Ducks Beat Oilers in Game 7 Behind Nick Ritchie's 3rd-Period Goal

The Anaheim Ducks are going to the Western Conference Final for the second time in three years.

Anaheim defended home ice at the Honda Center on Wednesday with a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of their second-round series. Andrew Cogliano and Nick Ritchie scored the two goals, with Ritchie's proving to be the game-winner that snapped a streak of four straight home losses in Game 7s for the Ducks.

As for Edmonton, the loss ended its first playoff appearance since the 2005-06 season, when it reached the Stanley Cup Final.

The Oilers ultimately couldn't figure out Anaheim goaltender John Gibson, who notched 23 saves on 24 shots. Drake Caggiula is the only Edmonton skater who bested Gibson, but it was hard to fault the goaltender considering Anaheim's defense turned the puck over in the crease.

Gibson was especially formidable in the final two minutes when Edmonton had an additional skater and a further advantage because Corey Perry broke his stick.

Gibson earned the win, but he wasn't the only impressive goaltender on the ice.

Edmonton's Cam Talbot finished with 28 saves on 30 shots and consistently turned away point-blank looks from the home team. Talbot maintained momentum after his side scored the first goal by pitching a shutout in the first period and then rescued his team in the second as Anaheim dictated play with 16 shots to Edmonton's three.

Dan Rosen of NHL.com put the Ducks' incessant surge into perspective:

Anaheim would take the lead early in the third and eventually hang on, though things didn't start in ideal fashion for the victors.

The Oilers steamrolled their way to a 7-1 win in Game 6 and picked up right where they left off when Caggiula poked the puck from Shea Theodore right into the net 3:31 into the game. It was essentially an own goal, as the defenseman carelessly handled the puck deep in his own territory.

Rather than let the deflating opening goal and an offside call that canceled out Cam Fowler's apparent equalizer dictate the tempo, Anaheim responded with an onslaught of 16 shots in the second period.

While Talbot stood strong for most of Anaheim's push, Cogliano took advantage of a loose puck after Ryan Kesler kept it alive in the crease to tie the game.

Mark Spector of Sportsnet noted Cogliano was due given his strong play:

Talbot finally relinquished the lead when Ritchie sniped a wrist shot past him 3:21 into the third period.

David Satriano of NHL.com provided the reason for the enormous sigh of relief emanating from the West Coast:

The lead was enough for Gibson, who was a brick wall for the entire game outside of Theodore's one miscue. Even with the additional skater in crunch time and the desperation that comes with looming elimination, the Oilers couldn't muster the tying goal.

Gibson and the Ducks finally removed the proverbial Game 7 monkey from their back and will now play the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference Final.