2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Encyclopedia
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) championship began on April 21, 2006, following the 2005–06 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, seeded one through eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series with re-seeding after the conference quarterfinals. The Conference Champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
The finals concluded on June 19 with the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
winning the Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
in the final series four games to three. Carolina goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
Cam Ward
Cam Ward
Cameron Kenneth Ward is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League . Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he was raised in Sherwood Park, Alberta...
was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...
as Most Valuable Player of the playoffs.
While the 2005–06 NHL season introduced a shootout to break ties after 5 minutes of 4-on-4 overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
, the Stanley Cup playoffs retained their traditional format of unlimited 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 sudden-death overtime
Overtime (ice hockey)
Overtime is a method of determining the winner and loser of an ice hockey match when the scores are tied after regulation. The two main methods are the overtime period and the shootout.-Overtime periods:...
to break ties.
The Western Conference made history in the first round when all four series were won by the lower-seeded teams (conversely, all four series in the Eastern Conference were won by the higher-seeded teams). The eighth and lowest seeded Edmonton Oilers proceeded to win the Western Conference and participate in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Playoff seeds
After the 2005–06 NHL season, a total of 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
were the Presidents' Trophy
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. If two teams tie for the most points, then the trophy goes to the team with the most wins. The winning team is also awarded C$350,000...
winners with the best record at 124 points (58 wins, 16 regulation losses, 8 overtime losses), while the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
won on the last day of the regular season to earn the Eastern Conference regular season crown.
Eastern Conference
- Ottawa SenatorsOttawa SenatorsThe Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
- Northeast DivisionNortheast Division (NHL)The NHL's Northeast Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Eastern Conference in a league realignment, the predecessor of which was the Adams Division...
and Eastern ConferenceEastern Conference (NHL)The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Western Conference....
regular season champions, 113 points - Carolina HurricanesCarolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
- Southeast DivisionSoutheast Division (NHL)The NHL's Southeast Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Eastern Conference due to expansion.The Southeast Division is the only one of the six divisions that does not have a precursor from the Wales/Campbell conference era ....
champions, 112 points - New Jersey DevilsNew Jersey DevilsThe New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
- Atlantic DivisionAtlantic Division (NHL)The NHL's Atlantic Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Eastern Conference in a league realignment, the predecessor of which was the Patrick Division. It is the only division in the NHL where all of its current members have won the Stanley Cup at least twice, though only three teams have won...
champions, 101 points (46 wins) - Buffalo SabresBuffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
- 110 points - Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
- 101 points (45 wins) - New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
- 100 points - Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
- 93 points - Tampa Bay LightningTampa Bay LightningThe Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
- 92 points
Western Conference
- Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
- Central DivisionCentral Division (NHL)The NHL's Central Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Western Conference in a league realignment, the predecessor of which was the Norris Division.The Central Division consists of the Western Conference's easternmost teams.-Current lineup:...
and Western ConferenceWestern Conference (NHL)The Western Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Eastern Conference....
regular season champions; Presidents' TrophyPresidents' TrophyThe Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. If two teams tie for the most points, then the trophy goes to the team with the most wins. The winning team is also awarded C$350,000...
winners, 124 points - Dallas StarsDallas StarsThe Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
- Pacific DivisionPacific Division (NHL)The National Hockey League's Pacific Division is one of three divisions that make up the Western Conference. It was formed in 1993 as part of a league realignment...
champions, 112 points - Calgary FlamesCalgary FlamesThe Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
- Northwest DivisionNorthwest Division (NHL)The NHL's Northwest Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Western Conference due to expansion. Like the Pacific Division, the Northwest Division is also a descendant of the former Smythe Division, as three of its Canadian teams played in that division from 1981–1993...
champions, 103 points - Nashville PredatorsNashville PredatorsThe Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
- 106 points - San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
- 99 points - Mighty Ducks of Anaheim - 98 points
- Colorado AvalancheColorado AvalancheThe Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
- 95 points (43 wins) - Edmonton OilersEdmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
- 95 points (41 wins)
Playoff bracket
(1) Ottawa Senators vs. (8) Tampa Bay Lightning
The Senators entered the 2006 playoffs with a new head coach and a new goaltender. Bryan Murray led the Sens to a successful season. The Lightning slipped into the playoffs this year, beating out the Maple Leafs and the Thrashers by only two points. The Senators history was marked by playoff collapses, mostly to the Maple Leafs. However, this series would be different.The defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning faced off against the Ottawa Senators, who held off Carolina to earn the Eastern Conference regular-season title on the final day of the regular season. The teams had never met before in the playoffs, but in four regular-season meetings, Ottawa had dominated, winning all four games in regulation.
In Game 1, Tampa Bay scored first, but in the third period, two quick powerplay
Powerplay
"Power play" is a sporting term used in various games.*In ice hockey, a team is said to be on a power play when at least one opposing player is serving a penalty, and the team has a numerical advantage on the ice...
goals by Martin Havlat
Martin Havlat
Martin Havlát is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
and Jason Spezza
Jason Spezza
Jason Anthony Rocco Spezza is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre, an alternate captain of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League...
, respectively, gave Ottawa the lead. Mike Fisher added a short-handed goal three minutes later, and the Senators went on to win, 4–1. In Game 2, the Senators held a 3–2 lead in the third period, but Dan Boyle tied the score, and 55 seconds later, Martin St. Louis
Martin St. Louis
Martin St. Louis is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
scored his second goal of the game. The Lightning won 4–3, evening the series.
Two days later, the series resumed in Tampa Bay for Game 3; the visiting Senators scored three goals in the first period. Havlat had two goals, giving him a total of four for the series thus far, as did Antoine Vermette
Antoine Vermette
Antoine Vermette is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, an alternate captain for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League .-QMJHL:...
. The Senators routed the Lightning, 8–4, in a game marked by the teams combining for 129 penalty minutes
Penalty (ice hockey)
A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...
. Tampa Bay's Pavel Kubina
Pavel Kubina
Pavel Kubina is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman, and is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning.-Playing career:Kubina started his professional career with HC Vítkovice of the Czech Extraliga...
earned a "Gordie Howe hat trick
Gordie Howe hat trick
In ice hockey, a Gordie Howe hat trick is a variation on the hat-trick, wherein a player scores a goal, records an assist, and gets in a fight all in one game. It is named after Gordie Howe, well known for his skill at both scoring and fighting....
", with a goal, an assist, and two misconduct penalties earned in a late fight. In Game 4, the Lightning took a 2–1 lead after the first period, but a trio of second-period goals gave the Senators a lead. Dany Heatley
Dany Heatley
Daniel James Heatley is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger, and alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 2002...
finished with a goal and two assists in the 5–2 win which put Ottawa on the verge of advancing.
In Game 5, back in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Martin Havlat continued his solid play, completing a series in which he scored in each game. He scored a power-play goal in the second period which gave Ottawa a 3–1 advantage. The Lightning closed the gap to 3–2, but could not get the tying goal. Havlat finished the series with 6 goals and 4 assists, while Heatley and Spezza each had 2 goals and 8 assists.
(2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (7) Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens had struggled throughout the beginning of the season, prompting GM Bob GaineyBob Gainey
Robert Michael "Le Capitaine" Gainey is the former executive vice president and general manager of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League . He is also a former professional ice hockey player who played for the Canadiens from 1973 until 1989...
to fire Coach Claude Julien
Claude Julien (ice hockey)
Claude Julien is Canadian professional ice hockey head coach of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League . He previously served as the head coach for the Montreal Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils...
. Gainey took over behind the bench and posted a 23–15–3 record.
Though the Carolina Hurricanes were disappointed to lose the race for the Eastern Conference regular-season crown to Ottawa, commentators believed they might have actually gained an advantage from that fault. They faced a seventh-seeded Montreal Canadiens team they had beaten each game in the regular season. Though the Canadiens had since traded goaltender Jose Theodore
José Théodore
José Théodore is a French Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
, Carolina's fast puck-possession game was expected to roll over the Habs easily.
However, with Carolina goaltender Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Växjö Lakers Hockey of the Elitserien...
battling a then-undisclosed stomach ailment, the Canadiens beat the Canes in Game 1 in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, 6–1, as Cristobal Huet
Cristobal Huet
Cristobal Huet is a French professional ice hockey goaltender playing for Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss National League A, on loan from the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. He developed his goaltending skills in Grenoble with Les Brûleurs de Loups. He has also played with the...
continued his late-season hot streak. After three quick Montreal goals early in Game 2, Carolina coach Peter Laviolette
Peter Laviolette
Peter Laviolette Jr. is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman and is the current head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League...
made what would prove to be a fateful decision, switching in 22-year-old rookie backup Cam Ward
Cam Ward
Cameron Kenneth Ward is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League . Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he was raised in Sherwood Park, Alberta...
for Gerber. Though Ward yielded a regained Carolina lead in that game and which they lost 6–5 in the second overtime, Laviolette stuck with him going into Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
even with Habs fans waving brooms, signifying a possible sweep
Sweep
-Cleaning :* Chimney sweep* Street sweeper* Swept quartz, a cleaning of quartz crystal from alkali metal ions-Sports: * Sweep * Sweep , winning a five game series 3 games to none, or winning a seven game series 4 games to none; typically fans bring brooms to ballparks or ball courts in the final...
