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Friday, Apr. 7 8:00pm ET
Win not enough to keep Ducks alive | |||||
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BOX SCORE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Paul Kariya did all he could to keep the Anaheim Mighty Ducks' slim playoff hopes alive for at least a few hours. With his team needing a win to have any hope of making the postseason, Kariya had two goals and two assists as the Ducks routed the Nashville Predators 5-1 Friday night. Unfortunately, later Friday, Edmonton beat Vancouver 5-4 to clinch the final postseason berth in the Western Conference, eliminating the Ducks. To have stayed in the hunt, Anaheim needed to win their last two games and get a lot of help elsewhere. It didn't happen. "It's unfortunately not a good feeling to have to hope somebody else will do your work," Ducks coach Craig Hartsburg said. The Ducks missed the playoffs their first three seasons but had qualified two of the last three. "The toughest part when I look back at this season was the streakiness," Ducks defenseman Kevin Haller said. "We'd win three games in a row and lose three in a row. Good teams don't lose two in a row." Kariya snapped a 1-1 tie with his 40th goal, a short-handed tally set up by an outlet pass from goaltender Guy Hebert just 0:18 into the second period. Kariya took the pass at the Anaheim line and skated the length of the ice before beating Predators goalie Mike Dunham. Antti Aalto gave the Ducks a 3-1 lead 6:16 into the second, scoring while sliding on the ice after he was checked. Steve Rucchin got his second of the night and 19th of the year at 11:41 from the left circle on a play that was reviewed before the goal was awarded. The line of Rucchin, Kariya, and Teemu Selanne combined for four goals and five assists. "That line clicked so well tonight," Haller said. Nashville captain Tom Fitzgerald scored the Predators' goal in the opening period. Hebert made 28 saves to earn his 28th win. The Predators finished their second season 28-47-7, the same record as in their expansion year, but improved to 70 points from 63 because of the NHL's new regulation-tie rule. Nashville finished last in the Western Conference, but still got its 20th home sellout of the season. "From our standpoint we had a pretty successful season in a lot of ways," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "We got bigger, younger, faster." | ALSO SEE NHL Scoreboard Anaheim Clubhouse Nashville Clubhouse RECAPS Pittsburgh 2 Buffalo 1
Anaheim 5
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