California Dreamin’: For the third time since 1993, a California-based club will compete in the Stanley Cup Final. The 1993 Los Angeles Kings dropped a five-game decision to the Montreal Canadiens and the 2003 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim lost to the New Jersey Devils in seven games. The Ducks will attempt to become the first West Coast-based club to capture the Stanley Cup since the Victoria Cougars of the Western Canada Hockey League defeated the Montreal Canadiens in 1925. No West Coast club has won the Stanley Cup since the NHL clubs exclusively began competing for the Cup in 1927.

Stanley Cup Final Returns ‘Home’: For the first time in 80 years, the Stanley Cup Final will be contested in Ottawa, birthplace of the world’s most famous trophy. Home to Lord Stanley of Preston, Governor-General of Canada who commissioned the trophy in 1892, the city celebrated 11 Cup wins by the original Senators franchise:1903-1906, 1909-11, 1920, 1921, 1923 and 1927.

Selanne’s Quest: Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne, who has played 1,041 regular-season and 81 playoff games in his 14-year NHL career, will be making his first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. The series will cap off a memorable 2006-07 campaign that featured his 500th career goal (Nov. 22 at Colorado) and his 1,000th game (Dec. 31 at Minnesota). At 36 years of age (born July 3, 1970), Selanne became the first player in NHL history 35 or older to record consecutive 40-goal seasons and the oldest player in League history to score 45 goals in one season. He finished the campaign with a club-leading 48 goals, third in the League overall.

Alfredsson On A Mission: Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson made his NHL debut with the Senators in 1995-96 and is the only player to have played in all 94 playoff games in franchise history. Alfredsson leads the club in all-time playoff goals (39), assists (36) and points (75). Alfredsson has delivered his finest playoff performance in 2007, leading the NHL in goals (10) and game-winning goals (four). He notched his first game-winner as part of a two-goal effort in a 4-2 victory at Pittsburgh in Game 3 of the Conference Quarterfinals. He tallied the winning score in the series-clinching 3-2 win at New Jersey in Game 5 of the Conference Semifinals and had two more against Buffalo in the Conference Final, capped by his double-overtime strike in Game 5 that sent the Senators to the Stanley Cup Final.

European Milestone: Born in Goteborg, Sweden, Ottawa’s Daniel Alfredsson has the opportunity to be the first European captain to hoist the Stanley Cup. Since Peter Stastny became the first European captain in 1985 with the Quebec Nordiques, no European captain has made it to the Stanley Cup Final.

In The Zone: Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final will mark Ottawa’s first game outside the Eastern Time Zone since a March 4 visit to Chicago. Their most recent game in the Pacific Time Zone was Dec. 9, 2005 at Vancouver and most recent visit to California was a three-game road swing to Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Jose on Oct. 15, 17 and 18, 2003.

Giguere’s Time Of Year: In 2003, Ducks G J.S. Giguere captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after he backstopped Anaheim to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Giguere became just the fifth player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as a member of the losing team in the Stanley Cup Final. Entering the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, Giguere boasts a career playoff record of 27-12 with a 1.92 goals-against average and .932 save percentage. His playoff overtime record is 12-1 with 0.24 goals-against average (one goal against in 250:47) and .990 save percentage (101 saves on 102 shots).

Emery Backstops Senators: G Ray Emery has posted a shutout in each round of the 2007 playoffs, April 19 vs. Pittsburgh, 3-0; April 30 vs. New Jersey, 2-0; May 14 vs. Buffalo, 1-0. Emery enters the Stanley Cup Final with a career playoff record of 17-8 with a 2.31 goals-against average in 25 appearances.

Emery never has faced the Ducks, marking the second consecutive year that a starting goaltender in the Stanley Cup Final faced his opponent for the first time. In the 2006 Final, Carolina Hurricanes rookie goaltender Cam Ward had not previously faced the Edmonton Oilers.

Big-Time Trio: The Senators boast hockey’s highest-scoring line, as left wing Dany Heatley, center Jason Spezza and right wing Daniel Alfredsson all finished in among the League’s top 20 regular-season scorers. Heatley ranked fourth (50-55–105), Spezza 15th (34-53–87) and Alfredsson 16th (29-58–87). In the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Heatley and Spezza rank first and second in League scoring with totals of 6-15–21 and 7-13–20, respectively, while Alfredsson is fourth in points with 10-7–17 and leads all players in goals and game-winning goals (four). Including the 2007 postseason, Spezza has not been held pointless in consecutive games since Oct. 12 and Oct. 14, 2006.

PPG Line: The Ducks trio of Corey Perry, Dustin Penner and Ryan Getzlaf is big, young and talented. Perry and Getzlaf, who both turned 22 earlier this month, are 6′3″, 202 lbs. and 6′3″, 211 lbs., respectively. Penner, 24, checks in at 6′4″, 243 lbs. Getzlaf ranks second on the club in playoff scoring with 13 points (five goals, eight assists) and leads the club with three game-winning goals. Perry and Penner have contributed nine and five postseason points.

