ANAHEIM, Calif. — Nick Ritchie scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period, and the Anaheim Ducks ended their streak of five straight Game 7 losses with a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night, advancing to the Western Conference finals for the second time in three years.
Andrew Cogliano scored the tying goal midway through the second period for the Ducks, who had blown a 3-2 series lead and lost a Game 7 on home ice in four consecutive seasons.
After a rally from an early deficit and a strong defensive performance to back John Gibson’s 23 saves, the Ducks ended their ignominious streak and moved halfway to the franchise’s second Stanley Cup title.
Anaheim will host the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of the conference finals Friday night.
PENGUINS 2, CAPITALS 1
WASHINGTON — Marc-Andre Fleury turned back the clock with a brilliant 29-save shutout, Bryan Rust and Patric Hornqvist scored and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Washington Capitals 2-0 in Game 7 on Wednesday night to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.
The defending champion Penguins are eight victories away from another Stanley Cup and will have home-ice advantage against the Ottawa Senators. The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Capitals failed to get beyond the second round for the seventh time in as many chances in the Alex Ovechkin era.
Rust was again a hero in a crucial game for Pittsburgh, scoring his eighth goal in 12 career games facing elimination or with the chance to eliminate an opponent. Fleury looked like his old self from the start of the series if not his 2009 Cup run in frustrating the Capitals.
Braden Holtby made 26 saves in a losing effort.