Anaheim Ducks: Celebrating 12 Years Since the Stanley Cup

Ducks teammates from left, Dustin Penner, Ryan Getzlafand Corey Perry hoist the Stanley Cup after beating the Otawa Senators in game 5. The Anaheim Ducks became the first West Coast team to win the Stanley Cup after beating the Ottawa Senators 6?2 in game five at the Honda Center in Anaheim. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Ducks teammates from left, Dustin Penner, Ryan Getzlafand Corey Perry hoist the Stanley Cup after beating the Otawa Senators in game 5. The Anaheim Ducks became the first West Coast team to win the Stanley Cup after beating the Ottawa Senators 6?2 in game five at the Honda Center in Anaheim. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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Anaheim Ducks
Brothers Scott Niedemayer (27) and Rob embrace after 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 Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Final Road Bumps

With Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger leading the defense, Teemu Selanne, Andy McDonald, Chris Kunitz, Ryan Getzlaf, and Corey Perry leading the offense, and J.S. Giguere standing tall in net, the Anaheim Ducks finally had every piece necessary to make it to their destination: the Stanley Cup Finals.

Ending the season with a 48-20-14 record, they walked away from the regular season first in the Pacific Division with 110 points. Prior to the 2013 season, the NHL was split into six divisions, and the Anaheim Ducks would take on the second place team from the Northwest Divison, the Minnesota Wild.

The Anaheim Ducks plowed through both the Minnesota Wild and the Vancouver Canucks rather quickly. Both the Conference Quarter Finals and Semi-Finals were forced to Game 5, but ultimately dominated by the “Water Fowl.”

I the Conference Finals, the Anaheim Ducks faced a familiar foe. The Detroit Red Wings had dominated the Western Conference during the entire regular season, including the defeat of the Anaheim Ducks during two of their three regular season games.

Nevertheless, flashbacks of the 2003 Conference Quarter Finals reminded the Anaheim Ducks and Anaheim Ducks fans that it was possible to hand a devastating loss to the Detroit Red Wings. After two close calls, the Anaheim Ducks won the series in Game 6, with a 4-3 win and the game-winning goal from Samuel Pahlsson.

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