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Ducks edge Kings, lock up postseason berth

Apr 9, 2011 - 5:51 AM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Teemu Selanne scored a pair of goals as Anaheim locked up a playoff berth with a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles in the front end of a season-ending home-and-home set at Honda Center.

Jason Blake picked up two assists and Dan Ellis made 23 saves for the Ducks, who were coming off a big 6-2 win over San Jose on Wednesday.

Anaheim moved within two points of fourth-place Phoenix and Nashville in the Western Conference and pulled even with Chicago in a seventh-place tie. Both the Ducks and Blackhawks have 97 points with one game to play.

"It has been a grind for the last three months," said Selanne. "I really believed that this team deserved to be in the playoffs. This was a big step forward. Now we can breathe a little bit. Tomorrow is another game where we can improve our standing a little bit and maybe get a better seed."

Ryan Smyth posted the lone tally for the Kings, who host Anaheim on Saturday. Jonathan Quick took the loss despite 26 stops. Los Angeles slipped into sixth place in the West with 98 points.

"I hope we're a little better in the playoffs than we were out there tonight," said Los Angeles head coach Terry Murray. "They have a lot of skilled players on that hockey club, and you have to manage the puck the right way. We had plays that we just did not make that you have to make against their top two lines. When it comes to breakouts, to managing the puck through the middle or through the ice."

Selanne's wrister from the right circle tied the game at 9:55 of the second and was his 30th score of the season. Luca Sbisa took the initial shot, which kicked out into the slot for the 40-year-old winger.

The Ducks went ahead for good at 5:54 of the third period. Saku Koivu had control of the puck along the left wing, and was tripped up seconds before slipping a pass over to Selanne for a successful shot from the right side.

Quick was pulled for an extra skater with 1:18 remaining, and LA was largely occupied for the remainder of regulation with stopping multiple Anaheim chances near the empty net.

Smyth scored at 11:22 of the opening period, shoveling home a Dustin Brown rebound that managed to escape Ellis in his crease.

Game Notes

Selanne notched his first 30-goal season since 2006-07, and posted his 10th career campaign with 30-or-more tallies...With 80 points in 72 games, Selanne joins Gordie Howe and Johnny Bucyk as the only players in NHL history to play an entire season at age 40-or-older with more points than games played...Howe had 103 points in 76 games with Detroit in 1968-69, Bucyk 83 points in 77 games with Boston in 1975-76...It was Blake's first multi-point effort since scoring two goals against the Blues on March 16...This is the first season since Anaheim entered the NHL for the 1993-94 season that both the Ducks and Kings will participate in a postseason.