Giguere Is Working to Survive Shootouts

Jean-Sebastien Giguere has been involved in all seven of the Mighty Ducks’ shootouts, and the veteran goaltender is the first to say that he hasn’t fared well in the NHL’s new regular-season tiebreaker. The Ducks have lost five of those seven.

With the Ducks’ propensity for playing close, low-scoring games, Giguere said he expects there will be many more games heading past regulation and past overtime -- hence the need to perform better in those one-on-one shootout battles.

“It’s going to be the norm,” Giguere said. “That’s why it’s important to be good at them.”

Giguere hasn’t been, giving up 10 goals on 23 shots -- including three goals on five shots Monday against the Kings. Across the league, shooters have been successful one-third of the time.

The 28-year-old goalie has been working more with goaltending consultant Francois Allaire on the ice and in the video room, noting that he has been making up for lost time after fighting hamstring and groin injuries early in the season.

Giguere dismissed the idea that his butterfly style and emphasis on positioning don’t work well in a shootout format.

“It’s not my strength, but if I work on it every day or every time I have a chance to work on it, I’ll get better,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll make it to where we’re more competitive in that aspect.

“In shootouts, a lot of it is confidence. The more I work on it, the more I’ll find a way to do it and be more comfortable with it.”

Coach Randy Carlyle isn’t concerned about Giguere’s abilities in the shootout.

“It’s not like we ignore [it],” Carlyle said. “We spend time with the video. Frankie works with him. We analyze where he’s at, where we think there could be some changes and practice that.”

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With the Ducks playing 10 games in the next 20 days, Scott Niedermayer was given a day off after playing 25 minutes 39 seconds Monday night. He averages a team-high 25:20.

“You can’t play a guy 25, 26 minutes a night without giving him some form of opportunity [to rest],” Carlyle said.

TONIGHT

vs. Edmonton, 7, FSN West

Site -- Arrowhead Pond.

Radio -- 1090.

Records -- Ducks 21-16-10, Oilers 25-18-6.

Record vs. Oilers -- 0-1-0.

Update -- Edmonton, 3-5-2 in its last 10 games, spoiled the Ducks’ home opener Oct. 10 with a 4-2 victory. The Ducks have closed to within four points of Edmonton and have two games left against the Oilers, including tonight’s, which is starting 30 minutes earlier than normal to accommodate a national telecast in Canada.

Tickets -- (877) 945-3946.