The Anaheim Ducks have beaten the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 to advance to the NHL's Western Conference finals for the second time in three years.
Nick Ritchie is a NHL playoff newcomer. The 21-year-old power forward wasn't around for any of the Ducks' agonising game-seven defeats over the past four seasons.
So when he found a patch of open ice during the third period on Wednesday night, Ritchie let fly with a shot, unencumbered by the weight of history.
After four years of agony and more than a decade of fruitless game sevens, the Ducks are finally the victors of a winner-take-all game - and they're halfway to another Stanley Cup.
Ritchie scored the tiebreaker, John Gibson made 23 saves and the Ducks ended their streak of five straight game-seven losses, downing the Oilers to reach the western finals again.
Andrew Cogliano scored the tying goal midway through the second period for the Ducks, who had blown a 3-2 series lead and lost a game seven on home ice in four consecutive seasons.
The Ducks fell behind the Oilers just 3:31 into this game, but the rest of the night largely belonged to Anaheim, who finally showed some veteran mettle in the playoffs' biggest crucible.
"We were down 1-0 for a little bit, and we didn't panic," Ritchie said. "We actually started to play better once they scored, and we got another one and then we kind of brought it home with good defensive hockey."
Ritchie beat Cam Talbot 3:21 into the third period, his second career playoff goal putting the Ducks ahead in a game seven for the first time in five years - and ahead of the Oilers for the first time in nearly 193 minutes since late in game four.
The Ducks ended their ignominious streak after the tense final minutes of a strong defensive performance to back Gibson's best game of the postseason.
Anaheim will host the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game one of the conference finals.
"I wouldn't say it's a relief, but the fact we don't have to talk about it anymore, that's a good thing," captain Ryan Getzlaf said.
The time is now for the five-time Pacific Division champion Ducks, 10 years since their 2007 championship.
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