Ducks Muscle Way Past Flames in Playoff Prelude

There were no berths left to secure and by game’s end, the Mighty Ducks and Calgary Flames knew their playoff seeding in the Western Conference, but it didn’t mean there wasn’t anything to play for in Monday night’s regular-season finale.

Instead, the teams traded blows -- literally and figuratively -- in an appetizer to a rough-and-tumble series that’ll begin this weekend in Calgary. The Ducks set up the first-round matchup with a 4-3 victory over the Flames in front of a sellout crowd at the Arrowhead Pond.

In locking up the No. 6 seeding in the West, the Ducks completed a record-breaking regular season that set club marks for victories (43), points (98) and home wins (26). As recently as last month, the postseason was in question.

“We had a lot of adversity to face and we answered the bell,” goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere said. “We should be happy and honored to be in the playoffs because it was a long, hard battle.”

Teemu Selanne got the last laugh in a physical affair where each team was intent on sending a message to the other. Selanne’s power-play goal at 10 minutes 56 seconds of the third period ended a tie and capped his remarkable comeback season by reaching 40 goals for the sixth time.

Chris Kunitz also scored a goal and had two assists, Andy McDonald had a goal and an assist and Ryan Getzlaf helped out on three of the goals as the Ducks restored some of the confidence that took a hit after the team’s first three-game losing streak in five months.

“We weren’t so much sending a message as we were just trying to fight for our spot,” Getzlaf said. “We had our own fate in our hands and we took advantage of it.”

The Ducks’ memory recall was apparent. After clinching their playoff spot last week in Vancouver, they were pushed around by the physical Flames in a 2-0 loss that started the losing streak.

This time, they stood up to the Northwest Division champions in a game in which there were 41 penalties totaling 102 minutes. Even linesman Mike Cvik became a participant in the rough stuff as he wrestled Flame forward Byron Ritchie into the penalty box during the third period.

“As always, the intensity level gets jacked up and that’s the way the playoffs are,” Duck Coach Randy Carlyle said. “You earn every inch of space on the ice. The officials are going to have to take control of some of the situations also and I thought they did a heck of a job tonight in that respect.”

Kunitz and Corey Perry scored power-play goals in the first period, but Ritchie cut into the lead when he picked Giguere’s pocket behind the net and jammed the puck into the open net for a short-handed goal.

The Ducks got themselves into further trouble during a penalty-filled period. Twice they allowed Calgary to gain two-man advantages but they never fell behind.

McDonald took a feed from Kunitz and put a nifty move on backup goalie Brian Boucher to score his 34th goal for a 3-1 lead, but Jarome Iginla and Daymond Langkow answered to tie the score.

The teams combined for 16 minor penalties in the second period, with Niedermayer getting five. The hostilities increased in the third period with Travis Moen and Joe DiPenta squaring off in separate fights with Calgary defensemen Bryan Marchment and Robyn Regehr.

“We’re not going to get pushed around and we have the guys to answer back if they want to push us around,” said Giguere, who reached 30 wins for the second time.

*

DUCKS VS. CALGARY OFFENSE

First look

OFFENSE -- Led by a rejuvenated Teemu Selanne, the emergence of Andy McDonald and contributions from rookies Ryan Getzlaf, Chris Kunitz and Corey Perry, the Ducks have scored a club-record 254 goals. Calgary, which is 28th in goals scored, is led by right wing Jarome Iginla, workmanlike center Daymond Langkow and a collection of grinders.

DEFENSE -- The Ducks’ Scott Niedermayer has never been better and rookie Francois Beachemin has been a revelation, but the Flames have a deep corps that features Robyn Regehr, Roman Hamrlik, Jordan Leopold and rookie sensation Dion Phaneuf. If it weren’t for Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin, the hard-hitting Phaneuf would be rookie of the year.

GOALTENDING -- Where would the Flames be without Miikka Kiprusoff? For one, not in the playoffs. Kiprusoff entered the spotlight with his performance in the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs and has reached elite status. The Ducks’ Jean-Sebastien Giguere has had a strong bounce-back season and has shown in the past that he can raise his game in the playoffs.

COACHING -- Randy Carlyle will be under the playoff microscope after a better-than-expected first season. The intense Carlyle has gotten the Ducks to buy into his aggressive forechecking style. Under hard-nosed Darryl Sutter, the Flames are unabashedly defense-minded.

ANALYSIS -- The Ducks are a year ahead of schedule with several first-year players making strong contributions. Meanwhile, the Flames are already a dark-horse pick in the Western Conference if they can exert their physical will on teams as they did during the 2004 run to the Cup finals.

--ERIC STEPHENS