NEUTRAL ZONE

A fine line

* It just seemed right that the Ducks’ checking line of Samuel Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer and Travis Moen carried them to a Cup-ending victory Wednesday. Moen scored two goals, Niedermayer added another and Pahlsson finished with a plus-three rating for the game, all while the three players shut down whatever scoring combination they faced from the Senators.

MIA

* Ottawa Coach Bryan Murray scrambled his lines, but he did not get anything from Dany Heatley, who skated on a line with Mike Comrie and Chris Kelly. They each finished with a negative rating while failing to produce any offense for the Senators.

Save of the game

* Defenseman Francois Beauchemin was an unsung hero for the Ducks throughout the postseason, and he displayed his defensive skills when he kept Ottawa from a sure goal in the first period. With the Ducks leading, 1-0, Beauchemin swatted away a point-blank shot by the Senators’ Jason Spezza, who had a chance at an open net from outside the right post.

Turning point

* After Ottawa closed within 2-1 in the second period, defenseman Chris Phillips made an ill-advised play that cost the Senators. After being pressured by Chris Kunitz behind the Ottawa goal, Phillips attempted a cross-ice pass through the crease, but the puck deflected off goaltender Ray Emery’s skate into the net to give the Ducks a two-goal lead, with Moen getting credit for the score.

Three stars

* 1. Andy McDonald, Ducks forward: After scoring two goals in Game 4, McDonald got the Ducks off to a good start with a first-period score and added an assist on Beauchemin’s second-period goal.

* 2. Travis Moen, Ducks forward: Moen, known as a defensive specialist, picked up two goals, including a nifty redirection score off a slap shot from Scott Niedermayer in the third period.

* 3. Francois Beauchemin, Ducks defenseman: All Beauchemin did was score a goal, save a goal and deliver two big hits while playing 29:39 in 28 shifts.