ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 9: Scott Niedermayer #27 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates winning the 2007 Stanley Cup during the "Anaheim Ducks Stanley Cup Victory Celebration" at Honda Center June 9, 2007 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB – MARCH 26: Scott Niedermayer #27 of the Anaheim Ducks concentrates on the puck against the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place on March 26, 2010, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
Scott Niedermayer will have his jersey retired in just a few weeks if one of potentially the last happy moments at Honda Center this season.
We are taking a break from all the negativity currently surrounding the Anaheim Ducks to celebrate a true great. Scott Niedermayer is set to have his #27 retired by the Ducks on February 17th joining Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya in the Honda Center rafters. And he is truly deserving of it as he may be the best D-man to ever don the Ducks sweater. You can make the case that the 2007 Stanley Cup doesn’t come to Anaheim without Niedermayer despite the other great players they had on that roster. He was the cog that made the machine run and he seemed to always supply a big moment. With that said let’s look back at Scotts 5 biggest goals during his time in SoCal
5.) OT GW vs Stars send Ducks to Playoffs (March 23, 2007)
After the Ducks came out to a roaring pace in the fall and early winter of the 2006-07 season the winter months were not as kind. Dealing with some significant injuries and rough patches the Ducks found themselves coming back to earth. The months of January and February had the Ducks with a combined record of 9-10-4 and the San Jose Sharks were nipping at their heels for the division lead. The Ducks took that as motivation and ran through March with a 10-3-2 record capped off by Niedermayers OT winner vs the Stars to clinch the Ducks a post-seaosn spot.
In classic and vintage Niedermayer “rover” style Niedermayer grabbed the puck from the corner in the offensive zone. Making a pass to Ryan Getzlaf at the point and then sliding into the soft spot in the high slot received the puck from opposite point man Francois Beauchemin before sniping a wrist shot past Stars goalie Marty Turco. The goal was everything and then some Niedermayer brought on the offensive end. He didn’t have the booming 100mph plus slap shot but his wrist shot was deadly and placed perfectly. He just seemed to always know where to go and where to put the puck. Crafty and confident and his goal propelled the Ducks to the playoffs and a Pacific Division title. And that 2nd overall seed made all the difference in the world as the Ducks entered the post-season.
Anaheim defensemen Scott Niedermayer hoist the cup after being named MVP. The Anaheim Ducks became the first West Coast team to win the Stanly Cup after beating the Ottawa Senators 6?2 in game 5 at the Honda Center. (Photo by Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) /
#4 Back-Breaker to win Cup vs Ottawa (June 6, 2007)
It was tough to rank this moment here but just goes to show you how many big moments Niedermayer had for the Ducks. And even though this was in the Cup-clinching game the Ducks were already up 4-2 in the 3rd period. Not that two goals is an unbelievable lead but the way the Ducks were playing in the game and series they seemed to be in good shape. But this shot from Niedermayer was the real back-breaker that started to allow all Ducks fans to start the countdown to celebration time.
Possibly the best 3rd-4th line (however, you want to rank them) the Ducks have ever had in Rob Niedermayer-Sami Pahlsson-Travis Moen were doing what they had all season and playoffs long. Getting in on the forecheck, playing their position and cycling the puck Scott saw his opportunity to jump up and join the play. A loose puck found its way towards the blue line and Niedermayer activated putting a low hard shot towards the net. Moen was able to get a great tip on it and beat Ray Emery. Again it wasn’t the hardest shot, it wasn’t the fastest shot but it was the smartest and resulted in a goal that all but sealed the Ducks Cup Championship.
#3 OT winner to move to the WCF (May 3, 2007)
It was a great story when Scott Niedermayer signed in Anaheim. Not just because he immediately vaulted the Ducks to Cup contenders but because he was going to get to play with his younger brother Rob. Being able to skate alongside your brother no matter the level is something special and something I have personally had the honor of doing for the last 5 years and continue to do so. And when you have that brotherly connection sometimes big and great moments just have a knack for finding you. And with a goal like this, you couldn’t have written a better script if you tried.
With the Ducks and Canucks tied at 1 in overtime of Game 5 then tension was running high. The Ducks were one goal away from heading back to the Western Conference Finals and didn’t want to have to take another trip north of the border by dropping this game. As the Canucks attempted to skate the puck out of their zone Rob laid a big hit on the Canuck forward which knocked the puck loose. The puck found its way to Scott who threw the puck at the net. A distracted Roberto Luongo was looking for a penalty call on the hit and by the time he re-focused on the puck it was by him and Bro Hymn was blaring in the background signaling a Ducks goal and win. The two Niedermayer’s combined for one of the best Ducks goals in history both doing what they did best.
#2 Evening the Series in Detriot (May 13, 2007)
It is crazy to think that the Top 3 moments all came within about a two-week span. But that was a crazy and unforgettable playoff. The Ducks were in Detriot for the West Finals, a virtual house of horrors for the Ducks in their history. In OT of Game 2, the Ducks were in jeopardy of being down 0-2 in the best of 7 series. The Ducks knew they would have to steal one game in Detriot if they wanted to win this series, and being one shot away in Game 2 was one of their best shots to do it.
And just like the above moment, it was once again the Niedermayer brothers combining to bring a huge win and huge moment. The Niedermayer-Pahlsson-Moen line was once again wreaking havoc in the offensive zone. The puck popped to the corner off a deflected Pahlsson shot and Scott was able to jump down keeping the puck possession for the Ducks. He found Rob who gave it right back to Scott for a great give and go and far side snipe for Scott. It beat Dominik Hasek cleanly with another patented Niedermayer wrister. Perfectly timed, perfectly placed and one of the biggest goals from one of the Ducks and the NHL’s biggest stars. At the time it stole home ice back for the Ducks and was a huge post-season win on the road. But our top moment beats even that.
#1 Not Letting the Clock Strike Midnight (May 20, 2007)
As the end of May 2007 approached the Ducks were in their toughest series yet. Back in Detriot for a pivotal Game 5 with the series tied 2-2. The Ducks would yet again need to steal a game in Detriot. Game 5 was as contested a game could be. J.S. Giguere held the Wings to one goal but the Ducks were getting shut-out. As the time continued to tick away it looked worse and worse for the Ducks chances despite Giguere’s unbelievable performance. That was until Scott Niedermayer proved the Ducks were not going to go quietly into that good night. It didn’t get much more dramatic but Niedermayer made sure he would come through when it mattered most.
With just under 50 seconds in the game, the Ducks were working the puck around desperately trying to find the equalizer. And once again Niedermayer not being the typical defenseman was roving around trying to find the soft spot in the defense. And he did right in the high slot. It was there Teemu Selanne was able to thread a pass to him and though not a pattened Selanne pass Niedermayer took it off his front skate and as he was falling sent a “knuckle-puck” into the top corner. It is Selanne’s OT marker that gets most of the fan-fare and rightfully so, but without Niedermayers late-game heroics setting the stage the Selanne goal never happens.
Niedermayer deserves to have his number in the Honda Center rafters. He is one of the best Ducks in their history, he is one of the best defenseman all-time and it was a true joy seeing him in Anaheim as long as he was. Make his ceremony about him, not the outside stuff going on with the Ducks at the moment. What do you think Duck fans? Was your favorite moment listed? Let us know on Twitter and Facebook!
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