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Ducks edge Canucks 3-2 in overtime
By Associated Press
May 2, 2007 - 2:46:34 AM

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The Anaheim Ducks rallied from a big deficit to take an even bigger lead in their playoff series with the Vancouver Canucks.

Anaheim Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere (35) and defenseman Scott Niedermayer (27) watch the puck go into the net on a shot from Vancouver Canucks Brendan Morrison during the second period of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinal hockey game Tuesday, May 1, 2007 in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/Chuck Stoody, CP)


Travis Moen scored 2:07 into overtime to complete the Ducks' comeback from two goals down in the third period and beat the Canucks 3-2 Tuesday night. The win gave Anaheim a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal.

Scott Niedermayer's point shot hit a crowd in the crease and bounced to Moen in the slot, where he quickly snapped it past Roberto Luongo low on the stick side.

Chris Pronger scored early in the third period and assisted on Teemu Selanne's tying goal with 5:42 left as the Ducks rallied from the 2-0 deficit.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere robbed Markus Naslund from the slot 3:30 into the third period and Pronger tied it 30 seconds later with a screened shot from the point. Pronger, who along with Niedermayer was a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman, then set up the tying goal with another long shot.

The rebound went straight to Selanne, who had an easy tap-in from the side of the net because Canucks defenseman Sami Salo had lost his stick earlier in the play.

Giguere finished with 24 saves for the Ducks, who can advance to the Western Conference finals for the second time in four seasons Thursday night in Anaheim.

Naslund and Brendan Morrison staked the Canucks to a 2-0 lead.

Luongo finished with 28 saves, but it was a rough ending to an otherwise great day after he was nominated for the Hart Trophy as league MVP; the Vezina Trophy as top goaltender; and the Lester Pearson Award as the players' choice for most outstanding player.

Naslund opened the scoring midway through the first period after Bryan Smolinski's screen helped create a rebound of Mattias Ohlund's point shot. Before Giguere could recover, Naslund fired in the loose puck for his third goal in as many games after going seven without one. The play started with some good work along the boards by veteran Trevor Linden, who picked up the second assist and leads the Canucks with seven playoff points.

Anaheim had a great chance to tie after Josh Green cut Teemu Selanne with a high stick while killing a penalty, resulting in a four-minute penalty that started with a 5-on-3 power play for 38 seconds. But Luongo stopped Andy MacDonald from the side of the net and the advantage ended with a Ducks penalty for too many men on the ice.

Morrison scored his first of the playoffs with 2:29 left in the second period after outracing Moen to create a 2-on-1. Morrison cut back into the middle past Niedermayer, who was picked by Moen at the top of the crease, and backhanded a shot that hit Moen and bounced between Giguere's legs.

Vancouver got defenseman Kevin Bieksa back from an undisclosed injury for the first time in this series. But tough guy Jeff Cowan, who was playing on the second line and had two of Vancouver's five goals through three matches, had knee surgery earlier in the day.

Notes: Rookie D Alexander Edler was scratched to make room for Bieksa. ... One of Cowan's goals was the double-overtime winner in Game 2. ... Identical twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Vancouver's top scoring forwards all season, were benched for the Canucks' first man advantage. They were also split up at even strength for the end of the second period, but back on the ice together for both Anaheim goals in the third.


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