RE:Ergebnisse vom 10.4.2003

Detroit vs. Anaheim 0:1

Anaheim Mighty Ducks 2

Detroit Red Wings 1

DETROIT (Ticker) -- The wait proved worth it for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
Paul Kariya scored 3:18 into triple overtime after Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 63 saves in his playoff debut as the Ducks stunned the Detroit Red Wings, 2-1, in the opener of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.
The greatest player in franchise history, Kariya came up with one of his biggest goals. After defenseman Niclas Havelid's shot from the right point hit teammate Mike Leclerc in front of the net, the puck caromed off the skate of Detroit's Sergei Fedorov to the edge of the right faceoff circle.
Kariya got to it and put a wrist shot past the stick of goaltender Curtis Joseph for his ninth career playoff goal and second game-winner.
It instantly gave home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series to Anaheim, which was outshot, 64-44, including a 36-13 margin after regulation.
"It was a nice feeling," Kariya said. "The game belong to Jiggy, he was incredible today. They really outplayed us a lot of the game and he kept us in and let us win the game."
"There was a shot from the point that never made it through. It hit something in front and, unfortunately, it just laid in the right spot and Kariya had time," Joseph said. "He made a great lateral move and made a good shot."
Giguere continually frustrated the Red Wings, who swept the Ducks in their first two playoff meetings. The 63 saves set an NHL record for a goaltender making his postseason debut.
"I like getting a lot of shots and it was fun," Giguere said.
"They really came out very strong in the fourth (period), and even in the fifth they had a lot of shots. They're that type of team, they shoot the puck a lot, they go to the net and they try to get some rebounds."
"Look at the shot clock, it sort of indicates how good he was," Detroit coach Dave Lewis said. "He made a couple of saves that from our vantage point looked like the puck went in. They didn't go in and he kept them in the game."
Game Two is Saturday in Detroit, where the Red Wings dropped the first two games of last year's conference quarterfinals before beginning their march to another Stanley Cup championship.
"Maybe it's a good omen because last year we lost the first game of the series and we still won," Detroit right wing Darren McCarty said. "We did a lot of good things tonight and we're happy about that. We just have to prepare to come out and win the next game."
Of all of the Red Wings' near-misses in overtime, none came closer to ending the game than Luc Robitaille's chance with 10:39 to go in the first extra period.
Given some space on the left side, Robitaille got off a blast from the top of the faceoff circle that beat Giguere to the glove side but hit the crossbar. The goal light came on and some Red Wings celebrated before congregating at the tunnel leading to the locker room to watch replays on television.
After a lengthy review, the video replay official ruled the puck did not go in the net.
"I wasn't sure," Robitaille said. "It didn't make any sound.
Usually, when it doesn't make any sound like that, it's in the net. That's why I thought it was in."
"I took a look at my crossbar and I could tell where the puck hit the crossbar. And just from knowing that, I knew that it was impossible that it went in," said Giguere, who almost immediately began waving his arms to signal no goal. "I wasn't very worried when they went upstairs."
Anaheim had only two good scoring chances in overtime before Kariya's game-winner. Steve Thomas broke in alone with 2:34 to go in the first extra period but shot over the net. Early in the third overtime, Patric Kjellberg had a shot from the slot off a 2-on-1 but missed the net with a one-timer.
"We showed a lot of character and poise for a team that's in this situation," Ducks defenseman Keith Carney said. "We didn't play as well as we'd like to in the overtime periods, but we'll learn from that."
Of Anaheim's eight previous playoff losses to Detroit, three were overtime defeats.
"I'm sick and tired of these OT games with Detroit in the playoffs," Ducks center Steve Rucchin said. "A little longer than we would have liked, but our goalie won one for us tonight.
He's been the biggest part of our team all year, and it continues now."
Things started well enough for the Red Wings, who grabbed the lead just 4:15 into the first period.
On the power play, Brendan Shanahan sneaked behind Carney on the left side, got a pass from Tomas Holmstrom and flicked a shot from the bottom of the faceoff circle past Giguere.
But the Ducks, making their first postseason appearance in four years, did not panic.
After killing a power play, they tied it with 4:27 to go in the period on Adam Oates' first playoff goal since 1998. Defenseman Kurt Sauer's point shot hit Leclerc, who was tied up in front with Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom. The puck bounced into the slot, where Oates put a backhander by Joseph.
It turned out to be the last goal scored for nearly four hours.
"It was a lengthy game with a lot of chances and it would have been nice to win it," said Joseph, who stopped 42 shots in his first playoff appearance for the Red Wings. "It's one of those games that keeps going on and on and on. Come Saturday, we're going to be right back on it, just as determined."

