The Anaheim Ducks have advanced to the National Hockey League conference finals after eliminating the Vancouver Canucks from the second round of the playoffs.
Anaheim beat Vancouver, 2-1 in double overtime Thursday to win its Western Conference best-of-seven semifinal series four-games-to-one.
Scott Niedermayer's game-winning wrist shot from the left point came four minutes, 30 seconds into the second extra session to lift the Ducks on their home ice.
Goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere stopped 26 shots for the win.
The Ducks next take on the winner of Detroit-San Jose semifinal series for the Western Conference championship.
The Detroit-San Jose best-of-seven series is tied at two games apiece, with game five Saturday in Detroit.
NHL playoff action continues Friday with the NHL regular season leader Buffalo Sabres going up against the New York Rangers in game five of their tied Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
