Bryzgalov’s Record Is Deceiving

Goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov looks at his 1-6-0 record with dismay, but those numbers are mostly a product of the times with a struggling team.

“I know it doesn’t look good in the paper, but I think I’ve played better” than the record shows, the rookie said Saturday. “You can see the games. ... You’re working hard and you want to win the games. When the record is down, you think, ‘What do I have to do now?’ ”

The 25-year-old Russian, the backup to Jean-Sebastien Giguere, has a respectable 3.23 goals-against average and .900 save percentage in nine games.

With Giguere sidelined the last two games by a strained hamstring, Bryzgalov started against Dallas and Colorado and stopped 62 of 69 shots, but the Ducks lost both, extending their losing streak to seven games. The Ducks have scored 15 goals in Bryzgalov’s six starts.

“When I play more games, I learn something from every game,” said Bryzgalov, who spent most of the previous four seasons with Cincinnati of the American Hockey League. “Every game is different, there’s different players. You learn [about] players and their different gifts, their styles. I think in the future, it’ll help me when I play.”

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Right wing Teemu Selanne scored Friday against Colorado after going without a goal for seven games. Some other offensive players have yet to break loose.

Center Rob Niedermayer’s last goal was Oct. 28 against St. Louis. Forward Andy McDonald hasn’t scored in seven games. Wings Petr Sykora and Joffrey Lupul are on six-game goal-less streaks.

“Obviously that’s been a shortcoming of ours,” Coach Randy Carlyle said. “We have to find ways to put those players in situations that allow them more opportunities to score more goals.”

TODAY

vs. Vancouver, 1 p.m., Ch. 9

Site -- Arrowhead Pond.

Radio -- 1090.

Records -- Ducks 7-9-2-2; Canucks 12-6-1-1.

Record vs. Canucks (2003-04) -- 2-2-0-0.

Update -- Giguere said he might play today although he is more likely to return Tuesday in Phoenix. Left wing Kip Brennan (shoulder strain) should be available after sitting out the last four games.