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Ducks on verge of advancing

A prone Detroit goalie Dominik Hasek (39) tries to cover the puck amidst a flurry of activity in front of the net. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Larry Lage Associated Press
A prone Detroit goalie Dominik Hasek (39) tries to cover the puck amidst a flurry of activity in front of the net. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

DETROIT – The Anaheim Ducks were within a minute of losing a game that could’ve led to the end of their season.

In overtime, Teemu Selanne had a split-second to decide what to do with the puck. He made the right choice.

Selanne scored 11:57 into the extra period and lifted Anaheim to a 2-1 comeback win over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday and a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals.

With 47.3 seconds left in regulation, Scott Niedermayer’s deflected shot fluttered over Dominik Hasek’s glove on a power play to tie the game and force overtime.

Andreas Lilja, who scored Detroit’s lone goal, turned the puck over by missing it in front to Selanne. The Ducks forward made a quick move before sending a backhander over a sprawling Hasek.

“Everything happened so quickly,” Selanne said. “You don’t have enough time to plan anything.

“But I’ve been practicing that move my whole life. I knew I had to get it up. He goes down and covers up everything down low.”

Game 6 is Tuesday night in Anaheim, where the Ducks will have a chance to win their third straight game in the series to advance to the Stanley Cup finals for the second time. Detroit coach Mike Babcock led Anaheim past the Red Wings en route to the 2003 finals.

If Game 7 is necessary, it will be played Thursday in Detroit.

Eastern Conference champion Ottawa, which eliminated Buffalo on Saturday, will open the Stanley Cup finals on the road against this series winner.

The Red Wings had plenty of chances to score more goals but finished 0 for 7 on the power play. Detroit had a man advantage that started 7:53 into overtime, but couldn’t get the puck past Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who improved to 12-1 after regulation in the playoffs.

Lilja scored his first playoff goal at 6:13 of the second period, and Detroit clung to the one-goal lead.

But Niedermayer’s shot from the left circle was lifted off the ice by the stick of fellow Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom as the Detroit defenseman tried to block it. Hasek didn’t seem to see the puck until it was already in the net, sending the game into overtime.

Selanne’s goal was unassisted and he had an assist on Niedermayer’s power-play goal.

Lilja scored for the first time in 29 playoff games and recorded his second career point in the postseason. He had an assist May 1, 2006, against Edmonton.