Edmonton, Alberta – They just want to get a power-play goal. They just want to get a win. They just don’t want to get swept out of the playoffs.
The words coming from the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim’s dressing room Tuesday night sounded an awful lot like the ones coming from the Avalanche’s less than two weeks ago against these same Ducks.
After sweeping the Avs out of the playoffs, the Ducks are one loss from getting the same broom job by the Edmonton Oilers. In a wild, loud and sometimes chippy game, the Oilers barely beat back a third-period Anaheim rally to win Game 3 of the Western Conference finals 5-4 at Rexall Place.
The Oilers can go to their first Stanley Cup Finals since 1990 with a win Thursday night, while the Mighty Ducks have become the latest NHL team to try to channel the ghosts of the 1975 New York Islanders and the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs for inspiration as the only teams to win a series after a 3-0 deficit.
Former Avalanche winger Teemu Selanne, who scored two of Anaheim’s four third-period goals after the Oilers had built a 4-0 lead, stopped just short of sounding like Muhammad Ali when asked what lies ahead.
“I really believe that that third period was the momentum changer,” Selanne said. “We haven’t quit one time this season. It’s not going to happen this time, either. The momentum is on our side right now. I feel like that, and we just have to use that to carry it over next time.”
The Oilers probably won’t be shaking in their skates at Selanne’s words. The Oilers overcame a team-wide flu bug that had the bearded men of the dressing room looking more haggard than your usual playoff team this time of year. The Oilers overcame a lot of Anaheim’s physicality, most of which served only to put the Mighty Ducks in the penalty box at key times.
In the third period, the Ducks were skating at a 5-on-3 disadvantage when Oilers defender Chris Pronger scored on another delayed Anaheim penalty. That made the score 4-0 at the 4:40 mark, but that’s when things started getting crazy.
The Ducks scored the next three goals, finally getting to standout Oilers goalie Dwayne Roloson (34 saves). Anaheim barely missed getting a fourth goal when Roloson stopped the puck at the goal line, after a Chris Kunitz shot deflected off the skate of Ethan Moreau.
Oilers forward and Edmonton native Fernando Pisani stole a puck from Anaheim’s Francois Beauchemin with 5:46 left and beat the suddenly mortal Ilya Bryzgalov for what proved the game-winner. Selanne made it 5-4 with 1:45 left, and Anaheim’s Dustin Penner had a backhander and space to put the puck into the net in the dying seconds but missed.
The Ducks stomped into their dressing room, full of frustration, much as the Avs might have against Anaheim.
“It’s absolutely embarrassing that we haven’t won any of these games,” Selanne said. “If anybody can win four in a row after being down 3-0, this team can do it. But we have to eliminate a few little mistakes.”
Anaheim 0 0 4 – 4
Edmonton 1 0 4 – 5
First period – 1, Edmonton, Petersen 1 (Murray), 13:47. Penalties – Fedoruk, Ana, major (fighting), 2:51; Laraque, Edm, major (fighting), 2:51; Penner, Ana, double minor (roughing), 3:10; O’Donnell, Ana (roughing), 3:10; Marchant, Ana (roughing), 3:10; Pronger, Edm (roughing), 3:10; Smith, Edm, double minor (roughing), 3:10; DiPenta, Ana, major (fighting), 5:26; Lupul, Ana (unsportsmanlike conduct), 5:26; Moreau, Edm, major (fighting), 5:26; Peca, Edm (slashing), 5:26; Pisani, Edm (hooking), 6:31; Horcoff, Edm (delay of game), 7:50; Harvey, Edm (high-sticking), 15:00.
Second period – None. Penalties – Bergeron, Edm (high-sticking), 6:01; S.Niedermayer, Ana (interference), 6:16; Greene, Edm (interference), 9:06; Perry, Ana (high-sticking), 11:39; Staios, Edm (holding), 17:10; Pahlsson, Ana (holding stick), 19:16.
Third period – 2, Edmonton, Peca 5, 2:19. 3, Edmonton, Staios 1 (Samsonov, Pisani), 3:35 (pp). 4, Edmonton, Pronger 4 (Spacek, Samsonov), 4:40 (pp). 5, Anaheim, O’Donnell 2 (McDonald), 7:15. 6, Anaheim, Selanne 6 (Penner, Vishnevski), 9:13. 7, Anaheim, Kunitz 3 (Getzlaf, Lupul), 11:15. 8, Edmonton, Pisani 9 (Peca), 14:14. 9, Anaheim, Selanne 7 (S.Niedermayer), 18:15. Penalties – Edmonton bench, served by Samsonov (too many men), 1:24; Selanne, Ana (holding), 1:43; Fedoruk, Ana, major (fighting), 3:45; Laraque, Edm, major (fighting), 3:45; Vishnevski, Ana (roughing), 3:58; S.Niedermayer, Ana (hooking), 4:11; Pahlsson, Ana (high-sticking), 4:40.
Shots on goal – Anaheim 14-8-16 – 38. Edmonton 6-8-8 – 22.
Power-play opportunities – Anaheim 0 of 7; Edmonton 2 of 8.
Goalies – Anaheim, Bryzgalov 6-4 (22 shots-17 saves). Edmonton, Roloson 11-4 (38-34).
Attendance – 16,839 (16,839). T – 2:48.
Referees – Eric Furlatt, Brad Watson. Linesmen – Scott Driscoll, Jay Sharrers.
Staff writer Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-820-5454 or adater@denverpost.com.