Encore, Encore: Ducks D Chris Pronger is appearing in the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive season. Pronger led the Edmonton Oilers to the Final in 2005-06 by posting a club-leading 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) and 30:57 in average ice time per game in 24 postseason contests. Pronger’s quest for his first career Stanley Cup fell just short, as the Carolina Hurricanes edged the Oilers in seven games.

Welcome Back: Three members of the 2007 Ducks saw action with the team in the 2003 Stanley Cup Final against New Jersey: C Samuel Pahlsson, C Rob Niedermayer and G Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

Brothers In Arms: The Ducks’ Rob and Scott Niedermayer will be the first brothers to appear in the Final as teammates since the Philadelphia Flyers’ Rich and Ron Sutter in the 1985 Final against Edmonton. The last brother combination to win the Stanley Cup was Brent and Duane Sutter, who captured their second consecutive title together with the New York Islanders in 1983. The Niedermayers became the first set of brothers on opposing clubs in the Stanley Cup Final since 1946 when Scott’s New Jersey Devils defeated Rob’s Ducks in 2003.

Players In The Final With Stanley Cup Rings: Anaheim — D Scott Niedermayer (NJ 94-95, 99-00, 02-03); Ottawa — G Martin Gerber (CAR 05-06).

Bryan Murray’s Link To Anaheim: Senators head coach Bryan Murray spent three years with the Ducks, as head coach in 2001-02 and as general manager in 2002-03 and 2003-04. Murray was named The Hockey News’ Executive of the Year in 2002-03 following a season in which the Ducks posted a 26-point improvement over 2001-02 and reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history. Among Murray’s key moves as GM:

* Named Mike Babcock head coach, May 22, 2002.
* Obtained C Rob Niedermayer from Calgary for D Mike Commodore and G Jean-Francois Damphousse at the trade deadline, Mar. 11, 2003.
* Selected C Ryan Getzlaf and RW Corey Perry with the 19th and 28th picks, respectively, in the first round of the 2003 Entry Draft, June 21, 2003.
* Signed LW Dustin Penner as a free agent, May 12, 2004.

Stanley Cup Final Experience: Senators GM John Muckler is making his seventh trip to the Stanley Cup Final. He was a member of the Edmonton Oilers coaching staff in each of the team’s first six Final appearances, serving as assistant coach from 1983 through 1985, as co-coach in 1987 and 1988 and head coach in 1990. Muckler’s clubs won the Stanley Cup five times in that span. Senators head coach Bryan Murray, in search of his first championship, is making his third trip to the Final: he was general manager of the Florida Panthers in 1996 vs. Colorado and served in the same capacity with the Ducks in 2003 vs. New Jersey.

Need Tickets: Ducks D Sean O’Donnell was born in Kanata, Ont. (where Ottawa’s home rink, Scotiabank Place, is located) and D Kent Huskins was born in Almonte, Ont., 20 miles west of Kanata. Senators backup G Martin Gerber and D Joe Corvo began their NHL careers with Southern California-based clubs; Gerber played for the Ducks in 2002-03 and 2003-04, while Corvo skated in 203 games for the Los Angeles Kings from 2002-03 through 2005-06.

Roster Additions: The five playoff participants acquired by the Ducks and Senators during the regular season — who are now in the Stanley Cup Final — were obtained from clubs that did not qualify for the postseason. The Ducks added LW Brad May from Colorado at the trade deadline on Feb. 27, RW George Parros from Colorado Nov. 13 and D Ric Jackman from Florida Jan. 3. The Senators added LW Oleg Saprykin from Phoenix at the trade deadline and C Mike Comrie from Phoenix Jan. 3.

Longtime Teammates: Although they are paired on the ice infrequently, Senators defensemen Wade Redden and Chris Phillips know each other well. They have been teammates since 1997-98, Phillips’ rookie year with the Senators and Redden’s sophomore campaign. Their nine seasons as teammates is the NHL’s longest active streak among defensemen. Redden was the second overall pick in the 1995 Entry Draft, selected by the New York Islanders and later traded to Ottawa; Phillips was the first overall Entry Draft selection in 1996.

Making It A Habit: Senators backup G Martin Gerber, who backed up Cam Ward in the Hurricanes’ seven-game triumph over the Edmonton Oilers last season, is looking to win the Stanley Cup in successive seasons with different clubs — a feat most recently accomplished by LW Cory Stillman (Tampa Bay 2004, Carolina 2006). This marks Gerber’s third trip to the Stanley Cup Final in his four NHL seasons; he was the substitute goaltender for J.S. Giguere during the Ducks’ run to the Stanley Cup Final in his rookie season of 2002-03.

Tale of the Tape: The Stanley Cup Finalists are nearly identical in average height (Anaheim 6’1�, Ottawa 6’1�) and average weight (Anaheim 204 lbs., Ottawa 206 lbs.). The Senators are slightly younger in average age (Anaheim 28.5, Ottawa 27.4).

