Ducks 2, Kings 1
Teemu Selanne scored a pair of goals and Dan Ellis made 23 saves as the Anaheim Ducks clinched a playoff spot Friday with a 2-1 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Kings in the opener of a season-ending, home-and-home series.
Jason Blake helped set up both tallies for the Ducks, who won nine of their final 12 home games and have captured 14 of 19 overall.
Ryan Smyth scored and Jonathan Quick stopped 26 shots for Los Angeles, which lost its last three road contests following a six-game winning streak away from home.
On a 3-on-2 rush less than six minutes into the third period, Saku Koivu made a cross-slot pass to Selanne, who beat Quick from below the right hash marks at 5:54 to break a 1-1 deadlock and complete his fifth multi-goal performance of the season.
Smyth gave Los Angeles a 1-0 lead at 11:22 of the first period, beating Ellis with a backhander for his 22nd goal of the season but just his third in 31 games. Selanne drew Anaheim even midway through the second as he reached the 30-goal mark for the 10th time in his career.