 Flyers fall to Ducks in O.T.
Source: ESPN.com
Jean-Sebastien Giguere had to work overtime to get his first victory of the season -- despite Sergei Fedorov's first goal with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
Rob Niedermayer scored 1:10 into overtime after Philadelphia tied it with a second left in regulation, and the Ducks beat the Flyers 4-3 on Wednesday night.
Petr Sykora and Vaclav Prospal also scored for Anaheim. Steve Rucchin and defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh had two assists each for the defending Western Conference champions, who have won two straight after losing their first five games. Giguere, the MVP of the postseason, made 33 saves in his fifth start.
The Ducks, 7-0 in overtime during a postseason run that left them a victory shy of a Stanley Cup title, ended it when Niedermayer converted Rucchin's pass from behind the net.
"I knew he was there," Rucchin said. "I didn't think it was going to have a chance to go in, but Rob's a big, strong guy and he made a great play."
Tony Amonte forced overtime by scoring with 0.6 seconds left in the third period. His shot deflected in off the skate of Anaheim defenseman Kurt Sauer.
"It's disappointing when you battle back and you work hard to tie it and then lose," Mark Recchi said. "You have to hand it to them. They worked hard and Rob scored a great goal."
Eric Chouinard and Jeremy Roenick also scored for the Flyers. But Roenick took a slashing penalty that led to Sykora's goal, which gave the Ducks a 3-2 lead 11 minutes into the second period.
Roenick was sent off 45 seconds after a hooking penalty against teammate Todd Fedoruk, and the Ducks cashed in with 25 seconds left on Fedoruk's penalty as Sykora beat goaltender Robert Esche from the right of the crease.
"It's been a long week and a long trip and we played some hungry teams," Roenick said. "It was a hard battle tonight and we deserved a better fate. It was very deflating and a huge letdown."
The Flyers, shut out by ex-teammate Roman Cechmanek on Tuesday at Los Angeles, spotted Anaheim a 2-0 lead.
Chouinard scored his first of the season at 9:54 of the first period during a goal-mouth scramble after Giguere lost his stick. Roenick tied it less than 4{ minutes later, redirecting a long wrist shot by Amonte.
Fedorov ended a season-opening six-game goal drought at 2:41.
"I was yelling like crazy for it and he found me there. It was a beautiful play," Fedorov said. "I was pretty happy. I actually never thought it would be that exciting."
Game notes
Flyers general manager Bobby Clarke finds it weird to see Fedorov in a Ducks uniform after 13 seasons with Detroit. "I would never be able to understand Fedorov leaving Detroit for Anaheim," Clarke said. "I'm just talking about the pressure that comes from playing in Detroit, Philadelphia, Montreal or Toronto. That is a good atmosphere to be a hockey player in, and the type of atmosphere you want to be in." ... Many in the crowd of 12,737 cheered when it was posted on the video board that former Anaheim captain Paul Kariya, who joined Colorado as a free agent, will be out indefinitely because of a sprained wrist. ... Keith Primeau, on the eve of his second anniversary as Flyers team captain, was assessed 11 minutes in penalties during the first period -- including two roughing infractions, one for unsportsmanlike conduct, and a fighting major.
__________________ Chris Banker on the Flyers making the NHL Playoffs:  Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris  Somewhere in America, Gary Bettman and Colin Campbell are hanging themselves tonight. | | 
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