Detroit, Apr 11: Paul Kariya scored shortly into the third overtime to lift the Anaheim Mighty Ducks over the defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings 2-1 and give them a 1-0 series lead in this best-of-seven Western Conference playoff.
The wait proved worth it for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Paul Kariya scored 3:18 into triple overtime after Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 63 saves in his playoff debut as the Ducks stunned the Detroit Red Wings in the opener of their Western Conference quarter-final series. The greatest player in franchise history, Kariya came up with one of his biggest goals. After defenseman Niclas Havelid's shot from the right point hit team mate Mike Leclerc in front of the net, the puck caromed off the skate of Detroit's Sergei Fedorov to the edge of the right face off circle. Kariya got to it and put a wrist shot past the stick of goaltender Curtis Joseph for his ninth career playoff goal and second game-winner. The goal gives home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series to Anaheim, who were outshot, 64-44, including a 36-13 margin in overtime. Giguere continually frustrated the Red Wings, who swept the Ducks in their first two playoff meetings. His 63 saves were the highest total in a post season debut since at least 1980.

Game Two is Saturday in Detroit, where the Red Wings dropped the first two games of last year's conference quarter-finals before beginning their march to another Stanley Cup championship.


Bureau Report