No Pronger, no problem for Anaheim

Published Tuesday, June 5, 2007

OTTAWA (AP) - Perhaps, defenseman Chris Pronger can work his way back in the Ducks’ lineup with Anaheim one win from claiming its first Stanley Cup championship.

"I hope so," Pronger said with a sheepish smile after watching Anaheim pull out a 3-2 win over Ottawa last night while the Norris Trophy finalist served a one-game suspension. "I know you don’t want to change a winning lineup."

The resilient and resourceful Ducks continue to find ways to win this postseason.

They improved to 15-5 overall, matched an NHL playoff record by producing their 12th one-goal victory and have yet to lose consecutive games. They’re also 2-0 when Pronger’s out of the lineup after the defenseman was suspended for a game against Detroit in the Western Conference finals.

The Ducks are now up 3-1 over Ottawa, with a chance to win the Cup at home when the best-of-seven series shifts to Anaheim tomorrow.

And if Pronger has learned anything, he’d rather be on the ice contributing than helplessly watching the game on TV in the coach’s room.

"I didn’t really watch a whole lot. I had my back to the TV," said Pronger, who was out for his elbow that knocked out Dean McAmmond in the Ducks’ 5-3 loss on Saturday.

Anaheim bounced back from a terrible first period and clinched the victory when Dustin Penner capped a 2-on-1 rush by converting Teemu Selanne’s pass to break a 2-2 tie 4:07 into the third period.

Andy McDonald scored twice and added an assist, while Jean-Sebastien Giguere kept the Ducks in the game by stopping 21 shots.

The Senators got goals from Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley but failed to build on the momentum from winning Game 3.

The Senators have history heavily weighing against them. Of the 28 teams that have trailed a Cup finals series 3-1, only one has rallied to win: the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.