It could’ve been the best comeback to date early in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. But it didn’t work out that way.
The Anaheim Ducks fell behind the Detroit Red Wings by three goals early in the third period of Game 2 of that Western Conference quarter-final on Thursday, before staging a courageous comeback attempt.
The Ducks scored three times in just under 10 minutes to tie the hockey game, sending it to overtime. Ducks’ forward Bobby Ryan scored the equalizer with 2:22 remaining in the third period.
However, not much time was passed before jubilation turned to heartbreak for Ducks’ fans.
Gustav Nyquist scored a power play goal just 1:21 into the extra period to give the Red Wings the 5-4 victory.
The series is now tied at 1-1, as it shifts to Detroit.
“We lost an opportunity to put a stranglehold on them in the series, and we let it get away,” Ryan told NHL.com.
“The team has been resilient all year in coming back in those opportunities and we believed. We almost pulled it off.
“You lose that home-ice advantage, right? Now they only have to take care of their building. I don’t know. I don’t think we were going to win in four games anyway. We knew we were going to have to win in their building. Now it’s paramount to do it earlier.”