.
Carolina won 2–1 in overtime in Game 3, with Eric Staal
Eric Staal
Eric Craig Staal is a Canadian ice hockey player and the captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League...
scoring the game winner. The Canadiens were on their way to a game 3 victory before Hurricanes' player Justin Williams
Justin Williams
Justin Williams is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
dove behind Canadiens captain Saku Koivu
Saku Koivu
Saku Antero Koivu is a Finnish professional ice hockey player and an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga...
as both players lunged for a puck in the Carolina slot. Williams struck Koivu's eye with a high-stick, even though Koivu was wearing a visor. Koivu's series was over, and Williams went unpenalized by the referees.
The final two games were tight-checking
Checking (ice hockey)
Checking in ice hockey is any one of a number of defensive techniques. It is usually not a penalty.- Types :There are various types of checking:...
games, but Montreal had lost the mental advantage gained over two wins in Raleigh and were missing their best skater Saku Koivu
Saku Koivu
Saku Antero Koivu is a Finnish professional ice hockey player and an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga...
while Justin Williams
Justin Williams
Justin Williams is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
was not suspended for his high-sticking infraction; the Canes took Game 5 in front of their home fans, 2–1, then returned to Montreal to close the series, 2–1, on a long, fluttering, tipped shot by Cory Stillman
Cory Stillman
Cory Stillman is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player.- Playing career :Stillman grew up in Peterborough, Ontario playing hockey for the Minor Petes program. He also played competitive baseball. In 1989–90, Stillman played for the Peterborough Roadrunners Jr.B...
over Huet's left shoulder at 1:19 of overtime.
(3) New Jersey Devils vs. (6) New York Rangers
The Devils posted a 14–13–5 record in November when General Manager Lou Lamoriello took over as coach from the ailing Larry Robinson. The team turned their season around under Lou and made the playoffs. The Atlantic Division title came down to the final day of the regular season. The DevilsNew Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
came from behind to defeat the Montreal Canadiens for their eleventh straight win, while the Rangers lost to the Ottawa Senators for their fifth straight loss. These results capped off a record-breaking comeback, as the Devils, who had trailed the division-leading Flyers by 19 points in January, clinched the division title and the third seed in the playoffs. The Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, on the other hand, slipped to the sixth seed but still qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
The Devils and Rangers were meeting in the playoffs for the fourth time in their respective histories, with the Rangers having won all three past meetings.
The Devils jumped out to a quick lead, winning Game 1, 6–1, behind five power-play goals, and Patrik Elias
Patrik Elias
Patrik Eliáš is a Czech professional hockey left winger and alternate captain for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League . A long-time Devil and currently the team's longest-tenured skater, Eliáš is the franchise's all-time leading scorer, while also holding franchise records for most...
's two goals and four assists, while Rangers star Jaromir Jagr
Jaromir Jagr
Jaromír Jágr is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . Jágr formerly played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers, serving as captain of the Penguins and the Rangers...
left the game with an arm injury late in the third period. This injury kept Jagr out of Game 2, which the Devils won, 4–1, led by John Madden's hat trick, including two short-handed goals, making Madden the first player since Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
to score two shorthanded goals in the same playoff game. In Game 3, Jamie Langenbrunner
Jamie Langenbrunner
James Craig Langenbrunner is an American professional ice hockey player. He's an alternate captain of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League . He was the captain of the 2010 United States Olympic Team...
scored 68 seconds into the game, and Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur
Martin Pierre Brodeur is a French-Canadian ice hockey goaltender who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the New Jersey Devils. In his 19-year tenure with the Devils, he has won three Stanley Cup championships and has been in the playoffs every year but two...
earned his 21st career playoff shutout, with 25 saves, as the Devils won 3–0. Jagr's injury woes continued in Game 4, as he was knocked out with a hit in the first minute of the game. Despite this, the Rangers took their only lead of the series on Jed Ortmeyer
Jed Ortmeyer
Jed Ortmeyer is an American professional ice hockey right winger who is currently playing with the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League...
's goal late in the first period. But New Jersey responded with two goals in each of the second and third periods, including two by Elias, giving him five for the series. They won, 4–2, eliminating their rivals and advancing to the Conference Semifinals.
(4) Buffalo Sabres vs. (5) Philadelphia Flyers
The Sabres earned a playoff spot for the first time since 2001. In a repeat of the result of their 2001 playoff series, right down to the blowout victory in the deciding game, the Buffalo Sabres eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.Game 1 went to Buffalo, 3–2, as co-captain Danny Briere
Daniel Brière
Daniel "Danny" Brière is a French Canadian professional ice hockey centre and an alternate captain for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . He has previously played with the Phoenix Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres...
ended the game with a double-overtime goal on his team-record 14th shot of the playoff game. Game 1 was also notable for a monstrous hit laid upon Philadelphia's R. J. Umberger
R. J. Umberger
Richard Allen "R. J." Umberger, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey center and an alternate captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
by Buffalo's Brian Campbell
Brian Campbell
Brian Wesley Campbell is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
during the first overtime period. Philadelphia goaltender Robert Esche
Robert Esche
Robert L. Esche is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for SCL Tigers of National League A.-Playing career:...
was outstanding, turning aside 55 Buffalo shots before finally allowing the game-winner.
The Flyers, looking for revenge from Game 1, took 17 penalties in Game 2, including 3 misconducts and a 5-minute major for checking from behind. Unfortunately for the Flyers, those penalties resulted in eleven Buffalo power plays. The Sabres scored three power-play goals, rolling to an 8–2 victory. Jean-Pierre Dumont
Jean-Pierre Dumont
Jean-Pierre "J. P." Dumont is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He currently plays for SC Bern in the National League A.-Amateur career:Dumont played four seasons for Val-d'Or Foreurs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...
and rookie Jason Pominville
Jason Pominville
Jason John Pominville is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey right winger and the captain of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
each recorded hat tricks for Buffalo.
The series then shifted to Philadelphia, and the Flyers were able to even it up with wins in Games 3 and 4. Peter Forsberg
Peter Forsberg
Peter Mattias "Foppa" Forsberg is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player and currently an assistant general manager of Modo Sports. Known for his on-ice vision and physical play, Forsberg is considered one of the most complete players of his generation...
scored two second-period goals in Game 3 to break a 1–1 tie. The Flyers went on to win the game, 4–2. In Game 4, the Sabres had an early 2–0 lead. Forsberg once again scored two goals, including an empty netter with 49 seconds remaining. The empty-netter proved to be the game-winner, as Buffalo's Mike Grier
Mike Grier
Michael James Grier is a retired professional ice hockey winger who most recently played for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League . He has also played professionally for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, and San Jose Sharks...
scored with 19 seconds left in the game to make the final score 5–4 in favor of the Flyers.
Home-ice advantage
Home team
In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...
continued to be key as the Sabres returned to the HSBC Arena for Game 5 and scored a 3–0 victory. Sabre goaltender Ryan Miller made 24 saves to earn his first career playoff shutout. In Game 6, home-ice advantage was finally broken as the Sabres jumped to a 3–0 lead by the end of the first period in the Wachovia Center. Six different Sabres scored as they finished off the Flyers with a resounding 7–1 victory.
The Flyers game 6 defeat seemed to continue into the next season as they would start 1–6–1 resulting in Ken Hitchcocks firing.
(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) Edmonton Oilers
Craig Mactavish's Oilers made the playoffs for the first time since the 2002–2003 season. It came down to the final week to determine who would be in, and it turned out to be the Oilers who sneaked in ahead of the Canucks.After Red Wings winger Kirk Maltby
Kirk Maltby
Kirk Maltby is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings.-Playing career:...
scored two goals including the winner in double overtime in Game 1, the Oilers were able to respond by winning Game 2, 4–2. The series moved to Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
tied 1–1. Jarret Stoll
Jarret Stoll
Jarret Stoll is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
provided the game-winner in double overtime in Game 3, giving the Oilers a 2–1 series lead after the Red Wings had appeared to score in the first overtime, but had the goal waved off. The Red Wings responded with a Game 4 4–2 victory to tie the series.
Back in Detroit, the Oilers jumped out to a 3–0 lead in the second period of Game 5. Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Frederick "Shanny" Shanahan is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently serves as the National Hockey League's Vice President of Hockey and Business Development and head disciplinarian. Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils second overall in the 1987 NHL Entry...
closed the gap to 3–1, and Henrik Zetterberg
Henrik Zetterberg
Henrik “Zäta" Zetterberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey center and alternate captain currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
added his fifth goal of the series to pull Detroit within one, but Edmonton held on to take a 3–2 series lead. Returning to Edmonton, the Oilers found themselves trailing 2–0 after two periods. Fernando Pisani
Fernando Pisani
Fernando Antonio Pisani is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who is currently a free agent.-Playing career:...
tied the game with two goals, his fourth and fifth of the series, before Detroit reclaimed the lead. With 3:53 to play, Ales Hemsky
Ales Hemsky
Aleš Hemský is a Czech professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League .-HC Pardubice:...
tied the game on a controversial power-play goal which was reviewed for several minutes, questioning whether it was kicked into the goal. The goal was counted after it was determined that no kicking motion was made. Hemsky subsequently provided the game-winning goal with 1:06 left in the third period.
