12-30-2019, 12:48 AM
ANAHEIM, Calif. Brendan Shanahan Jersey . - Teemu Selanne took one last tour of the Anaheim rink after the final horn, waving his stick at cheering fans while players from both teams banged their sticks on the ice. Despite the melancholy look on his face, the Finnish Flash said he has no regrets about returning to the Anaheim Ducks for one last season, even after they fell well short of another Stanley Cup title. Selannes 21-season NHL career likely ended Thursday night with a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in Game 7 of their second-round series. The 43-year-old forward has maintained hell retire this summer, keeping to his plan even after starring in his sixth Olympics and playing a significant role during the best regular season in franchise history in Anaheim, his home for parts of 15 seasons. "Ive been flirting with this decision for a long time, but the passion and the fun always brought me back," said Selanne, who didnt score in the finale. "I still love this game, and I still know I can play, but it is better this way than having different situations, and thats why I think it is the right time." The crowd chanted "Lets Go Teemu" in the final minutes, with even Kings fans joining in. After the final horn, Selanne accepted congratulations and eventually made it to the dressing room, where his famed composure slipped. "I tried, but when I came in here, I couldnt hold myself anymore," Selanne said. "I didnt know what to do out there." Selanne kept returning to the Ducks for seven straight years after he first contemplated retirement following their only Stanley Cup championship in 2007, each time hoping the Ducks would make another title run. He kept moving up the NHLs career scoring chart, currently sitting 15th with 1,457 points and 11th with 684 goals. Selannes ice time with the Ducks dwindled this year while coach Bruce Boudreau worked younger players into key roles. He still played a dependable role in Anaheim, bottling his frustration for one more run at a Cup. "The 2007 Stanley Cup has to be the biggest crown for my career," Selanne said. "To be honest, the most proud I am is I have been able to play so many years and at this age. You all know when you get older, its not going to get any easier. But to be able to compete against these young guys and still enjoy this and play well, that has been the greatest thing in my career. Im really thankful for that." Selanne has a full life in Southern California waiting for him after retirement. He opened a successful steak house in Laguna Beach last year, and his four children are comfortable in their year-round home in Coto De Caza, an Orange County community on Selannes beloved golf course. Yet in classic Selanne fashion, he didnt slam the door completely shut on the possibility he could play elsewhere next season. Speculation has been rampant in Finland and Russia about the possibility of luring Selanne to Jokerit, the Helsinki-based club thats joining the Kontinental Hockey League in the fall. "I dont know, and I dont think so," Selanne said a potential move to Jokerit. "I know there is a lot of interest for that, but I always said I was going to retire here. To be honest, I really dont have to play anywhere anymore. I could if I want, but right now I dont want to." Selanne began his pro career with three years in Jokerits junior development program, and he played three seasons with the big-league club before joining the Winnipeg Jets for his record-setting NHL rookie year in 1992-93. The game also might have been a finale for Saku Koivu, Selannes fellow Finn and longtime friend. The 39-year-old Koivu was the Montreal Canadiens captain before moving to Anaheim five years ago. "I really dont have an answer for you," Koivu said. "Usually after the season, the last three or four years, Ive been signing one-year contracts. And Im going to go the same road, just to get away from the game for a couple of weeks and really take a good careful look at what happened, how the season went, and if there is enough left to come back and push for another year." Roman Turek Jersey . -- A deflected pass that landed in DeSean Jacksons hands. Erik Johnson Jersey . Reyes, 26, was traded from Atlanta to Toronto in July 2010 and spent the remainder of the season in the minors. He began 2011 in the majors and made 20 starts with the Blue Jays, going 5-8 with a 5.40 earned run average before he was waived on Aug. https://www.cheapblues.com/954z-keith-os...blues.html . Vonn flew back to Vail, Colo., last week after hurting her surgically repaired right knee at a downhill race in France. "Her knee was swollen again after Val dIsere," U.S. womens head coach Alex Hoedlmoser told The Associated Press.For the ninth time in the storied history of their rivalry, the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens will face off in a decisive Game 7, as the clubs battle for a berth in the conference finals Wednesday at TD Garden. Listen to all-day coverage followed by the game live on TSN Radio 690 and TSN.ca/Montreal. Also, TSN.ca