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Selanne's overtime goal gives Ducks series lead

May 21, 2007 - 12:41 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- Teemu Selanne took a huge leap toward his first Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

Selanne converted a turnover by defenseman Andreas Lilja into the game-winning goal at 11:57 of overtime, lifting the Anaheim Ducks to a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings and a three-games-to-two lead in the Western Conference finals.

Skating out from behind his own net, Lilja was pressured by Andy McDonald and Selanne gathered the loose puck in the left faceoff circle. Selanne cut in and lifted a backhander over sprawling goaltender Dominik Hasek to give the Ducks what could be a series-changing win.

"I've been practicing that move my whole life," Selanne said. "I knew I had to get it up. He goes down and covers up everything down low."

It was the second goal of the series for Selanne, who was held without a point in the first three games. The Finnish winger had a tally and two assists in a 5-3 win in Game Four on Thursday.

Selanne knew the importance of his latest playoff goal, saying, "Well, probably the biggest one. Hopefully the biggest one is still coming."

A 14-year veteran who has 540 regular-season goals and 29 playoff tallies - five this season - Selanne never has reached the Finals in his career.

Lilja, who had scored in the second period, was more than aware of his critical miscue.

"It's not supposed to happen, but it happens," he said. "It hurts, but we have to put this behind us and move on."

The Ducks could send Selanne to the Finals for the first time in his career with a win at home in Game Six on Tuesday. Anaheim reached the Finals in 2003, losing in seven games to the New Jersey Devils.

It looked like the Ducks, who were outplayed for most of regulation, would head home facing elimination before they tied the game in dramatic fashion in the final minute of the third period.

With the Ducks already on the power play, coach Randy Carlyle made the decision to pull goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere for a 6-on-4 advantage. The decision proved to be the right one.

Defenseman Scott Niedermayer, who scored the game-winning goal here in overtime in Game Two, unleashed a shot in the slot that deflected off the stick of fellow blue-liner Nicklas Lidstrom and over Hasek's left shoulder with 48 seconds left, tying the game at 1-1.

"It's a good move, when it works," Carlyle said

Under seemingly constant pressure, Giguere had his best game of the series and finished with 36 saves.

"I just wanted to make sure we still had a chance," Giguere said. The only shot to get past Giguere came at 6:13 of the second period, when Lilja beat him with a slap shot from the left circle for his first playoff goal.

Detroit had four of its seven power plays in the second period, finishing with a 15-3 advantage in shots during the session. But the Red Wings failed to capitalize with the man advantage the entire afternoon, a major reason why they face elimination for the first time this postseason.

Hasek finished with 24 saves for the Red Wings, who would host a decisive Game Seven on Thursday.

"We had a few power plays, a 5-on-3, and we couldn't score," Hasek said. "They pull the goalie and score on a deflection off my defenseman's stick. It was a lucky goal, but it still counts the same as the others."

The Ducks welcomed back defenseman Chris Pronger, who served a one-game suspension in Game Four. The former Hart Trophy winner played over 35 minutes and had an assist on Niedermayer's third goal of the playoffs.

"It wasn't our best effort, but we did enough to win and that's what matters," Pronger said.