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Ducks even series with Red Wings in overtime

May 14, 2007 - 5:35 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- What one Niedermayer started, the other finished.

Defenseman Scott Niedermayer scored with 5:43 left in the first overtime to lift the Anaheim Ducks to a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in Game Two of the Western Conference final.

The Ducks salvaged a split of the two games at Joe Louis Arena and head home for Games Three and Four on Tuesday and Thursday.

Rob Niedermayer also had a goal - the first of the game - and assisted on the game-winner and goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 24 saves to improve to 11-1 lifetime in postseason overtime games.

"It was a battle, it wasn't the prettiest hockey game out there," Giguere said. "Our goal was to get at least one here. Now we have home ice and we have to take advantage of it."

The Ducks had two goals awarded upon video review - by Andy McDonald and Travis Moen - in snapping the Red Wings' four-game winning streak.

"Both pucks were in the net. It's simple as that," Anaheim coach Randy Caryle said of the reviewed goals. "That's what you're supposed to be, you're supposed to be rewarded when the puck goes in the net. Those calls, I don't really look at them any other way. If the puck crosses the line, it's a goal. If it doesn't cross the line, it's not a goal. If it's inconclusive, it's not a goal.

"Obviously, both pucks were over the line."

The deciding tally came on a series of fortunate events for the Ducks. Rob Niedermayer corralled a hard carom off the right wing boards as Detroit's Daniel Cleary, attempting to defend Scott Niedermayer, fell to the ice.

Rob Niedermayer flicked a short pass to Scott in the right faceoff circle and he wristed a shot that snuck between Red Wings netminder Dominik Hasek and the right post to even the series at a game apiece.

"I just actually was in front of the net. I was sort of waiting for a shot," Rob Niedermayer said. "I think the puck switched sides. I was able to get there first. I think two guys sort of just came on me. I saw Scott. He sort of gave me a yell. I just chipped it to him. He made a great shot."

"He just chipped it back out to me. I didn't really have anybody on me," Scott Niedermayer said. "I just tried to get it up. I didn't really see it go in actually. I saw it hit the post. Then I saw it on (Hasek's) back, so ..."

Hasek made 29 saves, including several brilliant stops, but neither the tying goal by Moen or Niedermayer's game-winner were among the most difficult shots the 42-year-old netminder faced all night.

"It's a game. We were 1-1 after last year," Hasek said. "We are in the same situation and we need to win at least one game over there. On the other hand, we don't want to look too far ahead and be ready for the next game.

"Anytime you lost it's tough, especially in overtime. We knew it wouldn't be easy in this series. Anaheim is a good team."

Anaheim, using a series of short, quick passes, took their first lead of the series with 2:56 left in the opening period.

Corey Perry fed a lead pass to Ryan Getzlak crossing the goal line and he immediately dropped a pass to Rob Niedermayer, who snapped it into the net past Hasek.

The Ducks had a chance to double the advantage midway through the second session with their second power-play advantage.

Instead, a brilliant individual effort by Kirk Maltby resulted in a shorthanded tally that pulled the Red Wings even at 1-1 with 9:26 left in the period.

Maltby rifled a shot from about 20 feet that was stopped by Giguere, but Maltby veered in and swept the puck in while it was still in the air.

"We had a couple of chances and ... I was trying to get a good shot on net," Maltby said. "When the puck went up, I don't know if he (Giguere) lost it or whatever, but I was able to bat it out of the air. Unfortunately, we weren't able to keep that lead."

McDonald scored just 66 seconds later to put Anaheim back in front, 2-1.

As the puck skidded across the crease, McDonald, standing at the left edge, stuffed it past Hasek. The officials did not signal a goal but the video review clearly showed the puck hitting the back of the net.

"On the second one (Moen's), I know the puck crossed the goal line," Hasek said. "The first one (McDonald's), I was very surprised. I didn't know the puck was behind the goal line. I thought it was somewhere under me."

Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom tied it at 2-2 with a power-play tally with 3:53 left in the second period. Taking a centering pass from Cleary, Lidstrom tucked a wrist shot just inside the left post.

It was his fourth goal of the playoffs - all of the coming with the man advantage.

The Red Wings finally forged ahead in the third period, capitalizing on a 5-on-3 power play.

Robert Lang, from the left wing boards, threaded a perfect pass to Pavel Datsyuk, who swept the puck pass a helpless Giguere for his sixth tally of the postseason just 1:03 into the period.

Moen brought the Ducks back just over four minutes later off what seemed like a fairly harmless shot off the faceoff.

Hasek smothered the puck in his body, but upon video review, the puck was tucked above his knee pad as he slid inside the net for a 2-2 tie with 14:54 to play.

"I saw it (on Hasek over the line)," Moen said. "That's why I kind of pointed."