Change is part of Carlyle’s plan

The use of interchangeable players is commonplace in the NHL, but in the Ducks’ case, the beauty is how well players adjust on the fly.

That was the case Wednesday in Anaheim’s home opener, a 2-1 victory over Boston.

With the score tied, 1-1, after two periods, Coach Randy Carlyle juggled his lineup and rotated veterans Brad May and Todd Marchant on a line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.

“We’re not afraid of moving people. . . Sometimes it is an individual not working, sometimes it is a group of them not working, sometimes, it’s just not working,” Carlyle said.

“You have to be able to read those situations as a coaching staff and you have to go with your gut feeling in who will give you your best opportunity to have success.”

Last season, Carlyle’s hunches were right on the money as the Ducks rolled through the playoffs to a Stanley Cup title, even though some observers said it was easy to make lineup moves because of the one-two punch of defensemen Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger.

But Niedermayer is not with the Ducks and Carlyle showed Wednesday he still has the touch.

“I would definitely say it’s an advantage for us,” said May, who played only 7 minutes 45 seconds Wednesday but was on the ice for key minutes early in the third period. “We all recognize that there’s always a chance that it’s coming.”

Carlyle is not one to tip his players to an upcoming change.

“Oh, no,” May said. “He calls his line out and if he calls your name, you’re in.”

After getting a day off, the Ducks had an extended practice Friday and the highlight of the workout was goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

“He didn’t leave early,” Carlyle said with a smile of Giguere, who was sidelined by surgery to repair a hernia during the summer. “That’s a good sign.”

Giguere wants to play against Minnesota.

“I’m feeling good, almost there. Hopefully by Sunday, I will be ready,” he said. “But at this point and time of the year, it’s smart to be patient.”

To make room for Giguere in case he’s activated, the Ducks assigned right wing Jason King to Portland of the American Hockey League.

Carlyle said defenseman Mathieu Schneider, sidelined since the exhibition season because of a broken ankle, has stepped up rehabilitation but a return date is uncertain. . . . Winger Mark Mowers, picked up in a trade from Boston last month, worked on a line with Andy McDonald and Todd Bertuzzi.

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lonnie.white@latimes.com