Final
match-ups determined for Stanley Cup playoffs
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[April 10, 2017]
(Reuters) - The final two
match-ups for the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs were settled on Sunday
when the Anaheim Ducks beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 in overtime to
clinch the Pacific Division for the fifth straight season.
The victory set the Ducks up in a Western Conference first-round
series against the Calgary Flames.
The Ducks needed a point to claim the division title and Nate
Thompson ensured they would achieve their aim with a third-period
goal to tie it the game at 3-3 before Shea Theodore scored in
overtime to seal victory for Anaheim.
The result consigned Edmonton to second place in the Pacific and the
Oilers will face the San Jose Sharks in the first round.
One sour note for Anaheim was the loss of forward Patrick Eaves, who
left the game because of an undisclosed injury. He has 11 goals in
20 games with the Ducks since being dealt by the Dallas Stars before
the NHL trade deadline.
Other Western Conference match-ups include the top-seeded Chicago
Blackhawks against the Nashville Predators and the Minnesota Wild
against the St Louis Blues.
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Eastern Conference match-ups were also finalised at the conclusion
of the regular season on Sunday.
The Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a six-game losing streak with a
3-2 win in their season finale over the Maple Leafs that proved
costly for Toronto.
The loss meant the Leafs were slated to play conference-best
Washington Capitals, while the Boston Bruins take on the Ottawa
Senators.
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Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson (36) and the Ducks celebrate the
4-0 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks following the third
period at Honda Center. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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Toronto lost two defensemen during the game as Nikita Zaitsev
sustained an upper-body injury in the first period and Roman Polak
sustained a lower-body issue in the second.
Other Eastern conference match-ups pit Columbus against Sidney
Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins, the defending Stanley Cup champions,
and the New York Rangers against the Montreal Canadiens.
The playoffs begin on Wednesday with all series played over a
best-of-seven format.
(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by John O'Brien) [© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All
rights reserved.]
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