Ryan Carter scored twice, five other players scored one goal – including the 606th of Teemu Selanne’s career – turning Fan Appreciation Night into a one-sided rout in the Ducks’ final game of the season.
Selanne stayed on the ice when the final horn sounded, then led a lap around the ice as the Ducks saluted the fans. Afterwards, he was asked on the ice about his future plans.
“I was always hoping that I wasn’t playing so well, and the decision (to retire) would be easier,” said Selanne, who scored on a second-period power play goal. “I just feel great still. There’s a lot of time to rest now. We have a great team here. Let’s see what happens.”
Selanne, 39, finished his 17th season with 27 goals in 54 games – a ratio of 0.5 goals per game that ranks eighth in the NHL. His 14 power-play goals tied for third in the league. In 1,186 career
games,
Selanne ranks 17th in all-time goals (606), 56th in all-time assists (654)
and
35th in all-time points (1,260).
Captain Scott Niedermayer, 36, also has not said whether or not he will
return for a 19th season in the league.
“I’m obviously going to
have some time now to make a
decision,” he said. “I don’t want to keep everybody waiting again. I
think it’ll
be quick.”
“Hopefully they come back,” teammate Corey Perry said. “They’re
going to be missed if they don’t,
but they’ll definitely be welcomed back. Hopefully they make the right
decision for themselves, and hopefully it’s the right one for us.”
Kyle Chipchura, George Parros, Matt Beleskey and Steve Eminger
scored for the Ducks, who switched goaltenders midway through the second
period. Jonas Hiller came up lame after sliding through the crease,
possibly felled by the same back spasms that forced him out of six games
the past month. Hiller stopped 18 of 19, and Curtis McElhinney stopped
11 of 12 shots in relief.
Saku Koivu and James Wisniewski both had two assists for the Ducks. Forward Todd Marchant (oblique) missed the game, as did forward Dan Sexton, a healthy scratch.
Edmonton defenseman and former Duck Ryan Whitney was booed every time he touched the puck, but still managed to score his seventh goal of the season in the second period.
Perry finished the season as the only Anaheim player to appear in all 82 games. He also led the team in scoring with 76 points after picking up an assist Sunday.