(2) Dallas Stars vs. (7) Colorado Avalanche
The first upset of the 2006 playoffs came in this series when the seventh-seeded Avalanche defeated the second-seeded Stars in five games. The Stars had won three of the teams' four regular-season meetings, although two of those wins were in overtime.In Game 1, the Stars came out quickly, going up 2–0 on goals by Brenden Morrow
Brenden Morrow
Brenden Morrow is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League . Morrow played junior hockey in the Western Hockey League for the Portland Winter Hawks. During his junior career, he helped Portland win the Memorial Cup during the...
and Bill Guerin
Bill Guerin
William Robert Guerin is an American former professional ice hockey player and current player development coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Guerin played eighteen seasons in the National Hockey League winning two Stanley Cup championships with the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins teams...
, but five different Colorado players scored, allowing the Avalanche to claim a 5–2 win. Colorado continued its momentum with three first-period goals to open Game 2, but Dallas responded with four goals in the second period, including two goals by Jere Lehtinen
Jere Lehtinen
Jere Kalervo Lehtinen is a former Finnish professional ice hockey forward. He played as a right wing. He was drafted 88th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota North Stars. Lehtinen handles defensive aspects of the game as well as offensive, hence he is a two-way forward for which...
and a goal in the closing seconds by Mike Modano
Mike Modano
Michael Thomas Modano, Jr. is a retired American professional ice hockey player, who most notably played for the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise. He is the all-time goal-scoring and points leader amongst American-born players in the NHL, as well as the last active player in the NHL...
. Brett Clark tied the game with a short-handed goal with 2:04 to play in regulation. Four minutes into overtime, Jason Arnott
Jason Arnott
Jason William Arnott is a professional ice hockey centre for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League. He began his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers in 1993–94 after being selected seventh overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team...
got a shot past Colorado goalie Jose Theodore
José Théodore
José Théodore is a French Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
but it hit the post. The Avs quickly counter-attacked, and Joe Sakic
Joe Sakic
Joseph Steven "Joe" Sakic is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player and current hockey executive. He played his entire National Hockey League career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. In his 20-year tenure, Sakic won the Stanley Cup twice, captured numerous NHL...
scored his NHL-record seventh career overtime goal to end the game.
Returning to Denver with a 2–0 series lead, Sakic scored the first goal of Game 3. Stu Barnes
Stu Barnes
Stuart Barnes is an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League . He played 16 seasons at centre in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and Dallas Stars....
tied the game with a short-handed goal, but Colorado led, 2–1, after one period. Dallas took a 3–2 lead in the second period, but Andrew Brunette
Andrew Brunette
Andrew Brunette is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Brunette grew up in the small community of Valley East, Ontario just outside of Sudbury...
scored with 57 seconds remaining in the third period to tie the game, and Alex Tanguay
Alex Tanguay
Alexandre Tanguay is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently with the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He has additionally played with the Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL and briefly for HC Lugano in the Swiss National League A in...
tallied his second goal of the game at 1:09 of the first overtime to give the Avalanche a 4–3 win and a 3–0 series lead. Dallas staved off elimination in Game 4 as Niklas Hagman
Niklas Hagman
Niklas Hagman is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . He was a third round pick of the Florida Panthers, 70th overall, at the 1999 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut with Florida in 2001...
scored two goals in a 4–1 win.
However, the Avalanche denied the Stars a chance at a continued comeback by winning Game 5 to clinch the series. Joe Sakic scored with just two seconds to play in the second period to give his team a 2–1 lead. The Stars tied it in the third period, but Sergei Zubov
Sergei Zubov
Sergei Alexandrovich Zubov is a former Russian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Dallas Stars, New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League as well as SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League...
's attempted game-winner late in the period glanced off the goal post. After nearly 14 minutes of overtime, Andrew Brunette scored to finish the game and the series.
(3) Calgary Flames vs. (6) Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
The entire series was a back-and-forth affair with the teams trading victories throughout the first six games. Game 1 saw an overtime win thanks to Darren McCartyDarren McCarty
Darren McCarty is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward, best known for his years playing with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
to gain the upper hand, but the Ducks responded back to tie the series. Game 3 was a blowout on the Flames part when Giguere seemed to open the floodgates in the third period. In Game 4, the Ducks jumped ahead 2–0 in the first period and managed to hold a lead for two periods, but two quick goals by Iginla would tie it. It would end on a slap shot from Duck defenceman Sean O'Donnell in overtime shortly after a power play expired.
In Game 5, Giguere played poorly, allowing three consecutive goals, so coach Randy Carlyle
Randy Carlyle
Randolph Robert Carlyle is a former ice hockey defenceman and formely the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks. He was raised in Azilda, just northwest of Sudbury, Ontario.-Career:...
boldly put in backup goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov
Ilya Bryzgalov
Ilya Nikolayevich Bryzgalov is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League after being acquired by the team on June 7, 2011. He was selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 44th overall, by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.In...
. Bryzgalov, despite not allowing any goals causing the momentum seemingly to shift late in Game 5, the Flames jumped ahead for the third time. Bryzgalov actually started Game 1 because of an injury to Jean-Sebastien Giguere
Jean-Sébastien Giguère
Jean-Sébastien Giguère is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League . He played major junior with the Verdun Collège Français and Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League , where he was drafted 13th...
, who played extremely well despite losing, 2–1 in overtime. When Giguere proved ineffective through the next four games, Bryzgalov returned to the net. Game 6 saw the Flames jump ahead in the first period thanks to Stephane Yelle
Stephane Yelle
Stéphane Yelle is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre. He won two Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche, and also played in the National Hockey League with the Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes....
, but Selanne tied the game, and Niedermayer scored a short handed goal from a deflection off of the Flames goalie to tie the series once again. The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim ended the Calgary Flames' season by winning a decisive Game 7, 3–0, behind the stellar play of Bryzgalov.
(4) Nashville Predators vs. (5) San Jose Sharks
The 4–5 matchup in the West pitted the Nashville Predators against the San Jose Sharks, the first playoff meeting between the two teams. Nashville had dominated much of the season on their way to the fourth seed in the conference, while San Jose rallied back from an early-season slump all the way to the fifth seed, thanks to a November trade for Joe ThorntonJoe Thornton
Joseph Eric Thornton is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League . He was selected first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play seven seasons with the club, five as its Captain. During the...
from the Boston Bruins that resulted in Thornton winning the Art Ross Trophy
Art Ross Trophy
The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
for leading the league in scoring. Linemate Jonathan Cheechoo
Jonathan Cheechoo
Jonathan Earl Cheechoo is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League. During the 2005–06 National Hockey League season, he led the NHL with 56 goals and won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy...
won the Rocket Richard Trophy for leading the NHL in goals. The teams split their regular season series, with both of San Jose's wins coming in overtime.
Both teams came into the series with alternate goaltenders. After Sharks starter Evgeni Nabokov
Evgeni Nabokov
Evgeni Viktorovich Nabokov is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender who is playing for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League .Nabokov was selected by San Jose in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft...
stumbled through most of the regular season, backup Vesa Toskala
Vesa Toskala
Vesa Tapani Toskala is a professional ice hockey goaltender, currently playing for Ilves.-Early career:Toskala was selected by San Jose in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft . The Sharks also took fellow Finn Miikka Kiprusoff in the fifth round...
earned the spot as playoff starter with his impressive play during San Jose's stretch run to clinch a playoff spot. Nashville's star goaltender Tomas Vokoun
Tomas Vokoun
Tomáš Vokoun is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
would be diagnosed with a blood disorder in early April that kept him sidelined for the rest of the season, forcing backup Chris Mason to become Nashville's goaltender for the playoffs.
The Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
won the first game at home, 4–3, with four power-play goals, three of them coming in the first period. In Game 2, San Jose scored three first-period power play goals from Patrick Marleau
Patrick Marleau
Patrick Denis Marleau is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. He serves as the alternate captain for the Sharks during home games...
, Jonathan Cheechoo and Mark Smith. Toskala earned a shutout on the Sharks in a 3–0 victory.
The series went to San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
for Games 3 and 4, but the Predators' tendency for penalties continued to be taken advantage of by the Sharks. In Game 3, a short-handed goal by Kimmo Timonen
Kimmo Timonen
Kimmo Timonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenseman and an alternate captain for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
gave the Predators an early lead, but San Jose bounced back with four unanswered goals, two of them by Marleau and one on the power play by Steve Bernier
Steve Bernier
Steve Bernier is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger with the Albany Devils of the American Hockey League...
, en route to a 4–1 San Jose victory. In Game 4, Marleau scored a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
, with two of his goals coming on the power play (and another by Smith scored right after another Nashville penalty expired). San Jose won the game, 5–4, as the series changed back to Nashville for Game 5. Unfortunately for Nashville, a Paul Kariya
Paul Kariya
Paul Tetsuhiko Kariya is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey winger who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League . Known as a skilled and fast-skating offensive player, he played in the NHL for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and St...
goal was not enough to combat power-play goals by Marleau and Bernier in a 2–1 victory for San Jose in Game 5, giving the Sharks the series.
