Hiller will try to turn the losing tide for Ducks

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The Ducks are planning to start Jonas Hiller in goal tonight against the Edmonton Oilers at Honda Center. The switch comes after Anaheim dropped its third straight game last night -- only three games into their season -- and is designed to give Jean-Sebastien Giguere a break.

I’m surprised Giguere didn’t get whiplash with all the shots that whizzed past him during the 6-3 drubbing by the Kings -- another dumbfounding loss.

Hiller, for his part, was more than capable when called upon last season. The 26-year-old Swede posted a 10-7-1 record with a 2.06 goals-against average in 23 games.

‘I’ll try my best to help the team and keep them in the game,’ Hiller said after this morning’s skate.

That might seem like a simple goal, but just about every player and coach on the Ducks I’ve spoken to has said that the team needs to improve its overall effort if it hopes to end this free-fall.

Giguere said it’s good the Ducks are playing a game within 24 hours of their loss to the Kings, a game in which they reverted to bad habits by committing 11 minor penalties, which led to three power-play goals. At this early stage, the best thing for the Ducks to do is to win a game.

‘We need a win to start thinking positive,’ Giguere said. ‘You need practice throughout the year and that’s not going to change. We all know the system. We have been here for many years. We know what [Coach Randy Carlyle] expects from us. We just have to go out there and do it and have fun with it.’

That seems easier said than done right now.

-- Dan Arritt