Sunday, May 28, 2006

Welcome Back Edmonton [J. Mark English]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- The Anaheim Mighty Ducks outshot the Edmonton Oilers in every game of the Western Conference finals. What the Oilers did with all those shots -- blocking, screening and clogging the shooting lanes -- proved the difference.
Raffi Torres scored the go-ahead goal on a tipped shot in the second period, helping Edmonton eliminate the Ducks 2-1 Saturday night and advance to the Stanley Cup finals.
The eighth-seeded Oilers won the conference finals 4-1 and will play for the Cup for the first time since winning it in 1990 for the fifth time in seven seasons.
"This team is similar to our 1990 team because this is so unexpected and we have good goal scoring," said Oilers coach Craig MacTavish, who played on that squad. "Our goaltending was terrific the whole series. Our special teams were outstanding. This is the third series we have won that battle."
Edmonton awaits either Carolina or Buffalo, whose Eastern Conference finals series is tied 2-2. The Oilers are the lowest-seeded team to ever reach the finals in the current playoff format.