Colorado vs. Minesota 0:1

Minesota Wild 4

Colorado Avalanche 2

DENVER (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Wild picked the perfect time to play their best game at the Pepsi Center.
Marian Gaborik and Wes Walz scored 25 seconds apart in the second period and Dwayne Roloson made 39 saves to lead the Wild to a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game One of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.
Winless in eight previous visits to Colorado, the Wild entered their inaugural postseason with a splash, scoring three goals in a 4:20 span of the second to take a commanding lead.
Defenseman Filip Kuba converted a power play 5 1/2 minutes into the period for the first playoff goal in team history. Gaborik followed with a power-play tally 3:55 later and Walz netted his fourth career postseason goal to give the Wild a 3-0 cushion.
"We're playing the best team in the league, we're not fooling ourselves over here," Walz said. "They could have definitely deserved a better fate than what they got tonight. ... We're obviously happy with the win, but we don't want to waste too much energy. We're going to need all our energy in the next six games or in however many it's going to take."
Roloson withstood an 18-shot attack in the first period before making 21 saves the rest of the way for his first playoff win since 1999 with Buffalo.
"We played a smart game," Roloson said. "We had a lot of old guys and a lot of young guys that hadn't played in the playoffs for a long time. We got rid of some of the nerves and we were able to settle down."
"(The Avalanche) could have scored a ton of goals," Wild coach Jacques Lemaire added. "This is a team that has a great offense, they move the puck well. Our goalie was extremely good tonight. They have to miss the net at different times, otherwise it gets done."
Andrew Brunette also scored for Minnesota, which finished the regular season with an NHL-best 31-4-1 record when netting the first goal of the game.
Joe Sakic and Maurice Richard Trophy winner Milan Hejduk tallied for the Avalanche, who had been 14-0-2-1 at home since January 16.
"There's a fine line between the best teams and the ones that made the playoffs as the sixth, seventh or eighth seed," Colorado goaltender Patrick Roy said. "Nobody expected a free ride."
Game Two is Saturday in Colorado.
After a scoreless first period in which the Avalanche held an 18-3 advantage in shots, Alex Tanguay took a holding penalty to give the Wild their first power play.
Less than a minute into it, Kuba cut in from the right point, took a feed from Brunette from the left side of the net and beat Roy from low in the faceoff circle at 5:33.
"It was important, especially the timing of it," Brunette said.
"They were all over us until that point. We barely had any scoring chances. So, yeah, it was a key to get that goal."
"I thought they made a great play on that first goal," Roy said.
"The guy on the goal line made a pass across. I thought I almost had it."
With just two goals in his last 19 regular-season contests, Gaborik tallied with the man advantage to put Colorado in a 2-0 hole.
Cliff Ronning, the Wild's most playoff-tested veteran with 105 games played, fired a slap shot from the blue line that Roy stopped with his left pad. Grabbing the rebound at the bottom of the right circle, Gaborik banked it off the inside of Roy's right pad and into the net at 9:28.
"It was important to get as many shots as we could," Gaborik said. "It's just the first game. Now we have to try to get ready for the next one."
Off the ensuing faceoff, Avalanche defenseman Martin Skoula was muscled off the puck along the left boards in his own zone.
Pascal Dupuis picked it up and headed toward the net before trying to stuff in a backhander. Roy made the save but could not deny Walz from the doorstep as Minnesota grabbed a three-goal cushion.
"They get a couple of quick ones and all of a sudden, it's like, `How did that happen.' It happened pretty quick,'" Colorado defenseman Adam Foote said. "That's the playoffs. It's such a mental game and hopefully, we'll learn real quick from that."
"It's tough to be down 3-0 against a team that's going to sit back," Avalanche center Peter Forsberg added. "We just got to make sure we get the lead next game and play better."
Sakic got Colorado on the board with 6:38 left in the period, putting Steven Reinprecht's cross-slot pass inside the right goalpost for his 66th career playoff tally.
The Avalanche had a chance to cut the deficit to a goal midway through the third but failed to register a shot during a power play.
"It's only one game and we've been here before," Sakic said.
"So we've just got to make sure we come out and have a good day tomorrow and be ready to go Saturday."
With four minutes to go, Roy committed his seemingly annual puckhandling gaffe, giving Minnesota a 4-1 advantage.
Roy coughed up the puck behind the net to Brunette and had trouble making it back to the crease. From the left side, Brunette put a backhander in front that went off defenseman Greg de Vries' skate and in for the second postseason goal of his career.
"I just thought tonight the bounces weren't there," Roy said.
"One hit inside my leg, bounced to the other side of my arm and went in. This is a night where I could say I could've easily left the building with one goal against me. I'm sure the guys think the same way."
The NHL leader with 50 goals during the regular season, Hejduk answered 61 seconds later with his 22nd playoff tally, but it was not enough for Colorado, which fell to 5-2 in its last seven playoff series openers at home.
"We're not completely happy with how we played," Walz said. "We did play a lot of the game in our end of the rink. They took a lot of the play to us. We're going to have to play better in Game Two if we want the same result."
"Confidence-wise, we proved that we can close them out a little bit," Brunette added. "We know we were lucky getting this win tonight, and we know we've got to play better if we want to win this series."

