Ducks Are Still in the Hunt, 6-3

One streak finally ended for the Mighty Ducks. Now they hope another one has begun.

The Ducks gave an emphatic response to anyone who thought the best-of-seven Western Conference finals were over against the Edmonton Oilers, riding an inspired first period to a 6-3 victory that staved off elimination in Game 4 on Thursday night at Rexall Place.

Behind the play of their youngsters and the return of one-time playoff star Jean-Sebastien Giguere, the Ducks managed to force Game 5 on Saturday at the Arrowhead Pond. Edmonton maintains a 3-1 series lead.

“We still have a long way to go, but we thought if we’d win Game 4 and come home for Game 5 and hopefully get a win at home eventually in this series ... you never know what happens,” Ducks defenseman Sean O’Donnell said.

In staying alive, the Ducks overcame some sizable roadblocks. It was their first victory over the Oilers this season and the first in Edmonton since Feb. 24, 1999, a span that covered 13 games.

Now they can focus on winning at home as they attempt to join the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and 1975 New York Islanders as the only NHL teams to come all the way back from a 3-0 deficit.

“I thought we were due for a win,” said defenseman Ruslan Salei, who had a goal. “Thirteen games in a row? How many can you lose? Obviously, today was the most important day for us. We had to win.”

The Ducks’ young players have taken hold of some playoff games and disappeared in others, but they played a major role in this win.

Rookie winger Dustin Penner scored twice in a three-goal first period and second-year forward Joffrey Lupul scored their final two goals, one that turned the momentum in the second period and the other that found an empty net with 70 seconds remaining.

Ryan Getzlaf, another first-year forward, also had a goal and an assist.

“Other than Lupul, we’ve all been rookies in this league for a bit and now it’s time to stop using that as an excuse and start playing the way we played growing up,” Penner said.

The Ducks put up a brave front after their third-period, four-goal rally in Game 3 came up short, insisting that they could carry the momentum into Thursday. They backed up their words with a dominant first period.

In the first 20 minutes, they outshot Edmonton, 25-3. Their shot total was the most by any playoff team in the first period since Philadelphia had 28 against Pittsburgh in 1997.

But it was a garbage goal that started their outburst. Penner was credited with the first one after he got his stick on a shot by Teemu Selanne that bounced off Oilers defenseman Jaroslav Spacek.

It gave the Ducks their first lead in the four games.

“Maybe we’re getting a bounce here and there,” O’Donnell said. “Sometimes that’s all you need to get that lead.”

From there, they continued to attack the Oilers in their zone. Penner beat goaltender Dwayne Roloson with a wrist shot and Getzlaf broke a severe drought on the power play with a one-timer on a two-man advantage, one of four they had in a tightly officiated game.

“We had a lot of opportunities,” Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer said.

“You’ve just got to keep going. You can’t sort of hang your head because it doesn’t work.”

Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle sought to change his team’s luck by giving Giguere his first start in goal since being pulled in Game 5 of the first round against Calgary.

After having little to do early, Giguere was tested often in the second period. Marc-Andre Bergeron, Ryan Smyth and Georges Laraque all found the net, but the veteran held tough with several big saves after Laraque’s goal cut the lead to 4-3.

“I guess after I gave up the third goal, I just told myself that I’ve got nothing to lose here,” said Giguere, who made 20 saves.

“It’s just another hockey game. I’ve played a thousand of those and I’ve just got to give myself a chance and give the team a chance to win.”

Said Carlyle: “You always want to make sure that you give your veteran guy an opportunity to prove himself and I thought he came in and did the job for us.”

In turn, they have renewed confidence against Roloson after the Oilers goalie thwarted them in the first two games.

Meanwhile, Edmonton is now dealing with some pressure to close it out.

“We got the lesson,” Oilers Coach Craig MacTavish said. “It was expensive.”

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Victory at Last

The Ducks ended a 13-game losing streak on Edmonton’s home ice with a 6-3 victory Thursday. A look at the streak:

Date: Dec. 27, 1999

Score: 4-1

Defining moments: Bill Guerin, Pat Falloon and Todd Marchant score in a 3:33 span in third period.

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Date: March 22, 2000

Score: 2-1

Defining moments: Ed Ward scores only goal for tired Ducks, who played the night before in L.A.

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Date: Oct. 30, 2000

Score: 5-3

Defining moments: Tom Poti and Guerin score 1:08 apart in the third to break 3-3 tie.

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Date: Nov. 25, 2000

Score: 3-2

Defining moments: Tommy Salo makes 30 saves to steal a game the Ducks dominated.

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Date: Dec. 5, 2001

Score: 3-2 (OT)

Defining moments: Steve Shields makes 42 saves but Oilers’ Steve Staios scores 1:21 into overtime.

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Date: Jan. 18, 2002

Score: 3-1

Defining moments: Ryan Smyth scores decisive goal in the third on a misplay by Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

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Date: Nov. 26, 2002

Score: 4-3

Defining moments: Journeyman Brian Swanson scores with 3:12 left as Ducks blow a 3-1 lead.

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Date: Feb. 5, 2003

Score: 2-1

Defining moments: Fernando Pisani gets first NHL goal and Ales Hemsky nets game-winner in third.

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Date: Jan. 15, 2004

Score: 1-0

Defining moments: Hemsky scores only goal after Ethan Moreau’s pass deflects off Vitaly Vishnevski’s stick.

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Date: Feb. 2, 2004

Score: 2-1 (OT)

Defining moments: Vishnevski’s two mistakes lead to Oilers goals, including Jarret Stoll’s in overtime.

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Date: Feb. 6, 2006

Score: 6-5 (SO)

Defining moments: Pisani nets shootout winner after tying score midway in third.

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Date: April 13, 2006

Score: 2-1

Defining moments: Hemsky scores with 33.3 seconds left in regulation as Oilers clinch playoff spot.

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Date: May 23, 2006

Score: 5-4

Defining moments: Pisani’s tally in an eight-goal third stems Ducks rally in Game 3 of Western finals.

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* Note: Ducks’ last win in Edmonton before the streak was Feb. 24, 1999 when Paul Kariya scored the game-winner in a 2-1 victory.

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Western finals

DUCKS VS. EDMONTON

Oilers lead series, 3-1

Game 1: Edmonton 3, at Ducks 1

Game 2: Edmonton 3, at Ducks 1

Game 3: at Edmonton 5, Ducks 4

Game 4: Ducks 6, at Edmonton 3

Game 5: at Ducks, Saturday, 6 p.m.

Game 6: at Edmonton, Monday, 5 p.m.*

Game 7: at Ducks, Wednesday, 6 p.m.*

All times Pacific * if necessary