(1) Ottawa Senators vs. (4) Buffalo Sabres
In a battle of the top two teams from the Northeast Division in 2006, the Ottawa Senators and the Buffalo Sabres squared off in this series. The Senators won five of the eight meetings between the teams in the regular season, including several lopsided results early in the season.Game 1 of the series was a back-and-forth affair, with the Sabres tying the game five separate times - including a goal by Tim Connolly with just 10.7 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 6 - before winning just 18 seconds into overtime on a goal by Chris Drury.
The remainder of the series was tightly played defensively, though. Goaltending by both Buffalo's Ryan Miller and Ottawa's Ray Emery
Ray Emery
Ray Emery , often nicknamed Razor or Sugar Ray, is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender, currently with the Chicago Blackhawks. He formerly played for the Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and Atlant Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey...
became the key to the series. A 2–1 victory by the Sabres in Game 2 was highlighted by 43 Miller saves - including one on a breakaway by Jason Spezza - which allowed Buffalo to take a 2–0 series lead home.
Game 3 went to overtime and was won once again by the Sabres on a shot by Jean-Pierre Dumont. In Game 4 Sabre fans were prepared for a sweep, but were disappointed when the Senators were able to stave off elimination with a 2–1 victory.
Ottawa returned home for Game 5 with hopes of pulling even closer. The game went to overtime but ended quickly as Jason Pominville scored a shorthanded goal just 2:26 in to end the Senators' season. There had been six short-handed overtime goals in Stanley Cup Playoff history up to this point, but this was the first one to ever end a series. This put the Sabres into the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in the past eight seasons.
(2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (3) New Jersey Devils
The Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils, both division champions, met in the Conference Semifinals. The teams had met twice before in the playoffs: In 2001, the top-seeded Devils dispatched the Hurricanes in six games in the first round; Carolina won the following year as the third seed (the Hurricanes had an inferior record but held home advantage as a division champion). In the 2005–06 season, the Hurricanes won both games in 2005, while the Devils won both games in 2006, the last towards the beginning of their 15-game winning streak.Game 1 of the series, in Carolina, featured sloppy play by the Devils. Ray Whitney scored a power-play goal in the first period and added another in the second period. Frustration set in for New Jersey as the Hurricanes scored two quick power-play goals late in the second, and then two more power-play goals midway through the third period, leading to Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur
Martin Pierre Brodeur is a French-Canadian ice hockey goaltender who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the New Jersey Devils. In his 19-year tenure with the Devils, he has won three Stanley Cup championships and has been in the playoffs every year but two...
, on his birthday, being pulled from his position, as Devils' goalie in favor of Scott Clemmensen
Scott Clemmensen
Scott Lee Clemmensen is an American professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently playing with the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League .-Playing career:...
. The game went to Carolina, 6–0.
Game 2, also in Carolina, was a much cleaner and low-scoring affair than the first game. After Zach Parise
Zach Parise
Zachary Justin Parise is an American professional ice hockey left winger of French-Canadian origin and captain of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League . Parise's father, J. P...
pushed the Devils ahead 2–1 with twenty seconds to go in the third period, Eric Staal
Eric Staal
Eric Craig Staal is a Canadian ice hockey player and the captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League...
scored a game-tying goal with just three seconds left to send the game into overtime. Niclas Wallin
Niclas Wallin
Niclas Wallin is a Swedish professional ice hockey player currently playing for Luleå of the Swedish Elitserien .-Playing career:...
tallied the game-winner 3:09 into overtime. Back in New Jersey for Game 3, the Devils lost another 3–2 game, with Carolina's Rod Brind'Amour scoring the game-winner with 1:01 to play in the second period. The third period featured stellar play from goalies Cam Ward of Carolina and Martin Brodeur of New Jersey.
New Jersey jumped out to a 5–0 lead and won Game 4 with a final score of 5–1, including two goals by Scott Gomez and Jay Pandolfo
Jay Pandolfo
Jay Paul Pandolfo is an American professional ice hockey forward currently a member of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League.He spent most of his career with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League...
's first goal of the postseason. Goalie Cam Ward of Carolina was pulled after the fourth goal for Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Växjö Lakers Hockey of the Elitserien...
, the man that he displaced behind the goal in Game 3 of Carolina's first-round series with Montreal.
Ward returned a day later back in Carolina in Game 5, and it looked like he might have a similarly short outing after Brian Gionta
Brian Gionta
Brian Joseph Gionta is an American professional ice hockey player and captain of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League , and is the second American-born captain of the Canadiens and its first sole American-born captain...
tallied in the game's first minute. However, Ward and the Carolina defense clamped down on the Devils attack as the Hurricanes killed off five straight New Jersey penalties. Hurricanes defenceman Frantisek Kaberle
František Kaberle
František "Frank" Kaberle is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for HC Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga. During the 2005–06 season, he won his first Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. He has previously played for Modo Hockey, the Los Angeles Kings, the Atlanta...
also added a goal to tie the score at 1. When the Hurricanes received their first power-play over halfway into the game, Carolina rushed up ice, with Brind'Amour and Justin Williams
Justin Williams
Justin Williams is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
passing to an open Cory Stillman
Cory Stillman
Cory Stillman is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player.- Playing career :Stillman grew up in Peterborough, Ontario playing hockey for the Minor Petes program. He also played competitive baseball. In 1989–90, Stillman played for the Peterborough Roadrunners Jr.B...
who beat Brodeur. Whitney and Staal added late goals to make the final game and series totals 4–1 in favor of the Hurricanes.
(5) San Jose Sharks vs. (8) Edmonton Oilers
Game 1 was a muddled, penalty-filled battle. Edmonton took a first-period lead off a Jaroslav SpacekJaroslav Spacek
Jaroslav Spacek is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
power-play goal. Patrick Marleau
Patrick Marleau
Patrick Denis Marleau is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. He serves as the alternate captain for the Sharks during home games...
scored one goal (raising his playoff-leading total to eight) and assisted on another, leading the Sharks to a 2–1 win. Game 2 was also a 2–1 San Jose victory, with Joe Thornton
Joe Thornton
Joseph Eric Thornton is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League . He was selected first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play seven seasons with the club, five as its Captain. During the...
scoring the game-winning goal on a power play in the second period.
The site changed to Edmonton for Game 3, and the Sharks and Oilers engaged in a triple-overtime match before Edmonton's Shawn Horcoff
Shawn Horcoff
Shawn Horcoff is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League . He was selected in the fourth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, 99th overall, by the Oilers, the team with which he has spent his entire NHL career...
finally ended the game with a goal giving the Oilers a 3–2 win. Edmonton came back from an early 3–1 deficit in Game 4 and scored five unanswered goals late in the game - including three in the final period to force goalie Vesa Toskala
Vesa Toskala
Vesa Tapani Toskala is a professional ice hockey goaltender, currently playing for Ilves.-Early career:Toskala was selected by San Jose in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft . The Sharks also took fellow Finn Miikka Kiprusoff in the fifth round...
from the game - to win, 6–3, and to even the series, 2–2.
In San Jose, Game 5 was the first time that a road team won a game in the series, the result being a 6–3 Edmonton victory. The teams entered the third period with Edmonton up 2–1, having killed off six penalties in the first and second periods. Twelve seconds into the period, Shawn Horcoff of the Oilers managed to put in a short-handed goal past Vesa Toskala making the score 3–1. Shortly after, the Sharks scored their first power-play goal in three games with Christian Ehrhoff
Christian Ehrhoff
Christian Ehrhoff is a German professional ice hockey defenceman who plays for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League...
scoring 44 seconds into the period. Less than two minutes later, Jonathan Cheechoo
Jonathan Cheechoo
Jonathan Earl Cheechoo is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League. During the 2005–06 National Hockey League season, he led the NHL with 56 goals and won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy...
scored another goal to tie the game, 3–3. However, the Oilers answered back with Fernando Pisani
Fernando Pisani
Fernando Antonio Pisani is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who is currently a free agent.-Playing career:...
scoring his second goal of the game. The Sharks took six penalties in the third period, which proved very costly. Jarret Stoll
Jarret Stoll
Jarret Stoll is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
quickly capitalized on a Cheechoo interference call and then Ryan Smyth
Ryan Smyth
Ryan Alexander Gordon Smyth is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League...
scored later in the period, sealing the game.
The two teams headed back to Edmonton for Game 6, where the Oilers took the game, 2–0, with the game-winning goal from Michael Peca
Michael Peca
Michael Anthony "Mike" Peca is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward in the National Hockey League . He most recently played for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL. He has also played for the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple...
, to win the series, 4–2.
(6) Mighty Ducks of Anaheim vs. (7) Colorado Avalanche
The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim advanced to play the Colorado Avalanche in the second round. The Avalanche went 3–1 against Anaheim in the regular season, though all four games were decided by a single goal, and Anaheim's win was in overtime. The series was the first playoff series between the teams.Game 1 started slow with no goals in the first period, but Samuel Pahlsson
Samuel Påhlsson
Samuel Påhlsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the National Hockey League .-Professional:...
gave Anaheim the lead early in the second period. Two goals in the last minute of the period gave Anaheim a 4–0 advantage that extended to 5–0 by game's end, as rookie Ilya Bryzgalov recorded his second straight shutout.
