. The puck was shot from an acute angle toward John Gibson and was tipped by Malone. The puck apparently crossed the red line before Malone jammed the puck past Gibson. It was originally waved off but after review, the call was overturned and Malone was credited for his third goal of the season.
Just before the horn to end the second period, Stefan Elliott scored his first goal of the season as he picked up a loose pick in front of the Ducks’ defense and fired it past Gibson.
Gibson buckled down in the third period and earned his third win in as many games. He stopped 29 of the 31 shots faced.
Throughout the game, tribute videos were shown on the big screen highlighting the career of Selanne. Among the crowd there were plenty of signs, chants, and jerseys honoring the Finnish Flash.
Selanne would finish with 3 shots on goal while playing 18:42.
It may have been the last regular season game at Honda Center for Selanne, but with the Ducks rolling into the playoffs, there is certainly more hockey left in the future Hall of Famer.
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