Tampa Bay vs. Washington 0:1

Washington Capitals 3

Tampa Bay Lightning 0

TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- For a team making its first postseason appearance in seven years, the Tampa Bay Lightning showed little to prove they belong.
Robert Lang scored twice and Olaf Kolzig made 28 saves as the Washington Capitals took Game One of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Lightning with a 3-0 victory.
After making the playoffs just once in their 10-year history, the Lightning clinched a second appearance by winning the Southeast Division by one point over Washington.
But the Capitals proved the better team in this one, limiting Tampa Bay to few quality scoring chances while forcing turnovers and cashing in on their opportunities.
With just seven goals in 45 career playoff games, Lang gave Kolzig all the support he needed late in the first period before adding insurance late in the second.
"The first goal sets the tone," Lang said. "Every time you score the first goal, it adds pressure to the other team."
"I thought the first two periods were good periods," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "Both teams checked very well.
Washington did a good job. They ended up scoring at opportune times when they had a couple of chances."
Kolzig, who led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998, turned aside five shots in the first period, 10 in the second and 13 in the third for his sixth postseason shutout.
"I'm glad they got him a shutout," Washington coach Bruce Cassidy said. "It's a team win, but it's a nice accolade."
Acquired from Chicago in an early-season trade, Michael Nylander netted his first career playoff goal early in the third for the Capitals, who have not won a postseason series since reaching the Finals five years ago.
Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 19 shots for Tampa Bay but fell to 10-14 lifetime in the playoffs.
Game Two is Saturday at Tampa Bay.
Reunited with former Pittsburgh teammate Jaromir Jagr when he signed as a free agent last July, Lang made an excellent second effort to give Washington the lead.
From the left corner, Mike Grier fed Lang in the low slot and the Czech center took a shot that was deflected by Tampa Bay defenseman Brad Lukowich. With the puck in mid-air, Lang batted it over Khabibulin's left shoulder at 16:01 of the first period.
"Every now and then, you get a good bounce and get lucky, and we did that," Lang said. "That's the first time I've scored out of the air. I don't know if I've ever did that."
"It doesn't surprise me," teammate Peter Bondra said. "His hand-eye coordination is unbelievable."
Brad Richards intercepted a pass by Nylander in the Capitals' zone less than six minutes into the second period and unleashed a shot from the high slot. But Kolzig made a left arm save to maintain the lead.
The 2000 Vezina Trophy winner produced his best stop with five minutes left in the period.
Sneaking around rookie Brian Sutherby on the right wide, Vincent Lecavalier took a feed from Vaclav Prospal in the faceoff circle and cut across the low slot. Shifting to his backhand, Lecavalier tried to slip the puck past Kolzig, but he made a sprawling save to preserve the shutout.
"We had a couple of breakdowns in the second, but that's going to happen from time to time," Kolzig said. "I'm lucky I have long legs. He got the puck, came to my right and I was going with him. He tried to put it in the short side. I've got long legs, so I was fortunate."
"That's the turning point if he scores there," Cassidy said.
"It may be a different hockey game. We expect that out of Olaf.
He's given that to us all year, so why not tonight?" A turnover in the neutral zone proved crucial for the Lightning, who finished the season with the fifth-highest home point total.
Dainius Zubrus picked off defenseman Jassen Cullimore's cross-ice pass and flicked a backhanded pass to Lang. Cruising down the left side, Lang put a wrist shot from the circle past Khabibulin's short side with 2:03 remaining to give the Capitals a 2-0 cushion.
"Robert Lang can score goals," Cassidy said. "He can shoot the puck. It's pure talent. The second one was a great play by Zubrus to get us going. A great line change by Jagr and he just freezes Khabibulin to pick the right spot."
Sergei Gonchar, who finished a point behind St. Louis' Al MacInnis for the league lead in scoring among defensemen, put a cross-slot pass on the stick of Kip Miller in the right circle.
Miller quickly dished to Nylander, who put it into an open left side of the net from the doorstep 62 seconds into the third to close the scoring.
"The series isn't over," Tampa Bay captain Dave Andreychuk said.
"It's a long way to go. They've still got to win three more games against us. ... It wasn't an eye-opener for the young guys, but when they go home tonight and realize that they're down, 1-0, hopefully we can rebound in Game Two."
"The puck just wasn't bouncing our way tonight," defenseman Dan Boyle added. "It's a long series and everyone has to understand that. You're not going to win the series in one game. ... You can't dwell on it, you have to let it go."

