Red Wings 3, Ducks 2: Justin Abdelkader scored a short-handed goal with 3:23 remaining in the first period to snap a tie and visiting Detroit went on to defeat second-seeded Anaheim in Game 7 of their Western Conference first-round series.
Captain Henrik Zetterberg and Valtteri Filppula each recorded a goal and an assist while Jimmy Howard made 31 saves for the seventh-seeded Red Wings, who will face the Presidents' Trophy-winning Chicago Blackhawks in the second round.
Abdelkader intercepted a cross-ice pass by Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin just inside Detroit's blue line and raced in on a breakaway before sliding the puck between Jonas Hiller's pads for a 2-1 lead. Filppula added much-needed insurance with 6:15 left in the second period, putting a backhander from the right faceoff circle between Hiller's body and left arm.
Filppula's tally proved to be the game-winner as Beauchemin's centering feed from the right corner during a power play caromed off the skate of Detroit defenseman Jonathan Ericsson and into the net with 3:17 to go in the third. Rookie Emerson Etem also scored, Beauchemin added an assist and Hiller stopped 29 shots for the Pacific Division champion Ducks, who outscored the Red Wings 12-5 in the third period in the series.
Detroit jumped in front just 1:49 into the contest as Zetterberg grabbed the rebound of Filppula's shot and buried it from the low slot for his third goal in two games. Etem forged a tie with 6:12 remaining in the first period, beating Howard from the left circle after carrying the puck down the right wing and cutting across the top of the slot.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Detroit improved to 14-9 overall in Game 7s and 3-4 on the road. Anaheim fell to 2-3 in deciding contests of a best-of-seven series. ... The victory by the Red Wings set up the other second-round series in the West, which will be a matchup between fifth-seeded Los Angeles and sixth-seeded San Jose. ... Zetterberg has eight career points in Game 7s. ... All four of Detroit's victories were one-goal decisions, with three coming in overtime. ... Anaheim RW Teemu Selanne may have played his last NHL game as the veteran Finn turns 43 in July and has contemplated retirement every summer since the Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007.
Detroit | Anaheim | |
Valtteri Filppula 2 | Points | Francois Beauchemin 2 |
Valtteri Filppula 1 | Goals | Francois Beauchemin 1 |
Valtteri Filppula 1 | Assists | Francois Beauchemin 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | Francois Beauchemin 1 |
Justin Abdelkader 1 | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Jimmy Howard .939 | Save Percentage | Jonas Hiller .906 |
Jimmy Howard 31 | Saves | Jonas Hiller 29 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Detroit | 32 | 3 | 0-2 | 3-4 | 10 | 41 |
Anaheim | 33 | 2 | 1-4 | 2-2 | 6 | 40 |