Anaheim Ducks' Scott Niedermeyer (right) and brother Rob celebrate with the Stanley Cup after Game Five of the finals in Anaheim on Wednesday night. - Reuters

ANAHEIM, California (Reuters):

THE ANAHEIM Ducks tamed the Ottawa Senators 6-2 on Wednesday night to clinch their first Stanley Cup and extend a painful title drought for hockey-mad Canadians.

After the crushing disappointment of losing the Cup in seven games to the New Jersey Devils in 2003, the Ducks would not let a second opportunity slip through their fingers and took the best-of-seven series 4-1.

Anaheim became the first California-based team to hoist the treasured trophy.

"It's one of those things that it's kind of surreal at this point," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said.

"You can't really fathom that we've got it done."

Andy McDonald's powerplay goal just over three minutes into the first period gave the Ducks a lead they would never surrender, netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere making 11 saves, including one on a third-period penalty shot, to seal the win.

Wild applause

The Sens' defeat was another blow to long-suffering Canadian hockey fans who have not celebrated a Stanley Cup since Montreal claimed the crown in 1993 - the season before the Ducks had played their first game.

As confetti poured down from the roof of the Honda Center, Ducks captain and All-Star defenceman Scott Niedermayer took the trophy from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, raised it high above his head and paraded it around the arena to wild applause from the orange-clad home crowd.

Niedermayer, a three-times Stanley Cup winner with the Devils, added more silverware to his trophy case by winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the play-offs.

"I can't believe how fortunate that I've been able to do this," said Niedermayer, after passing the cup to his brother and teammate Rob. "This one is one you can only dream of, passing it to your brother.

"To be able to do that is definitely a highlight of my career."

New era

Ottawa were attempting something only one team, the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, had done before - erase a 3-1 deficit to lift the Cup.

The Ducks, meanwhile, were a perfect 3-0 in deciding games at the Honda Center this post-season, eliminating the Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings on home ice.

McDonald and Rob Niedermayer staked the Ducks to a 2-0 first period lead before Daniel Alfredsson gave the Senators a lift midway through the second when his shot from the slot glanced off a Ducks defenceman past Giguere to make it 2-1.

But any momentum the Senators built from that goal was snuffed out when Ottawa defenceman Chris Phillips tried to bring the puck out from behind his own net, only for it to get caught in netminder Ray Emery's skate and slip into his own goal.

Travis Moen was credited with the score as the last Duck to touch the puck.

Alfredsson again pulled the Senators to within one with a shorthanded tally but the Ducks hit back 50 seconds later on a goal from Francois Beauchemin to send Anaheim into the final period with a 4-2 cushion.

Moen and Corey Perry ended any chance of an Ottawa comeback with third period goals