Giguere Shows Promise in 2-1 Loss

The Ducks got Jiggy with it Saturday night. That’s Jiggy as in Jean-Sebastien Giguere, another in a long line of impressive French-Canadian goaltenders hoping to make his mark in the NHL.

Giguere (say it: Zhee-gair) played for the first time in a Duck uniform, starting in a 2-1 exhibition loss to the San Jose Sharks at San Jose Arena. He showed glimpses of his talent, stopping 15 of 17 shots while playing the first two periods of the Ducks’ exhibition opener.

The Ducks expect Giguere to excel--perhaps not immediately, but soon. That’s why Pierre Gauthier, team president and general manager, acquired him from the Calgary Flames on June 10 in exchange for a second-round draft pick.

To be sure, the Ducks can afford to be patient with Giguere, 23. But sharp performances in exhibition games coupled with a strong training camp could enable Giguere to supplant veteran Dominic Roussel as Guy Hebert’s backup. It also could inspire Hebert to regain his form quicker after a subpar 1999-2000 season in which he was 28-31-9 with a 2.51 goals-against average.

“I don’t want to even think about the other goalies and what they’re doing,” Giguere said the other day. “I’m just focused on trying to stop the puck. That’s what I’m here for.”

Training camp represents a fresh start for Giguere, who was to be left unprotected by the Flames in the June expansion draft. He was 1-3-1 for the Flames, including a victory over the Ducks, but spent most of the season in the minors and was the odd man out in Calgary.

“It’s a new team for me,” he said. “Everybody is anxious to see what I can do. I’m anxious to show them what I can do. . . . I spent three years in the minors. I’ve learned what I could learn there. Obviously, it’s up to me to show them I’m ready.”

In fact, the Ducks had a pretty fair indication of Giguere’s abilities when he turned back 31 shots in a 3-1 Calgary victory Dec. 29, 1999. What’s more, Giguere attended Duck goalie consultant Francois Allaire’s hockey school as a youngster in Montreal.

“I’ve worked with Francois for my entire career,” Giguere said. “I’m familiar with the style he wants his goalies to play. I was a demonstrator for the junior kids at his camp this summer.”

Giguere spent about 10 days at Allaire’s camp, joining other young French-Canadian goalies such as Fredric Chabot and Patrick Lalime before arriving in Anaheim last month.

“Obviously, being from Montreal you have to look up to Patrick Roy,” Giguere said when asked if he admires the former Montreal Canadien and current Colorado Avalanche goalie. “All the Quebec goalies want to play like him.”

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The Sharks didn’t come close to putting an NHL-caliber squad on the ice Saturday. How could they? Eight players, including captain Owen Nolan and goalie Steve Shields, are holdouts. . . . Chris O’Sullivan had the Ducks’ goal. Tony Granato and Niklas Sundstrom scored for the Sharks. . . . The Ducks play the second of three exhibitions tonight against the Kings at Staples Center. They also play Monday against the Phoenix Coyotes at the Arrowhead Pond.