VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 11 (UPI) -- Scott Niedermayer scored 35 seconds into the game, giving Anaheim a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks and a playoff spot.
The decision Monday gave the Mighty Ducks 96 points on the season and left Anaheim fifth in the NHL's Western Division. Vancouver's playoff hopes are still alive, however, as the Canucks have 89 points, just 2 behind eighth-place Edmonton and 4 points from sixth place in the division.
Anaheim locked up its playoff spot with a 3-goal first-period against Vancouver goalie Alex Auld. Niedermayer scored off an assist by Andy McDonald shortly after the opening face-off and his brother, Rob, made the score 2-0 about 10 minutes later. McDonald, during a power play, got into the scoring column himself at the 14:10 mark.
Teemu Selanne made it 4-0 Anaheim in the second period before Vancouver was able to get anything past Ducks' goalie Jean-Sebastein Giguere.
Ryan Kesler got the second-period goal for Vancouver as Giguere stopped 20 other shots in the period. Anson Carter's power-play goal at the 6:14 mark of the third period completed the scoring.