In Game 2, Bryzgalov became the first goalie since his teammate, Jean-Sebastien Giguere
Jean-Sébastien Giguère
Jean-Sébastien Giguère is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League . He played major junior with the Verdun Collège Français and Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League , where he was drafted 13th...
, to record three straight playoff shutouts as the Ducks won, 3–0. Bryzgalov joins Frank McCool
Frank McCool
Francis McCool was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League. He was born in Calgary, Alberta.-Playing career:...
as the only rookie to accomplish such a feat, which was tested late when the Avalanche pulled goalie Jose Theodore
José Théodore
José Théodore is a French Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
in a desperate attempt to score. Stretching back to midway through the first period of Game 6 of the previous series, the Ducks had not been scored upon in 229:42, giving Bryzgalov the fourth longest playoff shutout streak in NHL history.
In Game 3, Dan Hinote
Dan Hinote
Daniel Chester Hinote is a former professional ice hockey player and current assistant coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. He finished his playing career playing for Modo Hockey of the Swedish Elitserien...
scored late in the first period for the Avs, setting Bryzgalov's shutout streak at second all-time, with just under 250 minutes. Joffrey Lupul
Joffrey Lupul
Joffrey Douglas Sheldon Lupul is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
brought the Ducks back even in the second, but a Jim Dowd score gave the Avs another lead. Two more from Lupul, his first career hat trick, put the Ducks in a 3–2 lead late, but a Rob Blake
Rob Blake
Robert Bowlby Blake is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, appearing in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and serving as team captain for five seasons in his initial 11 season-stint with...
follow-up goal from a heavy Alex Tanguay
Alex Tanguay
Alexandre Tanguay is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently with the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He has additionally played with the Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL and briefly for HC Lugano in the Swiss National League A in...
shot tied the score. At 16:30 of overtime, Joffrey Lupul scored his fourth goal of the night to put the Ducks at a 3–0 series lead. A newspaper in Edmonton reported the final score as Lupul 4, Avs 3. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Jones/2006/05/19/1588257-sun.html
In the fourth game, the Avs lost 4–1, in Colorado. Joe Sakic
Joe Sakic
Joseph Steven "Joe" Sakic is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player and current hockey executive. He played his entire National Hockey League career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. In his 20-year tenure, Sakic won the Stanley Cup twice, captured numerous NHL...
scored the only goal for the Avs early in the first period. The Ducks equalized late in the first period via a Todd Marchant
Todd Marchant
Todd Marchant is a retired American professional ice hockey player who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League . He played nine seasons with the Edmonton Oilers and almost six seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, along with just over a season with the Columbus Blue Jackets and a game with the...
goal. Bryzgalov did not allow the puck past him in the next two periods, with Teemu Selanne
Teemu Selänne
Teemu Ilmari Selänne nicknamed "The Finnish Flash" is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger, an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . An offensive player known for his skill and speed, Selanne has led the NHL in goal-scoring three times and has been named to...
scoring the winning goal early in the second period. Also, Dustin Penner
Dustin Penner
Dustin Penner is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . Penner was never drafted by a team in the NHL. He was discovered and signed as a free agent by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim after playing college hockey for the...
scoring in the sixth minute of the third period, and Marchant scored his second goal of the game late in the third period to secure Anaheim's berth in the Western Conference Finals.
(2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (4) Buffalo Sabres
The Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres began the series labeled as "mirror images" of each other. Both teams were expected to do little in the pre-seasonSeason (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
, largely because of a lack of major moves in free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in the off-season attributed to both teams' small-market status. Yet, both teams succeeded, thanks to a successful adjustment to the new, up-tempo game played in the NHL. The two teams were separated by just two points in the regular season, and both finished with 52 wins (Carolina had more points by virtue of taking two more games to overtime than Buffalo did). In their post-season runs, both teams had won their first-round series 4–2 and their second-round series 4–1. Both teams' post-season success had been credited to team defense, offensive scoring depth and the outstanding play of a rookie goaltender: Ryan Miller for the Sabres, and Cam Ward for the Hurricanes.
Thus, something had to give when the two teams first took the ice for the first game, on May 20 in Raleigh. One theme that held true early was Buffalo's propensity for scoring first, as defenceman Henrik Tallinder
Henrik Tallinder
Henrik Tallinder is a professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League.- Playing career :...
finished off a barrage on Ward by beating the rookie goaltender three minutes into the period. Rod Brind'Amour scored to tie the first period at 1–1. Buffalo responded in the second period, outshooting Carolina, 13–4, and getting a goal from co-captain Danny Briere in transition. Carolina applied plenty of pressure in the third period, but the Sabres took advantage of a failed power-play when Jay McKee
Jay McKee
Jay McKee is an ice hockey defenceman who is currently serving as an assistant coach for the Rochester Americans. He last played for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, and was previously with the Buffalo Sabres and the St. Louis Blues...
emerged from the penalty box
Penalty box
The penalty box is the area in ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union and some other sports where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offense not severe enough to merit outright expulsion from the contest...
to beat Ward for another Buffalo score. Mike Commodore
Mike Commodore
Michael Commodore is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
cut the deficit to 3–2 with a shorthanded goal with three minutes left in the game, but the Sabres won with no more goals scored.
Urged on by a raucous RBC Center crowd, the Hurricanes played well in the first period of game two, which was climaxed by a Frantisek Kaberle
František Kaberle
František "Frank" Kaberle is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for HC Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga. During the 2005–06 season, he won his first Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. He has previously played for Modo Hockey, the Los Angeles Kings, the Atlanta...
power-play goal. However, Buffalo evened the game 48 seconds from intermission. Perhaps as a result of the tie score, the Hurricanes dominated Buffalo in the second period, outshooting the Sabres, 16–4, and picking up two goals from veteran forward Ray Whitney. A near Buffalo goal, saved going in the net by defenceman Glen Wesley
Glen Wesley
Glen Edwin Wesley is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played 10 seasons for the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He began his career with the Boston Bruins, and briefly played for the Toronto Maple Leafs...
, and a Justin Williams
Justin Williams
Justin Williams is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
goal in the third period both seemed meaningless at the time, but two late Buffalo goals (by Chris Drury
Chris Drury
Christopher Drury is an American retired professional ice hockey player. Drury is a Hobey Baker Award-winner with Boston University, a Calder Trophy winner with the Colorado Avalanche, a Stanley Cup champion with the Avalanche, a two-time Olympic silver medalist with the United States, and a...
and Derek Roy
Derek Roy
Derek Roy is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre, an alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League .-Junior career:...
) made them quite important. The 4–3 Hurricanes win was not without controversy; Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette
Peter Laviolette
Peter Laviolette Jr. is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman and is the current head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League...
accused the Sabres of diving in order to draw four penalty calls against Carolina in the third period. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff
Lindy Ruff
Lindy Cameron Ruff is the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. Ruff played in the NHL for the Sabres and New York Rangers as a left winger/defenceman. Currently, he is the longest-tenured head coach in the NHL.-Playing career:Ruff was chosen in the second round, 32nd...
replied that the Sabres were just following Carolina's example.
Game three was similar, except this time the two teams were reversed. Buffalo had the better of the play in the first period but the game was tied at one when Chris Drury deflected a shot past Ward. In this second period, Buffalo dominated, unleashing a barrage on Ward that yielded three goals: two Briere and one for Ales Kotalik
Aleš Kotalík
Aleš Kotalík is a professional ice hockey right winger playing for HC Mountfield České Budějovice of the Czech Extraliga.-Playing career:...
. After the Kotalik goal, Ward was pulled in favor of Martin Gerber. Gerber made two saves on break-aways, giving Carolina momentum. The Hurricanes responded with goals from Cory Stillman and Eric Staal, extending Staal's point streak to 13 games. The Sabres emerged with a 2–1 series lead but lost Tallinder, one of their top defensemen, to a broken arm.
Game four provided the series' first large margin of victory for either side. The game went Carolina's way, as the Hurricanes emerged with a 4–0 shutout win. Much of the pre-game conjecture centered around who Laviolette would turn select for goaltender. In the end, the call went to the veteran Gerber, and the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
native responded. Gerber kept the score deadlocked before Mark Recchi
Mark Recchi
Mark Louis Recchi is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 22 years in the National Hockey League , most notably for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens...
and Staal scored to give the Hurricanes a 2–0 first-period lead. In the second period, Andrew Ladd
Andrew Ladd
Andrew Ladd is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger and captain of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League . He was originally drafted in 2004 by the Carolina Hurricanes and won the Stanley Cup with them in 2006...
and Bret Hedican
Bret Hedican
Bret Michael Hedican is a retired American professional ice hockey player and a two-time US Olympian.-Playing career:Hedican was drafted 198th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. A product of St. Cloud State University, Hedican made his NHL debut in the 1991–92 season with...
added their first goals of the post-season.
