n a row should be more challenging considering they open

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Detroit Red Wings had firm control of Game 7 right up until Henrik Zetterberg accidentally shot the puck over the glass in the waning minutes. While the captain sat in the box, the Anaheim Ducks scored on the power play to trim Detroits lead to one goal. Zetterberg worried he had unleashed another crazy finish in this wild series. Instead, the Red Wings coolly wrapped things up on the coast and calmly moved on to an even bigger challenge much closer to home. Zetterberg and Valtteri Filppula each had a goal and an assist, and the Red Wings finished off Anaheim with a 3-2 victory Sunday night. Justin Abdelkader scored a short-handed goal and Jimmy Howard made 31 saves as the seventh-seeded Red Wings won three of the first-round series final four games to oust the Ducks, who had the NHLs third-best record in the regular season. "We did a great job getting off to a good start, and then we protected it there at the end," said Zetterberg, who scored three goals in the series final two games after getting blanked in the first five. "A lot of us have been in tough situations like this before, so we knew how to play this type of game." Detroit faces top-seeded Chicago in the second round, and the Red Wings already are relishing the prospect of shorter flights during their final post-season in the Western Conference. After the clubs played four overtimes in the series first six games, the Red Wings largely dominated the anti-climactic clincher -- and for the first time in the series, the Wings didnt even need overtime to win. Sure, things got tense after Francois Beauchemins power-play goal off Jonathan Ericssons skate in front of Howard with 3:17 to play, but Anaheim never really got close to a tying goal. "It just says theres no quit in this dressing room," Howard said. "The belief in here is we can play with anybody." His penalty notwithstanding, Detroit got a big finish from Zetterberg, their Stanley Cup-winning captain, who scored just 1:49 into Game 7 on a rebound in the slot. Zetterberg finished with seven points in the series final three games after just one assist in the first four. "It was not the best move by me, so it was tough to sit in the box," Zetterberg said. "But we still had a one-goal lead, and weve been in these situations so many times before." After winning a Game 7 on the road for just the third time in their franchises lengthy history, the Red Wings are in the second round for the sixth time in seven seasons. Detroit didnt clinch its 22nd straight playoff spot until its final regular-season game, but the Wings beat Anaheim in a seventh game for the second time in five seasons. The Motor Citys team even prevented the first Freeway Faceoff in NHL playoff history. Anaheim would have faced Los Angeles in the second round, the first post-season matchup for Southern Californias two teams. Emerson Etem also scored and Jonas Hiller stopped 29 shots for the Ducks, who couldnt capitalize on home ice and failed in their second chance to close out their first playoff series since 2009. Another slow start doomed Anaheim, which fell behind 2-1 late in the first period on Abdelkaders goal. "We felt we had a good thing going," Hiller said. "I think everybody thought we were going to go a long way, but it seemed like we didnt find that extra step for the playoffs. Detroit was just a little better than us. Its depressing. It makes you feel sad." The loss completed an ugly flop for Anaheim, which had the best winning percentage in franchise history while winning just its second Pacific Division title during the lockout-shortened season. The Ducks defeat also is a sadly familiar playoff disappointment for coach Bruce Boudreau, who never got the Washington Capitals past the second round after four standout regular seasons with his previous club. The loss also could be the final NHL game for Teemu Selanne, the 42-year-old franchise scoring leader who flirts with retirement every summer. The Finnish Flash said hell take his customary several weeks before deciding his future. "Its very disappointing," Selanne said. "We had two chances to close the series, but couldnt. ... As a group, we have to learn something from this. The playoffs are so much fun. We were looking forward to going forward and enjoying this a whole lot more." Selanne didnt score a goal in the series final six games -- but Corey Perry, the Ducks former 50-goal scorer and NHL MVP, didnt score a goal in the entire series despite 24 shots. "Its not something you think is going to happen," Perry said. "You get the job done throughout the year, but it just didnt seem to be there in this series." The clubs alternated victories until the final two games of the series, with the Ducks taking three straight one-game leads before Detroit caught them. The Wings earned a third trip to California with an overtime win in Game 6 on Friday night -- and they made it count with the Wings fourth win in six appearances at Honda Center this season. Anaheim had another packed house on hand for just the second Game 7 in Honda Centers history, but the Red Wings dominated from the start. Detroit created choking traffic in front of Hiller immediately, and a rebound of Filppulas long shot went straight into the slot for Zetterberg. The Ducks appeared overmatched early, but Etem -- the 20-year-old Long Beach native -- had all the poise his teammates lacked. Etem attempted to dump the puck into the Detroit zone, but instead collected a deflection and skated in on net, firing a shot over a prone defenceman and past Howard for the third goal of his first NHL playoff series. Detroit went right back ahead when