It was a birthday to remember for Chris Kreider. The former New York Rangers forward turned 35 on Thursday and celebrated in style, helping his new team, the Anaheim Ducks, punch their ticket to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Kreider, who was traded from the Rangers to the Ducks last June, delivered a vintage performance in Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round. He scored his first goal of the series and added two assists for a three-point night, powering Anaheim to a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers at Honda Center. The win sealed the series 4-2 for the Pacific Division's No. 3 seed, setting up a second-round matchup against either the Vegas Golden Knights or Utah Mammoth.

The series victory was a long time coming for the Ducks. It marked their first playoff series win since they defeated the Oilers in seven games in the Western Conference Second Round nine years ago. Anaheim had missed the postseason entirely since 2018, when they were swept by the San Jose Sharks in the opening round. After a tough 4-1 loss in Game 5 on the road, the Ducks bounced back emphatically, ending Edmonton's bid for a third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance.

"We learned a lot about ourselves in this series, and we got better as this series went on," Kreider said after the win. "They've got a very good team. We stepped up when we needed to and got some timely goals and timely goaltending."

Kreider opened the scoring with a blistering one-timer from inside the right circle, beating Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram to the short side. He added two assists to finish the series with five points, six shots on goal, 16 hits, and a plus-4 rating in six games. His line with Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry was unstoppable in the clincher, combining for nine points—each player scoring a goal and adding two assists.

For Kreider, the goal was his 49th career playoff tally—but his first since May 20, 2024, when he scored for the Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers. His 48 postseason goals remain the most in Rangers history, and he sits third in postseason points behind Brian Leetch (89) and Mark Messier (80).

Now in a new uniform, Kreider is writing another chapter in his playoff legacy—and what better way to celebrate a birthday than with a series-clinching win?