will provide live streaming from the Bell Centre in Montreal during the game. The Original Six foes are deadlocked at 3-3 in the Eastern Conference semifinals and this evenings game in Boston will decide who gets to face the New York Rangers in the third round. The Rangers earned a spot in the East finals after beating Pittsburgh, 2-1, in Game 7 on Tuesday night. No rivalry in major professional sports has featured as many Game 7 battles as the one between the Bruins and Habs. Montreal is 5-3 in Game 7s against Boston, but the Bs claimed the last one with a 4-3 overtime victory at TD Garden on April 27, 2011. The Bruins, of course, went on to win their first Stanley Cup title since 1972 after surviving that opening-round series with Montreal. This marks the seventh straight season Boston will play a Game 7, setting a new NHL record. The Bruins were tied with Colorado (1998-2003) for that distinction. All told, Boston is 13-11 in Game 7s but has won four of its last five. The Canadiens are 13-9 all-time in decisive seventh games and had won four straight Game 7s before losing the 2011 clash against Boston. After losing Games 4 and 5 to fall behind 3-2 in the series, the Canadiens forced tonights contest by posting a 4-0 home win on Monday. In order to advance to the conference finals for the first time since 2010, Montreal will have to win in Boston for the first time since posting a double-overtime victory in Game 1 of this set. The Bruins, who are the top seed in the East and the defending conference champions, are 4-2 at TD Garden in this postseason. The club rallied for a 5-3 win in Game 2 and recorded a 4-2 win in Saturdays Game 5. "Go home, and get the job done," said Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron about tonights decisive battle. "We have to -- its about using (the fans) to our advantage in Game 7. Thats why you work for the home ice. Youve got to go home and be ready." Carey Price stopped 26 shots for his first shutout of the playoffs in Mondays Game 6 at the Bell Centre. Thomas Vanek scored twice, Max Pacioretty had a goal and an assist, and Lars Eller scored the other goal for the Canadiens. "At the end, we came out hard," said Vanek. "They played hard too, had some push-backs, but Price played great, as he has for all the series. We found some ways to score tonight." Montreals Nathan Beaulieu recorded an assist while making his NHL posttseason debut in Game 6. Nathan Walker Jersey. Beaulieu, a 21-year-old defenseman, replaced Douglas Murray in the lineup and made a big impact when he sprung Pacioretty on a breakaway early in the second period. Pacioretty scored on Bostons Tuukka Rask to record his second goal of the playoffs and first since getting the game-winner in Game 4 of an opening-round sweep over Tampa Bay. "There were no passengers in this room tonight," said Pacioretty. "I got a bounce and waited for my chance. There was a bounce there and it landed on my stick." Rask gave up all four goals on 28 shots for the Bruins, who were blanked for the second time in these playoffs. Boston also was shut out 1-0 by Detroit in the opener of the conference quarterfinals before winning the next four games to take the series. "We should have had the momentum in this game," said Rask. "I dont think it carries over from the last game, as long as you regroup after a loss. How we handle it is how we prepare for the next one. We cant forget about what happened tonight. At the end of the day, I thought we played a pretty solid game, but we gave them some gifts." Boston holds a definite edge in terms of Game 7 experience, as Bruins captain Zdeno Chara leads all players in this series with 10 appearances. Bergeron and fellow Bruins forward Milan Lucic are next with eight Game 7s apiece. Brian Gionta leads Montreal with six Game 7s and the Habs captain is confident the less experienced Habs can pull off the series upset with a road win on Wednesday. "Weve felt confident all series against these guys," Gionta said. "We know we can bring it to them when theres no tomorrow. Theres nothing to be afraid of." Montreal forward Danny Briere was back on the ice after being a health scratch for Game 5. He played just over 10 minutes in Game 6 and didnt record a shot. Briere, however, has played in four Game 7s and has two goals and three assists in those tilts. Bergeron and Lucic lead all players in this matchup in Game 7 scoring. They each have four goals and two assists, while Bostons Brad Marchand has two goals and three helpers over five Game 7s. Price and Rask are each 1-1 in Game 7s. Montreals netminder has a 1.91 goals against average and .932 save percentage in those outings while Rask has a 3.87 GAA and .855 save percentage. This is the 34th playoff meeting between these teams, and while Montreal has won 24, Boston has won the past two series, which includes the seven-game battle in 2011. Note: Alex Galchenyuk (lower body) took part in todays optional morning skate in a non-contact jersey. If the Canadiens advance, a return in the Eastern Conference Final would be anticipated. ' ' '