In the fifth game, Gerber started in net for the Hurricanes, but he did not play well. Drury scored his ninth of the post-season to open the scoring and, after a Williams goal 17 seconds later tied the score, Derek Roy
Derek Roy
Derek Roy is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre, an alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League .-Junior career:...
scored on Gerber to give the Sabres a 2–1 lead at the first intermission. Two minutes into the second period, Toni Lydman
Toni Lydman
Toni Lydman is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman with the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League. He has previously played for the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Tappara , and HIFK . He lives with his wife Heta and his two daughters, Amanda and Ellen...
scored, giving Buffalo a 3–1 lead. Laviolette once more made a mid-game switch, this time turning back to Ward. Within 10 minutes, the Hurricanes had evened the score thanks to a goal from Recchi and then a power play goal off the crossbar from Brind'Amour. The Hurricanes registered only one shot on goal
Shot on goal
In ice hockey, a shot on goal is a shot that will enter the goal if it is not stopped by the goaltender. A shot on goal must result in either a goal or a save....
in the entire third period. The game went to overtime for the first time in the series. In overtime, Stillman recovered a shot that went wide off the boards and beat Miller low to give Carolina a momentum-grabbing 4–3 win. The Hurricanes earned their first lead of the series. Eric Staal received an assist on the Brind'Amour goal to push his consecutive points streak to 15 games. The record is 19 games, set by Bryan Trottier
Bryan Trottier
Bryan John Trottier is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders, two with the Penguins and one as an assistant coach with the...
for the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in 1981.
With Teppo Numminen returning to the bench, game six started out comfortably for the Sabres, as Jean-Pierre Dumont scored on a rebound early in the first period to give the Sabres a lead. It held until late in the third period, when Bret Hedican
Bret Hedican
Bret Michael Hedican is a retired American professional ice hockey player and a two-time US Olympian.-Playing career:Hedican was drafted 198th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. A product of St. Cloud State University, Hedican made his NHL debut in the 1991–92 season with...
put a shot into the top corner to send the game into overtime. After Doug Weight
Doug Weight
Douglas Daniel Weight is a retired American professional ice hockey player who is currently an Assistant Coach and Special Assistant to the General Manager for the New York Islanders. During his 19-year National Hockey League career, he played for the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina...
was given a boarding penalty for his hit on Pominville early in overtime, Danny Briere sent the series to a game seven by putting a shot in that went off Cam Ward's glove and into the net.
In the seventh and deciding game, the Sabres remained competitive despite the loss of defenceman Jay McKee
Jay McKee
Jay McKee is an ice hockey defenceman who is currently serving as an assistant coach for the Rochester Americans. He last played for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, and was previously with the Buffalo Sabres and the St. Louis Blues...
, leaving them with four defenders sidelined, and seven players overall, missing from the roster because of injury. Buffalo took a 2–1 lead with 2 seconds left in the second period on Jochen Hecht's wraparound bank shot off Ward's pads. But Carolina answered early in the third with a goal by Weight, atoning for his penalty that cost the Hurricanes in the previous game, and then took the lead on a power play goal by Brind'Amour with about seven minutes left. Justin Williams would tally an insurance goal on a rebound from Brind'Amour with a minute left, and the Hurricanes took the game 4–2 and the series 4–3, securing their second trip to the Stanley Cup Final in four seasons.
(6) Mighty Ducks of Anaheim vs. (8) Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers opened up the scoring in the first game of the series in the first period, when Michael PecaMichael Peca
Michael Anthony "Mike" Peca is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward in the National Hockey League . He most recently played for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL. He has also played for the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple...
scored his second short-handed goal of the playoffs on a long pass from Edmonton goalie Dwayne Roloson
Dwayne Roloson
Albert Dwayne Roloson is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League . He has previously played for the Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, and New York Islanders during his professional career...
. The Ducks quickly answered back with a goal on a power play, tying the game. The Oilers took the lead in the middle of the second period when Ales Hemsky
Ales Hemsky
Aleš Hemský is a Czech professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League .-HC Pardubice:...
knocked in a high rebound. The Oilers' Todd Harvey
Todd Harvey
Todd Douglas Ross Harvey is a former professional ice hockey forward. He was selected in the first round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, 9th overall, by the Dallas Stars, following a successful junior career, which included being the captain of the Canadian team at the World Junior Hockey...
scored on an empty net to clinch the game.
The second game of the series was one which many declared a "must-win" for Anaheim http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/stanleycup2006/storyview.html?/story/stanleycup2006/national/2006/05/19/oilers-ducks-summary.html http://www.nhl.com/news/2006/05/272996.html in order to avoid going down 2–0 in the series heading to Rexall Place
Rexall Place
Rexall Place is an indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada situated on the north side of Northlands. It is currently the home to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League, the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL...
, where they had not won since 1999. However, the Oilers opened with another special-teams goal in the first period when Chris Pronger
Chris Pronger
Christopher Robert Pronger is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and captain for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . Originally selected 2nd overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Pronger has played for Hartford, the St...
scored on a power-play with a shot off the blue line thirteen minutes into the first period. However, the Ducks responded in the second period with Jeff Friesen
Jeff Friesen
Jeff Daryl Friesen is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently a Free Agent. He most recently played with Eisbären Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-Playing career:...
putting a rebound past Roloson. Roloson stopped 33 shots on the night. Fernando Pisani
Fernando Pisani
Fernando Antonio Pisani is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who is currently a free agent.-Playing career:...
, who led the Oilers in goals, scored his eighth of the playoffs with three minutes left in the second period. During the third period, the Ducks pressured Edmonton, much like Game 1, but were unable to beat Roloson as well as the Edmonton shot-blocking. Michael Peca scored his second goal of the series on an empty net as time ran out, giving the Oilers a 2–0 series lead.
Game three was played at Rexall Place in Edmonton, where fans took over the singing of "O Canada". Ilya Bryzgalov
Ilya Bryzgalov
Ilya Nikolayevich Bryzgalov is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League after being acquired by the team on June 7, 2011. He was selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 44th overall, by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.In...
was caught on camera smiling during this show of support.Meanwhile, the Ducks sought to break the Oilers' six-game playoff win streak in a building they had not won in since 1999. The first period was marred with over 40 penalty minutes assessed in total. However, Toby Petersen
Toby Petersen
Tobias Emanuel Petersen is an American professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League...
managed to put the Oilers in the lead on a failed Bryzgalov clearing attempt which left the net wide open. Both teams could not score in the second period as things seemed to calm down a little. The third period had much more scoring. First, Michael Peca scored on a breakaway. Just over a minute later, Steve Staios
Steve Staios
Steven Staios is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is an alternate captain for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League. He has played both right wing and defence in the NHL.-Playing career:...
scored his first goal of the playoffs on a power play, giving the Oilers a 3–0 lead. Chris Pronger seemed to put this out of reach on a 5-on-3 power-play goal. The Oilers had scored three goals in two and a half minutes, giving them a seemingly safe 4–0 lead. However, the Ducks' Sean O'Donnell
Sean O'Donnell
Sean "O.D." O'Donnell is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
scored at just past the seven-minute mark of the third period. Teemu Selanne
Teemu Selänne
Teemu Ilmari Selänne nicknamed "The Finnish Flash" is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger, an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . An offensive player known for his skill and speed, Selanne has led the NHL in goal-scoring three times and has been named to...
, who had been quiet for much of the series, put the Ducks right back in the game with his first goal of the series. Chris Kunitz
Chris Kunitz
Christopher Kunitz is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League . He has previously played for the Atlanta Thrashers and Anaheim Ducks, the latter with whom he won a Stanley Cup in 2007...
then put the Ducks within a goal as the momentum had completely shifted over. However, Pisani scored his ninth goal of the playoffs off a bad Anaheim faceoff putting the Oilers back ahead by two. This tied him for the most goals in the playoffs with Patrick Marleau
Patrick Marleau
Patrick Denis Marleau is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. He serves as the alternate captain for the Sharks during home games...
of the San Jose Sharks with nine. Selanne then scored his second goal of the game with less than two minutes left, bringing it back to a one-goal game. However, the Oilers managed to hang on in the dying seconds and secure a 3–0 series lead with a chance to sweep at Rexall Place in game four. The game had a total of 76 penalty minutes handed out by the time everything was done.
After a less-than-stellar performance in game three, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle
Randy Carlyle
Randolph Robert Carlyle is a former ice hockey defenceman and formely the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks. He was raised in Azilda, just northwest of Sudbury, Ontario.-Career:...
replaced Bryzgalov with Jean-Sebastien Giguere
Jean-Sébastien Giguère
Jean-Sébastien Giguère is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League . He played major junior with the Verdun Collège Français and Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League , where he was drafted 13th...
for game four, hoping the shakeup would energize his team. It worked quite well, as the Ducks allowed only three shots in the first period, scoring three goals. Edmonton did lead a comeback in the second period, coming within one of the Ducks, but Joffrey Lupul
Joffrey Lupul
Joffrey Douglas Sheldon Lupul is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
scored two goals to win the game, 5–2.
Game five returned to Anaheim, and the Oilers had several penalties called against them in the first period. Although the Oilers successfully killed off the penalty to Matt Greene
Matt Greene
Matt Greene is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. Greene currently serves as an alternate captain for Los Angeles.-Edmonton Oilers:...
