Ducks Are Enjoying a Break of the Games

In the middle of a possible Stanley Cup run, the Mighty Ducks’ Teemu Selanne took a day to play a round of golf with a group of buddies.

Selanne did pretty well too, as he left the course with a few more dollars in his wallet.

“It was a great day,” he said with a gap-toothed smile. “Let’s just say I made a little money.”

Shouldn’t the idea of playing golf in the middle of the postseason be unthinkable? Not when the Ducks have at least seven days between games after disposing of the Colorado Avalanche in a four-game sweep Thursday night.

With the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers certain to play Game 6 Wednesday night, the earliest the Western Conference finals can begin is Friday. If the teams have to play a Game 7 on Friday, the Ducks might not begin until May 21 and would have a nine-day break.

For a team that has won six consecutive playoff games, the potential scenarios raise the question: Will rest lead to rust?

“Personally, I don’t think so,” winger Jeff Friesen said. “I don’t see how rest would hurt you. Unless your frame of mind goes. If you use the time properly and focus on what you do, your preparation for your opponent and how you play will be the difference.”

The Ducks took Friday off and met with the media Saturday. They will take today off before resuming their chase for a second Stanley Cup finals appearance in the last three seasons.

Three years ago, the Ducks swept Minnesota in the conference finals and had to wait 10 days to play again as New Jersey and Ottawa went seven games in the Eastern finals. The extra rest didn’t have the desired effect as the Devils won Games 1 and 2 decisively on the way to winning the Cup in seven.

Forward Rob Niedermayer, who was on that Duck team, isn’t worried about a similar fate. He also doesn’t think the extra time off then was the major reason for their sluggish play.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a big issue,” Niedermayer said. “We’re going to be ready. It doesn’t matter who we play. I think everyone in here knows the importance of starting off on a good foot.

“We were a bit rusty the first game, but we just got outplayed those games. That was a different time.”

The break is coming at a point after the Ducks played 11 playoff games in 21 days. While there is the thought of wanting to continue on with the team on a roll, many players looked forward to having time to rest.

“A few guys in here have some bumps and bruises and you just want to feel healthy again,” Niedermayer said. “I think once that’s done, then you want to get back going again. It’s a little bit long, but we’ll be ready.”

Duck Coach Randy Carlyle said he understands they’ll be judged by how they perform in the first game of their next series.

“There has to be an understanding that there’s more,” Carlyle said. “The next one is going to be harder. There’s going to be more work put in and more sacrifice to make.

“That’s the thing about sports. If it works, it’s great. If it doesn’t, you’re open for criticism.”

The break is allowing some players, such as center Todd Marchant and left wing Todd Fedoruk, to return home and visit their families. Duck captain Scott Niedermayer said he has also been able to have quality time with his wife and three sons.

Selanne made the most of his time on the golf course. Carlyle isn’t minding that.

“There’s a human side to it,” Carlyle said. “These guys like to do that during the summer. We ask them to prepare themselves in a normal manner. If an afternoon of golf after practice is what they feel they would like to do, they can do that.

“We’re not restricting. But I don’t want them to go water-skiing or skydiving.”

Friesen, who was with the Devils three years ago, said players understand what is at stake.

“We’re a team that has a goal to win the Stanley Cup,” he said. “Our frame of mind, our mental approach from day one, has been unbelievable. That’s just something that we can’t lose in this break.

“We have the opportunity of a lifetime. That’s something where you can’t let distractions get in the way.”

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Saving grace

Rookie goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov of the Mighty Ducks has stopped 200 of 207 shots in the playoffs. A game-by-game breakdown of Bryzgalov’s performance:

FIRST ROUND VS. CALGARY FLAMES

*--* GAME SITE SCORE SHOTS SAVES PCT. GAME 1 Calgary Flames, 2-1 (OT) 30 28 933 GAME 2 Calgary Ducks, 4-3 DNP DNP -- GAME 3 Pond Flames, 5-2 DNP DNP -- GAME 4 Pond Ducks, 3-2 (OT) DNP DNP -- GAME 5 Calgary Flames, 3-2 * 19 19 1.000 GAME 6 Pond Ducks, 2-1 19 18 947 GAME 7 Calgary Ducks, 3-0 22 22 1.000

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CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS VS. COLORADO AVALANCHE

*--* GAME SITE SCORE SHOTS SAVES PCT. GAME 1 Pond Ducks, 5-0 29 29 1.000 GAME 2 Pond Ducks, 3-0 19 19 1.000 GAME 3 Colorado Ducks, 4-3 29 26 897 GAME 4 Colorado Ducks, 4-1 40 39 975

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* - Bryzgalov replaced Jean-Sebastien Giguere early in second period.