Ducks fire coach Bruce Boudreau after early playoff exit

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Anaheim Ducks fired coach Bruce Boudreau on Friday, two days after their disappointing first-round exit from the playoffs.

Ducks general manager Bob Murray announced the decision to fire Boudreau, who hasn’t been able to pair postseason success with steady excellence in his two NHL jobs in Anaheim and Washington. Boudreau has won 409 regular-season games and eight division titles, but just five playoff rounds in his coaching career.

The Ducks have lost a Game 7 on home ice in four consecutive playoff years, culminating in Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Nashville in the first round.

“This was a very difficult decision to make,” Murray said in a statement. “Bruce is a good coach and character person, and we wish him the best of luck in the future.”

Boudreau had spectacular regular-season success with the Ducks, leading them to four consecutive Pacific Division titles while going 208-104-40 in nearly five seasons in charge. He had similar success in his first NHL coaching job in Washington, going 201-88-40 and winning four Southeast Division titles in parts of five seasons.

But the Ducks’ last four seasons have ended in much the same pain experienced by Capitals fans, whose teams won just two playoff rounds in four postseasons under Boudreau. The coach is an inexplicable 1-7 in Game 7s in his career, including six consecutive losses in the decisive game since 2009.

The Ducks also blew a 3-2 series lead in each of the past four postseasons, missing two opportunities to eliminate their opponents.