Anaheim, California: The NHL’s regular season came to an end on Sunday, with Anaheim beating another divisional leader Colorado 3-2 in overtime to complete the best campaign in franchise history.
Among other results on the final day, New Jersey beat Eastern Conference leaders Boston in what may well have been the last game in Devils colours for veteran goaltender Martin Brodeur, Detroit tuned up for the play-offs with a win against sliding St. Louis and Ottawa showed what might have been by downing play-off-bound Pittsburgh.
Anaheim’s Nick Bonino scored 1:33 into overtime to give the Western Conference-leading Ducks a fitting climax to the regular season ahead of a first-round play-off series against Dallas.
Patrick Maroon and Saku Koivu scored 3:13 apart to tie the game early in the third period for the Ducks, who used the game to honour Teemu Selanne, who plans to retire after the season. The 43-year-old ‘Finnish Flash’ got standing ovations on every shift in the third period in Anaheim, his home for 15 of his 21 NHL seasons.
Brad Malone and Stefan Elliott scored for the Avalanche, who will play Minnesota in the first round of the play-offs.
New Jersey’s Brodeur made 16 saves in the Devils’ 3-2 win over a second-string Boston.
The soon-to-be 42-year-old Brodeur is in the final year of his contract and is likely to test the free-agent market now that he has been relegated to back-up duties with the Devils after 20 seasons.
Defenseman Marek Zidlicky scored twice and Travis Zajac had a goal for the Devils, who have now missed the play-offs two straight seasons after making the Stanley Cup finals in 2012.