, Jaroslav Spacek
Jaroslav Spacek
Jaroslav Spacek is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
's hooking
Penalty (ice hockey)
A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...
minor led to a power play goal for the Ducks, scored by Francois Beauchemin
François Beauchemin
François Beauchemin is a French Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently a member of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League, his second tenure with the organization.-Playing career:...
. The first period ended with the Ducks up 1–0 and outshooting the Oilers, 14–8. Early in the second period, the Ducks took a penalty that was successfully killed off, but immediately after the penalty expired, the Oilers tied the game with a rebound goal from Ethan Moreau. Five minutes later, Raffi Torres
Raffi Torres
Raphael "Raffi" Torres is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who currently plays for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League . He was drafted by the New York Islanders fifth overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He has additionally played in the NHL for the Edmonton Oilers,...
tipped in a shot from Marc-Andre Bergeron
Marc-André Bergeron
Marc-André Bergeron is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently under contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.-Career:...
to take the lead in the game. Although several good chances for both teams followed, the lead was held by the Oilers.
Despite late pressure by the Ducks, including a six-on-three power play in the final minute of play, the Oilers held on to win the Western Conference and move on to the Stanley Cup Final. They were the first eighth-seeded team to reach the Final under the current playoff format
Playoff format
There are several different Playoff formats used in various levels of competition in sports and games to determine an overall champion. Some of the most common are the single elimination, the best-of- series, the total points series, and the round-robin tournament.-Single elimination:A Single...
(which was introduced in 1994). It was the last time Anaheim would be known as "The Mighty Ducks," as ownership would change as well as uniforms and the logo for the following season.
(E2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (W8) Edmonton Oilers
This series marked the first time that the Oilers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final since 1990, when they won their fifth Stanley Cup in team history. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2002, when they fell to the heavily favored Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in five games.
This series marked the first time that two former World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
teams played against each other for the Stanley Cup since they merged with the NHL in 1979. The Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
team is the only former WHA club to have never played in a Final. As a result of the new scheduling formula
Season structure of the NHL
The structure of the National Hockey League season is divided into the regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs. In the regular season, teams play 82 games which determine their standings...
that was implemented before the 2005–06 NHL season, the Hurricanes and the Oilers did not meet during the regular season.
These were also the second Final contested by two teams that had both missed the playoffs the previous season
2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League began on April 7, 2004, following the 2003–04 regular season. The playoffs ended with the Tampa Bay Lightning securing the Stanley Cup with a seven-game series win over the Calgary Flames on June 7. It was Tampa Bay's first Stanley Cup...
(assuming one skips the unplayed 2005 Stanley Cup playoffs), after Pittsburgh/Minnesota 1991. Even more interestingly, it would also prove to be the first Final contested by teams that would both go on to miss the following years' playoffs
2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 11, 2007. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the...
. Prior to this Final only one team, the 1938–39 Chicago Blackhawks, had ever missed the playoffs one year, then played in the Stanley Cup Final (win or lose) the following season, and then missed the playoffs again the season after that. Both the Hurricanes and Oilers have now accomplished this dubious feat.
In game one, Carolina tied the biggest comeback in Stanley Cup Final history, overcoming a three-goal deficit to win, 5–4. Edmonton scored first, 8:18 into the first period, with a goal from Fernando Pisani
Fernando Pisani
Fernando Antonio Pisani is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who is currently a free agent.-Playing career:...
. In the second period, Chris Pronger
Chris Pronger
Christopher Robert Pronger is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and captain for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . Originally selected 2nd overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Pronger has played for Hartford, the St...
scored the first penalty shot
Penalty shot (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a penalty shot is a type of penalty awarded when a team loses a clear scoring opportunity on a breakaway because of a foul committed by an opposing player. A player from the non-offending team is given an attempt to score a goal without opposition from any defending players except...
goal in Stanley Cup Finals history after defenceman Niclas Wallin
Niclas Wallin
Niclas Wallin is a Swedish professional ice hockey player currently playing for Luleå of the Swedish Elitserien .-Playing career:...
illegally covered the puck inside his own goal crease, and Ethan Moreau
Ethan Moreau
Ethan Byron Moreau is a professional ice hockey left winger who is currently playing with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. Prior to this, he was a alternate captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League...
's goal at 16:23 gave the Oilers a 3–0 lead. But at the 17:17 mark, Rod Brind'Amour
Rod Brind'Amour
Roderic Jean Brind'Amour is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League for the St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes. He captained the Hurricanes to the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship in...
scored the Hurricanes' first goal of the game. Carolina then tied the game in the third period with two scores by Ray Whitney. The Hurricanes jumped ahead, 4–3, on a shorthanded goal by Justin Williams
Justin Williams
Justin Williams is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
, but Edmonton's Ales Hemsky
Ales Hemsky
Aleš Hemský is a Czech professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League .-HC Pardubice:...
scored on a power play to tie the game with 6:29 remaining. Late in the final period, Oilers goalie Dwayne Roloson
Dwayne Roloson
Albert Dwayne Roloson is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League . He has previously played for the Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, and New York Islanders during his professional career...
suffered a series-ending knee injury
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
in a collision and was replaced with Ty Conklin
Ty Conklin
Ty Curtis Conklin is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....
. With 32 seconds to go in regulation, Conklin misplayed the puck, and it deflected off Jason Smith's stick to the front of the empty net, allowing Brind'Amour to score the winning goal.
With Roloson's injury, Jussi Markkanen
Jussi Markkanen
Jussi Markkanen is an ice hockey goaltender for EV Zug of the National League A .-Playing career:Markkanen has played extensively in various European professional leagues as well as the NHL...
started for the Oilers in the second game. Although Markkanen had played 37 games in the regular season - sharing the job with Ty Conklin and Mike Morrison
Mike Morrison
Michael Morrison is an American professional ice hockey player. Morrison is currently playing for Florida Everblades in East Coast Hockey League.-Playing career:...
- he had watched the entire post-season from the bench; he also had not played in a game since March 1, 2006. The Hurricanes shut out the Oilers, 5–0, with five different Carolina players scoring goals. Markkanen was Edmonton's third goaltender in the series. It was the first time three goaltenders had been used in a Cup Finals since May 1970, when the St. Louis Blues employed Jacques Plante
Jacques Plante
Joseph Jacques Omer Plante was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. During a career lasting from 1947–1975, he was considered to be one of the most important innovators in hockey...
, Glenn Hall
Glenn Hall
Glenn Henry "Mr. Goalie" Hall is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. During his National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, and St. Louis Blues, Hall seldom missed a game and was a consistent performer, winning the Vezina Trophy three times, and the...
and Ernie Wakely
Ernie Wakely
Ernest Alfred Linton Wakely is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Wakely was a goaltender in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues...
on their way to being swept by the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
.
In game three, Markkanen once again started in net with Roloson still out. Shawn Horcoff scored just over two minutes into the first period. During the second period, a short-handed goal was waved off by the referee, because he had lost sight of the puck and had blown the whistle, despite the fact that the puck had not yet been covered. The Hurricanes responded midway through the third period with their captain, Rod Brind'Amour, taking a rebound off a blocked shot past Markkanen. However, with 2:15 left in the game, Edmonton's Ryan Smyth scored the winning goal after crashing into Ward inside the crease as they both tried to get control of a rebound off of a shot by Ales Hemsky. Hurricanes head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Peter Laviolette and many other Carolina players complained that Smyth should have been penalized for interference, but no penalty was called since the referees felt that he did not make enough contact with Ward to prevent him from attempting a save. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/hockey/nhl/wires/06/12/2040.ap.hkn.stanley.cup.0883/index.html http://www.tsn.ca/news_story.asp?id=168462 http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/columnist.jsp?content=20060612_121515_5012
In game four, Edmonton got off to a good start when Sergei Samsonov opened the scoring at 8:40 of the first period. However, the lead was short-lived as Cory Stillman replied just 29 seconds later to tie the game, 1–1. Mark Recchi scored the eventual game-winner with just over four minutes to go in the second period. Once again Edmonton's power-play was futile, failing to capitalize on five chances, including a 2-man advantage in the first period. When the game ended, the Oilers were 1-for-25 on the power play to this point in the series.
Carolina entered game five with a 3–1 lead in the series and a chance to win the Stanley Cup on their home ice. However, Edmonton scored first on Chis Pronger's goal 16 seconds into the game. The Hurricanes then went ahead, 2–1, on two power-play goals by Staal and Whitney before the Oilers scored a power-play goal by Hemsky to tie the game. Peca then gave Edmonton a 3–2 lead with 17.4 seconds left in the first period. In the second period, Staal scored another power play goal to tie the game. With 7:47 remaining in the third period, Whitney missed what might have been the Hurricanes' best chance to close out the series with a shot that just hit the post. The game went to overtime, and Pisani scored the first short-handed overtime goal in Finals history to give the Oilers the win. http://www.nhl.com/cupcrazy/2006/serieso/game5_recap.html
Edmonton, in game six, shut out Carolina, 4–0, scoring three power-play goals and limiting the Hurricanes to only 16 shots on goal. Edmonton held Carolina to seven shots through 40 minutes of play. Fernando Pisani got his post-season high fifth game winning goal (and 13th in total, also tops amongst scorers in this playoffs).
