Travis Moen scored on a deflection and was credited with another
goal on an Ottawa defensive blunder as Anaheim beat the Senators
6-2 to capture the first Stanley Cup title in franchise
history.
The 24-year-old Moen deflected a shot from the point past Ottawa
goalie Ray Emery to give the Ducks a commanding 5-2 lead en route
to a four-games-to-one series victory in front of a crowd of 17,372
at the Honda Center arena.
"Our line is considered more of a defensive line, so to score
two goals is amazing," Moen said. "This is pure excitement. I have
put in 25 years of hard work for this."
Anaheim benefitted from an Ottawa mistake in the second period
as defenceman Chris Phillips got tangled up with his goalie at the
side of the net before Emery mistakenly kicked the puck into his
own net to give the Ducks a 3-1 lead.
The blunder was indicative of how the series has gone for the
Ottawa players who looked nervous and out of sorts on
Wednesday.
Moen was awarded the goal, which also proved to be the game
winner, because he was the last Duck to touch the puck when he
dumped it into the Ottawa zone from centre ice.
"I will take them any way I can get them," Moen said.
The Ducks mobbed goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere at the final
buzzer then celebrated for about two hours out on the Honda Center
ice and in the dressing room with teammates, friends and family
members.
As part of the Stanley Cup tradition, the historic trophy was
passed to each of the players and the coaching staff at centre ice
for them to hold.
Rob Niedermayer, Andy McDonald, Corey Perry and Francois
Beauchemin also scored for Anaheim which was perfect on home ice
(4-0) throughout the series.
"I can't describe the feeling," Rob Niedermayer said. "This is
something I dreamed about my whole career. I have been close a
couple of times."
Moen was the scoring hero of game five but captain Scott
Niedermayer was named the most valuable player of the showcase
series.
This was the fourth Stanley Cup ring for Niedermayer, who along
with brother Rob, becomes the first set of brothers to win the
Stanley Cup together since Brent and Duane Sutter did it with the
New York Islanders in 1983.
"I feel lucky. I feel more than lucky," Scott said. "This is the
way it should be (winning with Rob). We will be able to talk about
this forever. It is perfect."
Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere put in another solid
performance making 11 saves for the Ducks who became the first
California team and the first west coast National Hockey League
team of the modern era to win the Stanley Cup.
Anaheim made it to the finals in 2003 but this was the first
Stanley Cup in their 13-year history.
"This everything I worked hard for," said the 22-year-old Perry,
who won a Canadian junior championship with the London Knights two
years ago. "It has been a long year. The last couple of years have
been pretty special for me."
The game also featured a rare penalty shot as Giguere stopped
Senators Antoine Vermette who was awarded the penalty shot after he
was hooked from behind by Todd Marchant.
Vermette tried to deke Giguere but the puck rolled off his blade
before he could get the shot away.
Anaheim came out with more spark in the opening period of game
five as McDonald scored the first goal on a lucky bounce in front
of the net. He curled around to the front of the net and his soft
shot deflected in off the skate of Emery.
Rob Niedermayer put them ahead 2-0 when he drove down the right
side then fought off a Senator defenceman before lifting a backhand
over Emery's shoulder.
Perry made a key play on the goal by bumping an Ottawa player
off from puck at the Senator blueline to spring Niedermayer
free.
Daniel Alfredsson scored two goals for Ottawa in the second
period and was their best player.
Alfredsson scored on a wrist shot from the slot at 11:27 and
then from in close six minutes later to cut the Anaheim lead to
3-2.
But that was as close as the Senators would get as Moen and
Perry put the game away with goals in the third.
(China Daily via AFP?June 8, 2007)