Vancouver vs. St. Louis 0:1

St. Louis Blues 6

Vancouver Canucks 0

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) -- The Vancouver Canucks have fallen, and they can't get up.
Cory Stillman and Tyson Nash scored in the opening 2:01 and Chris Osgood was hardly tested en route to his 10th career playoff shutout as the St. Louis Blues rolled to a 6-0 rout of the Canucks in Game One of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.
Vancouver needed a tie or win in its regular-season finale to avoid a first-round matchup with St. Louis. But the Canucks were beaten at home by Los Angeles, 2-0, after which Vancouver captain Markus Naslund told the crowd at GM Place the team "choked."
Naslund vowed the Canucks would "play a lot better in the playoffs," but the Blues made that a hollow pledge.
St. Louis took control early, grabbing the lead on Stillman's power-play goal just 90 seconds into the game and doubling it 31 seconds later on Nash's first playoff tally in three years.
Defenseman Alex Khavanov scored twice and Pavol Demitra and defenseman Chris Pronger each picked up a pair of assists for the Blues, who went on to their most lopsided postseason victory since an 8-2 triumph over Vancouver in Game Six of the 1995 conference quarterfinals.
"It's the game we wanted. It's how you want to play and map it out," St. Louis center Doug Weight said.
Little went right for the Canucks as they matched the worst shutout loss in team playoff history. Buffalo's Bob Sauve also blanked Vancouver, 6-0, in Game Two of the 1980 preliminary round.
"We got outplayed in absolutely every aspect of the game tonight. We know it," Canucks coach Marc Crawford said. "I'm embarrassed by it, the team is embarrassed by it. ... Who was the hardest-working team on the ice tonight? It certainly wasn't the Canucks."
Vancouver's Todd Bertuzzi took an interference penalty 72 seconds into the contest and St. Louis needed just 18 seconds on the ensuing power play to take the lead.
Weight fired a shot from the left point that Stillman tipped past the glove of goaltender Dan Cloutier.
On the next shift, Nash came out from behind the net and wristed a shot from below the right circle. Cloutier scrambled to make the save but was helpless as Nash put in the rebound.
"It was big, especially with the layoff that we had," Weight said of the quick start. "It's certainly great to get a big goal early. Stilly made a great tip on the power play. It really lifted up our bench and let us into this."
St. Louis also struck quickly in the second period. Just after a power play expired, Keith Tkachuk worked a give-and-go with Demitra, got a return feed in the low slot and wristed a shot along the ice and by Cloutier.
Khavanov made it 4-0 with just under five minutes to go in the period and completed his two-goal effort midway through the third.
After Weight capped the scoring with 3:42 remaining, all that was left was whether Osgood would get the shutout.
Acquired from the New York Islanders at the trade deadline, Osgood stopped 10 shots in the third period after turning aside 10 over the first two. It was his third shutout in 10 starts for the Blues.
"That's the St. Louis Blues I'm used to watching and playing against in the past," Osgood said. "Tonight, we had everybody playing. That game epitomized a total team effort. We had great back pressure on their No. 1 line and smothered them and didn't give them any room."
"After two periods, we had 10 shots. It's unacceptable," said Bertuzzi, who combined with linemates Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison for just four shots.
The Canucks could not even release their frustrations.
Vancouver defenseman Murray Baron dropped the gloves with Scott Mellanby at 4:07 of the third period, but Tkachuk escorted Mellanby away before he could fight.
"We got outworked, outhustled," Canucks center Trevor Linden said. "We got beat to loose pucks. They moved the puck, outchanced us. They pretty much out-everythinged us, and it showed on the scoreboard."

von: http://www.nhl.com

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