The Hurricanes returned to their home ice to defeat the Oilers in game seven, 3–1, to win the Cup. Aaron Ward and Frantisek Kaberle gave Carolina a 2–0 lead before Pisani scored for Edmonton at 1:03 of the third period to cut the lead. With a minute and a half to go in regulation, the Oilers pulled Markkanen in hopes of tying the game. Seconds later, a loose puck wound up on the stick of Bret Hedican
Bret Hedican
Bret Michael Hedican is a retired American professional ice hockey player and a two-time US Olympian.-Playing career:Hedican was drafted 198th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. A product of St. Cloud State University, Hedican made his NHL debut in the 1991–92 season with...
. Hedican dumped the puck to Eric Staal
Eric Staal
Eric Craig Staal is a Canadian ice hockey player and the captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League...
, who fed it to Justin Williams
Justin Williams
Justin Williams is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
. Williams sprinted down the ice and tapped the puck into the empty net at 18:59 of the third period, sealing the Stanley Cup for the Hurricanes. Cam Ward became the first NHL rookie goalie to win a Stanley Cup Finals series since Patrick Roy
Patrick Roy
Patrick Edward Armand Roy is a former Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick," Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League...
lead the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in 1986, and he was also the first rookie since the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
' Ron Hextall
Ron Hextall
Ronald Jeffrey Hextall is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 13 National Hockey League seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers, Quebec Nordiques, and New York Islanders...
in 1987 to be awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...
as Most Valuable Player in the playoffs.
Cory Stillman
Cory Stillman
Cory Stillman is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player.- Playing career :Stillman grew up in Peterborough, Ontario playing hockey for the Minor Petes program. He also played competitive baseball. In 1989–90, Stillman played for the Peterborough Roadrunners Jr.B...
earned a Stanley Cup title for the second straight season, having won in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
, becoming the first player to win back-to-back titles with different teams since Claude Lemieux
Claude Lemieux
Claude Percy Lemieux is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He last played for the San Jose Sharks before announcing his retirement on July 8, 2009. He is one of only ten players in Stanley Cup history to win the Cup with three different teams. His 80 career playoff goals are the...
(1995 New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, 1996 Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
).
The Hurricanes' victory ended Glen Wesley
Glen Wesley
Glen Edwin Wesley is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played 10 seasons for the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He began his career with the Boston Bruins, and briefly played for the Toronto Maple Leafs...
's 18-year drought without winning the Cup. He had played close to 1,500 regular season and playoff games before winning the Cup, the longest such drought in the NHL. Wesley was the last player remaining from the franchise's days as the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
. Other notable veterans to win their first Cup were Rod Brind'Amour, Doug Weight, Ray Whitney, and Bret Hedican
Bret Hedican
Bret Michael Hedican is a retired American professional ice hockey player and a two-time US Olympian.-Playing career:Hedican was drafted 198th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. A product of St. Cloud State University, Hedican made his NHL debut in the 1991–92 season with...
. Mark Recchi won the second Cup of his career, having won 15 years prior as a member of the 1991 Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
.
The Hurricanes became the third former World Hockey Association franchise to win the Stanley Cup, following the Oilers and Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
, who won as the Colorado Avalanche.
The 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs marked the second time in a row that an Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
-based team had made it to the Final only to lose in seven games to the Southeast Division champions; the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
were defeated by the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
in 2004. This also marked the third straight occurrence of the Curse of Detroit, where since the last time the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 2002, the Western Conference team that defeated the Detroit Red Wings during the playoffs went on to the finals, and lost the series to the Eastern Conference team in seven games.
In each game of the Final, the team that won the opening faceoff
Faceoff
A face-off is the method used to begin play in ice hockey and some other sports. The two teams line up in opposition to each other, and the opposing centres attempt to gain control of the puck after it is dropped between their sticks by an official. One of the referees drops the puck at centre ice...
went on to win that game.
This was the first major-league professional championship for the state of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Skaters
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +/– | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | 25 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 0 | 8 | |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 25 | 9 | 17 | 26 | +12 | 14 | |
| Edmonton Oilers | 24 | 5 | 16 | 21 | +10 | 26 | |
| Buffalo Sabres | 18 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 12 | |
| Edmonton Oilers | 24 | 7 | 12 | 19 | +4 | 12 | |
| Edmonton Oilers | 24 | 14 | 4 | 18 | +4 | 10 | |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 25 | 12 | 6 | 18 | +9 | 16 | |
| Buffalo Sabres | 18 | 9 | 9 | 18 | +5 | 10 | |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 25 | 7 | 11 | 18 | +12 | 34 | |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 25 | 4 | 14 | 18 | +2 | 12 |
Goaltending
These are the top five goaltenders based on either goals against averageGoals against average
Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender....
or save percentage
Save percentage
Save percentage is an ice hockey and lacrosse statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal a goaltender stops...
with at least four games played.
GP = Games Played; W = Wins; L = Losses; SA = Shots Against; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes:seconds); Sv% = Save Percentage; SO = Shutouts
| Player | Team | GP | W | L | SA | GA | GAA | Min | Sv% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilya Bryzgalov Ilya Bryzgalov Ilya Nikolayevich Bryzgalov is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League after being acquired by the team on June 7, 2011. He was selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 44th overall, by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.In... |
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | 11 | 6 | 4 | 285 | 16 | 1.46 | 658:59 | .944 | 3 |
| Cristobal Huet Cristobal Huet Cristobal Huet is a French professional ice hockey goaltender playing for Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss National League A, on loan from the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. He developed his goaltending skills in Grenoble with Les Brûleurs de Loups. He has also played with the... |
Montreal Canadiens | 6 | 2 | 4 | 212 | 15 | 2.33 | 385:37 | .929 | 0 |
| Dwayne Roloson Dwayne Roloson Albert Dwayne Roloson is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League . He has previously played for the Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, and New York Islanders during his professional career... |
Edmonton Oilers | 18 | 12 | 5 | 618 | 45 | 2.33 | 1159:43 | .927 | 1 |
| Martin Brodeur Martin Brodeur Martin Pierre Brodeur is a French-Canadian ice hockey goaltender who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the New Jersey Devils. In his 19-year tenure with the Devils, he has won three Stanley Cup championships and has been in the playoffs every year but two... |
New Jersey Devils | 9 | 5 | 4 | 261 | 20 | 2.25 | 532:59 | .923 | 1 |
| Miikka Kiprusoff Miikka Kiprusoff Miikka Sakari Kiprusoff is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He was selected in the fifth round, 116th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. He has also played for TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga... |
Calgary Flames | 7 | 3 | 4 | 202 | 16 | 2.24 | 427:59 | .921 | 0 |
| Cam Ward Cam Ward Cameron Kenneth Ward is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League . Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he was raised in Sherwood Park, Alberta... |
Carolina Hurricanes | 23 | 15 | 8 | 584 | 47 | 2.14 | 1319:53 | .920 | 2 |
| Jussi Markkanen Jussi Markkanen Jussi Markkanen is an ice hockey goaltender for EV Zug of the National League A .-Playing career:Markkanen has played extensively in various European professional leagues as well as the NHL... |
Edmonton Oilers | 6 | 3 | 3 | 137 | 13 | 2.17 | 360:23 | .905 | 1 |
Shutout Goalies
|Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur
Martin Pierre Brodeur is a French-Canadian ice hockey goaltender who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the New Jersey Devils. In his 19-year tenure with the Devils, he has won three Stanley Cup championships and has been in the playoffs every year but two...
New Jersey Devils|
|Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller is a professional ice hockey goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres.Other people named Ryan Miller:*Ryan Miller , video game designer and author*Ryan Miller , lead singer and guitar player for the band Guster...
Buffalo Sabres|
|Ilya Bryzgalov
Ilya Bryzgalov
Ilya Nikolayevich Bryzgalov is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League after being acquired by the team on June 7, 2011. He was selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 44th overall, by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.In...
(3)The Mighty Ducks|
|Vesa Toskala
Vesa Toskala
Vesa Tapani Toskala is a professional ice hockey goaltender, currently playing for Ilves.-Early career:Toskala was selected by San Jose in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft . The Sharks also took fellow Finn Miikka Kiprusoff in the fifth round...
San Jose Sharks|
|Cam Ward
Cam Ward
Cameron Kenneth Ward is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League . Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he was raised in Sherwood Park, Alberta...
(2)Carolina Hurricanes|
|Dwayne Roloson
Dwayne Roloson
Albert Dwayne Roloson is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League . He has previously played for the Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, and New York Islanders during his professional career...
Edmonton Oliers|
|Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Växjö Lakers Hockey of the Elitserien...
Carolina Hurricanes|
|Jussi Markkanen
Jussi Markkanen
Jussi Markkanen is an ice hockey goaltender for EV Zug of the National League A .-Playing career:Markkanen has played extensively in various European professional leagues as well as the NHL...
Edmonton Oliers|
See also
- 2005–06 NHL season
- List of NHL seasons