Abdelkader stole Beauchemins pass near the blue line during the power play. Abdelkader easily skated away from Sheldon Souray and beat Hiller on a breakaway for his first goal since returning from a two-game suspension. The Red Wings again took control in the second period, and Filppula put them up 3-1 when he jumped on a loose puck and fired a backhand through Beauchemins legs for his first goal of the post-season. NOTES: Anaheim D Toni Lydman missed his fourth straight game since getting hit in the head by Abdelkader, who served a two-game suspension and returned for Game 6. ... The Red Wings scratched C Cory Emmerton for the first time in the series and activated RW Patrick Eaves, who sat out Game 6. D Carlo Colaiacovo stayed in the lineup for the second straight game. ... Anaheims only previous Game 7 at Honda Center was in 1997, when the Ducks beat Phoenix for the franchises first playoff series victory. Selanne was in his first full season with the club. Air Max 270 Sale Canada . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. Air Max 97 Cheap Canada . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. http://www.clearanceairmaxcanada.com/ . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. Nike Air Max Tailwind 7 Canada .Y. -- Sabres forward Drew Stafford has witnessed plenty of turmoil during his eight seasons in Buffalo. Air Max 90 Canada Sale .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Amid all the pomp and circumstance of renaming Florida Field after Steve Spurrier, the most fitting way to honor him would be on the scoreboard Saturday.Maybe the 25th-ranked Gators should try to hang half a hundred on UMass.That was one of Spurriers most memorable quotes during his dozen years in Gainesville. It came after Florida beat Southeastern Conference rival Georgia 52-17 in Athens in 1995. It also was something the Gators did with regularity during Spurriers tenure.And after the way Florida ended last season -- scoring just two offensive touchdowns in the final three games -- players and coaches probably could use a little confidence-booster to start 2016.Pretty miserable, wasnt it? Florida coach Jim McElwain recalled. You had to sit through it, too. Im sorry. ... Im still hurting. Thats all I can say. That was miserable. Ill leave it at that. And Im sorry you had to go through it, too.The Gators ranked 112th in total offense in 2015, ahead of only Vanderbilt and Missouri in the SEC. They struggled to run the ball consistently and were close to inept in the passing game. The line was a problem -- Florida gave up a nation-leading 45 sacks -- and quarterback play was an even bigger issue.McElwain has vowed to be dramatically better on offense in his second season.His first chance to prove it comes in the opener against the Minutemen, who are entering their first season as an independent after going 8-40 in four years since moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision.The Gators will give journeyman Luke Del Rio his first collegiate start after he transferred from Alabama and then Oregon State in search of playing time. Del Rio beat out graduate transfer Austin Appleby and two freshmen.Del Rio, who sat out last season because of NCAA transfer rules, helplessly watched Florida stumble down the stretch.Anytime you finish 0-3, its the worst taste in your mouth, said Del Rio, the son of Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio. Some teams might get hot and they lose a bowl game. `OK, we finished 5-1. But 0-3, thats tough to swallow.Spurrier only had one three-game losing streak (1999) during his Florida coaching career.Leading the Gators to six SEC titles andd the 1996 national championship, Spurrier helped put the program on the college football map for good.dddddddddddd He already has a Heisman Trophy statue from his playing days at Florida and has his name in the schools exclusive ring of honor.On Saturday, the Gators will officially unveil Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Its better known as The Swamp, the nickname Spurrier gave it and a place the current team would like to see scoring half a hundred become more normal than notable again.I hope they put some winning turf in there or something, McElwain joked. Ive got to ask our grounds guy. But no, I think thats something special, and obviously for (Spurrier), I think what a fitting tribute. To have him back and be a part of that is something thats pretty neat.---Here are some other things to know as Florida and UMass begin the season:STREAKING GATORS: Florida has won 26 consecutive season openers, the longest streak in the country. The Gators are likely to extend it against UMass, but making it 28 in a row should be more challenging considering they open the 2017 season against Michigan in Arlington, Texas.FLORIDA SUSPENSIONS: McElwain suspended five players for the opener, including one senior he declined to name. The others are cornerback Jalen Tabor, tight end Cyontai Lewis and receivers Tyrie Cleveland and Rick Wells. Tabor and Lewis were suspended one game for fighting in practice. Cleveland and Wells were suspended for firing BB guns in a residence hall in July.GAME-CHANGER? Florida could potentially go from having one of the worst kicking situations in the country to one of the best. Eddy Pineiro will make his collegiate debut and should get considerable attention. A high school soccer player who has never kicked in a game, Pineiro drew interest from Alabama and Florida while making 70-yard-plus kicks and posting them on YouTube.RARE TRIP: The Minutemen last visited the Sunshine State on Dec. 12, 1964, when they lost to East Carolina 14-13 in the Tangerine Bowl. UMass is 1-1 all-time against teams from Florida. ' ' '