The youngest player in the Stanley Cup Final is 21-year-old Ottawa D Andrej Meszaros (10/13/85). The oldest player is 36-year-old Anaheim RW Teemu Selanne (7/3/70).

The oldest player on the Senators roster is captain Daniel Alfredsson, 34 (12/11/72). The last Stanley Cup champion without a player 35 or older was the 1996 Colorado Avalanche. C Dave Hannan (age 34) was their oldest player to appear in the Final.

Trophy Candidates: The Ducks boast three players who are 2006-07 NHL trophy finalists. Defensemen Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger join Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom as the three contenders for the Norris Trophy as top defenseman and center Samuel Pahlsson joins Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour and New Jersey’s Jay Pandolfo as finalists for the Selke Trophy as top defensive forward. Trophy winners will be announced at the 2007 NHL Awards Show, Thursday, June 14 at Toronto’s historic Elgin Theatre (CBC, 8:30 p.m., ET).

We’re Number One: The Stanley Cup Final will feature 17 players who were selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft, nine from Ottawa and eight from Anaheim.

From Ottawa: C Patrick Eaves (#29, by Ottawa, 2003); LW Dany Heatley (#2, by Atlanta, 2000); LW Dean McAmmond (#22, by Chicago, 1991), D Andrej Meszaros (#23, by Ottawa, 2004); D Chris Phillips (#1, by Ottawa, 1996); D Wade Redden (#2, by New York Islanders, 1995), LW Oleg Saprykin (#11, by Calgary, 1999); C Jason Spezza (#2, by Ottawa, 2001); D Anton Volchenkov (#21, by Ottawa, 2000);

From Anaheim: C Ryan Getzlaf (#19, by Anaheim, 2003); G J.S. Giguere (#13, by Hartford, 1995); LW Brad May (#14, by Buffalo, 1990); C Rob Niedermayer (#5, by Florida, 1993); D Scott Niedermayer (#3, by New Jersey, 1991); RW Corey Perry (#28, by Anaheim, 2003); D Chris Pronger (#2 overall, by Hartford, 1993); RW Teemu Selanne (#10, by Winnipeg, 1988).

Senators’ Big Hitter: Ottawa RW Chris Neil led the NHL in regular-season hits with 288 and ranks seventh in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 41.

Wall-Chenkov: Senators D Anton Volchenkov led all NHL players in blocked shots with 273 during the regular season and ranks first in the postseason with 61.

College Days (1): Ducks RW Dustin Penner (Maine) scored the game-winning goal against Boston College in the 2004 semifinal of the NCAA Frozen Four. Anaheim RW Ryan Shannon and Ottawa RW Patrick Eaves both played for Boston College, with Shannon scoring BC’s only goal in the 2-1 defeat.

College Days (2): Senators RW Patrick Eaves and Ducks RW Ryan Shannon, teammates at Boston College for three years, shared the Norman F. Dailey Award in 2004-05 as the team’s Most Valuable Player.

College Days (3):  Ducks C Andy McDonald (Colgate) and Senators C Mike Comrie (Michigan) were finalists for the Hobey Baker Award in 2000 as the top player in U.S. college hockey. Comrie helped end McDonald’s college career when his shot was tipped in overtime for a 4-3 win in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Anaheim Ducks

Western Conference Quarterfinal, Anaheim vs. Minnesota (4-1)
April 11    vs. Minnesota    W    2-1
April 13    vs. Minnesota    W    3-2
April 15    at Minnesota    W    2-1
April 17    at Minnesota    L    1-4
April 19    vs. Minnesota    W    4-1

Western Conference Semifinal, Anaheim vs. Vancouver (4-1)
April 25    vs. Vancouver    W    5-1
April 27    vs. Vancouver    L    1-2 (2 OT)
April 29    at Vancouver    W    3-2
May 1    at Vancouver    W    3-2 (OT)
May 3    vs. Vancouver    W    2-1 (2 OT)

Western Conference Final, Anaheim vs. Detroit (4-2)
May 11    at Detroit    L    1-2
May 13    at Detroit    W    4-3 (OT)
May 15    vs. Detroit    W    0-5
May 17    vs. Detroit    L    5-3
May 20    at Detroit    W    2-1 (OT)
May 22    vs. Detroit    W    4-3

Ottawa Senators

Eastern Conference Quarterfinal, Ottawa vs. Pittsburgh (4-1)
April 11    vs. Pittsburgh    W    6-3
April 14    vs. Pittsburgh    L    3-4
April 15    at Pittsburgh    W    4-2
April 17    at Pittsburgh    W    2-1
April 19    vs. Pittsburgh    W    3-0

Eastern Conference Semifinal, Ottawa vs. New Jersey (4-1)
April 26    at New Jersey    W    5-4
April 28    at New Jersey    L    2-3 (2 OT)
April 30    vs. New Jersey    W    2-0
May 2    vs. New Jersey    W    3-2
May 5    at New Jersey    W    3-2