Anaheim has now knocked off the Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars and Wild, while Minnesota's first postseason run ends with seven-game, comeback triumphs over Colorado and Vancouver and the four-game ouster at the hands of the Mighty Ducks. Mike Babcock also became the first rookie coach to reach the Stanley Cup Finals since 1996 when Florida's Doug MacLean made it with the Panthers.

"Somebody asked me when did we start believing and I think all year long it was a process that Babs talked about and we got better and better," Oates said in regards to his team's magical run in the Playoffs. "In the second half of the year we got better. I would say that in Games 1 and 2 in Detroit Giguer set the tone that we've been riding ever since."

"It's pretty special any time you have success and your team has worked like our team has to get better," Babcock said. "It's pretty special to be involved with such a good group of guys."

Babcock's team came out flying early, but Manny Fernandez was sharp from the get-go for the Wild. The Minnesota netminder had to make three saves on the Mighty Ducks in a 29 second span during the opening 90 seconds of Game 4 in order to keep the Wild from falling behind early.

Fernandez first stopped Petr Sykora on a wrist shot 44 seconds in, then Sandis Ozolinsh let a slapper go 21 seconds after that and Steve Thomas came knocking from the left point 18 seconds later with a blast that Fernandez was able to turn away.

Fernandez held the fort until his teammates finally solved the near flawless goaltending of Giguere.

After three-straight shutout losses, Minnesota finally broke through on Giguere at 4:37 with a power-play goal by Andrew Brunette.

With Anaheim defenseman Ruslan Salei off for holding, Minnesota took advantage of being up a man when Brunette scored his seventh of the postseason. Veteran Cliff Ronning got the play started with a shot from the right point that Brunette was able to deflect behind Giguere for the Wild's first goal and lead of the series.

The goal ended Giguere's shutout steak at 217:44, which is the fifth longest in NHL history.

But the Ducks got on the board a little over four minutes later on the power play when Adam Oates potted his fourth goal of the Playoffs. The play started innocently enough when Anaheim defenseman Niclas Havelid dumped the puck into the Minnesota end from center ice. The puck landed behind the Wild net and Anaheim forward Mike Leclerc beat everyone to the loose puck and tried to send a quick pass around the side boards, but the puck redirected off Andrei Zyuzin's skate and landed in front of Minnesota's net. Unfortunately for the Wild, neither Brad Bombardir nor Fernandez could get a handle on the loose puck and Oates proceeded to pounce on it and deposit it into the net to tie the game up, 1-1.

Oates gave his team their first lead of the game when he connected once again on the power play in the second period.

At 17:21 the Mighty Ducks almost went up 2-1, but Samuel Pahlsson's rebound try clanked the post behind Fernandez. Paul Kariya let a slapper go from the left boards that Fernandez got his glove on, but couldn't hold on. Pahlsson jumped on the rebound between Wes Walz and Willie Mitchell, but couldn't find the back of the twine, keeping the game knotted at 1-1.

The Wild missed out on a great scoring chance of their own with 2:02 left in the period when Bombardir rang a shot off the post. Brunette started the play by backhanding a pass from behind the net to Bombardir, who quickly one-timed the dish on goal from just below the right circle. The puck beat Giguere but rang off the far post and then landed behind the stunned netminder. Giguere promptly fell on the loose puck to end the Wild threat.

Oates gave his team their first lead of the game when he connected once again on the power play in the second period.

With Nick Schultz off for tripping, Oates decided to park himself in front of the Wild net and it paid off in a big way for the savvy veteran and his team, as Oates once again jumped on a loose puck in front of the Minnesota goal to give his team a 2-1 lead at 9:31 of the second.

Leclerc started the play off by throwing the puck in front form behind the Wild net. Minnesota defender Filip Kuba tried to break up the play, but instead of clearing the puck out of harm's way, he deflected the puck right to Oates, who buried the chance past a helpless Fernandez.

Fernandez kept his team in the game right after the following faceoff when he stoned Leclerc from in front. At 9:49 of the second Rob Niedermayer entered the Minnesota zone on the right side and sent a backhand pass cross ice to Steve Rucchin, who one-touched a pass to Leclerc in the right slot. Leclerc cut in on Fernandez and let go a low shot that the sprawled Wild netminder got his right pad on to keep the game 2-1.

"It was a great birthday present. It's something I've been dreaming of since I was a kid." - J-S Giguere

Giguere performed some magic of his own on his 26th birthday in the second. One of his best tricks came with 7:43 left when he stopped Zyuzin cold from in close on the power play. With Keith Carney in the box for obstruction holding, Pierre-Marc Bouchard started the play when he sent a pass from the right side down low to Brunette, who quickly sent a pass across the Anaheim crease to a wide-open Zyuzin, who one-timed the feed which Giguere turned aside with his right pad.

Ronning got into the act on the same power play, but he too was also turned away by Giguere. The center let a slap shot go from the top of the left circle that Giguere was able to hold on to for a whistle.

Fernandez was once again asked to make a good save before the second period expired as Kariya let a rocket go from the top of the left circle that the "Minny" goalie had to be huge on. Fernandez snatched Kariya's attempt with his glove to keep the game 2-1.

In the final period, "Giggy" was once again called on to carry his team. He turned away all seven shots he faced, including a point-blank, backhand shot by Sergei Zholtok with 10 seconds left in what turned out to be the final period of the series to earn his team its first berth to the Stanley Cup Finals. In all Giguere stopped 24 of the 25 shots the Wild fired his way.

"It was a great birthday present," Giguere said in regards to advancing to the Finals. "It's something I've been dreaming of since I was a kid. Just to be part of this is exceptional, but it's only the beginning. Every game is going to be exciting."