Much like they did against the San Jose Sharks (in basically all six games of the series) the Ducks found themselves in a game that could have gone either way. The difference? Oh, about six inches between the leg pads of Jonas Hiller.
Nick Lidstrom fired a long rebound through the goalie’s 5-hole with 50 seconds left in the third period, and the Red Wings took Game 1, 3-2.
Hiller stopped 34 of 37, Chris Osgood stopped 22 of 24, allowing goals to Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne. Lidstrom and Franzen scored Detroit’s first two goals.
Ducks left wing Mike Brown was ejected early in the first period for a nasty open-ice hit on Jiri Hudler. Given the severity of the hit (which looked a lot like the one that earned Donald Brashear a six-game suspension in the first round), Brown could well be suspended for additional games.
