DUCKS' MOMENTUM CONTINUES DUCKS 5, COLORADO 0.Byline: RICH HAMMOND Rich Hammond Los Angeles Daily News sports writer. Instrumental in bringing the Los Angeles Kings hockey organization closer to the fans. He is the atypical "what a guy" to Kings fans everywhere. Rich Hammond on himself. Staff Writer ANAHEIM -- The lights-out goaltender. The opportunistic forwards. The bruising defensemen. This is all starting to look Mighty familiar. Three years ago, the Ducks got all aspects of their game in sync, and it resulted in a stunning run to the Stanley Cup Stanley Cup: see hockey, ice. Stanley Cup Trophy awarded annually to the winning team of the National Hockey League championship. Named for its donor, the Canadian governor-general Frederick Arthur Stanley, Lord Stanley of Preston Finals. These Ducks still have a long way to go, but they showed few weaknesses Friday in a 5-0 victory over Colorado in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals before 17,174 at the Pond. Less than 48 hours after they eliminated Calgary in the first round, the Ducks returned to the ice and dominated the Avalanche, which hadn't played since Sunday. ``We never expected it to be easy,'' team captain Scott Niedermayer Robert Scott Niedermayer (born August 31, 1973, in Edmonton, Alberta) is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman, who is currently suspended by the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League. said. ``We have a lot of respect for the opponent and we know they will be there in the next game. We got the first game but we need four to win the series. It doesn't matter if we won this one 1-0 or won it the way we did.'' The Ducks pushed the action, broke open the game with four second-period goals and watched as goalie Ilya Bryzgalov Ilya Nikolayevich Bryzgalov (Russian: Илья Николаевич Брызгалов) (b. recorded his second consecutive shutout. Samuel Pahlsson, Chris Kunitz Chris Kunitz (born September 26, 1979 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada) is a professional ice hockey left wing who currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks of the NHL. Career Minors , Teemu Selanne, Joffrey Lupul Joffrey Douglas Lupul (born September 23, 1983, in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada) is a professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Philadelphia Flyers. Playing career and Travis Moen Travis Moen (born April 6, 1982 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan) is a Canadian hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks of the NHL. Although he was born in Swift Current, he grew up in Stewart Valley. scored for the Ducks. Bryzgalov made 29saves and now has a shutout streak of just more than 169 minutes. That's reminiscent of the 217-minute streak put together by the Ducks' Jean-Sebastien Giguere in the 2003 playoffs. Giguere, displaced by Bryzgalov, sat on the bench Friday and watched the Ducks soar. ``I'm nothing special,'' Bryzgalov said. ``The team played well and helped me stop the puck. When our team plays well, it helps me feel very well.'' One sequence early in the second period told the story of the game. Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin leveled Andrew Brunette in the neutral zone, and the Ducks pushed the puck into the Colorado zone. Pahlsson's wrist shot beat goalie Jose Theodore 2:38 into the period. Brunette, who was hit in the jaw by Beauchemin's shoulder, did not return. rich.hammond@dailynews.com (818) 713-3611 |
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