Selanne puts on brave face

In a move aimed to have Teemu Selanne ready for tonight’s Game 5 against Vancouver, Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle gave the veteran winger the day off Wednesday.

It can only help, considering the bruising relationship Selanne has been having with hockey sticks and pucks. Selanne has helped lead the Ducks to a 3-1 edge over the Canucks in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.

But the toll of these playoffs on Selanne’s face hasn’t been pretty.

“Teemu’s just unlucky lately,” goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere said. “It all started last year in the Olympics when he lost a few teeth. It’s just been going on since then. The good thing is, he’s been wearing a visor.”

It would be a vast understatement to say that Selanne was a little beat-up after the Ducks’ 3-2 overtime victory in Game 4 on Tuesday.

Selanne’s entire face is swollen and bruised from the various collisions he’s had throughout the first two rounds, a total of nine games. His right eye is filled with blood, his cheek is held together with stitches and a huge welt protrudes from his chin, giving his head a lumpy look.

“Those are the type of things hockey players are known for,” Carlyle said of Selanne, who sent Game 4 into overtime with a timely third-period goal. “They are not going to let those type of incidents affect their performance. He’s a perfect example of that.

“I don’t think any [of the hits] have been intentional. Just the wrong place at the wrong time. But I think that his modeling career will be put on hold for a while.”

Maybe not, Giguere suggested Wednesday.

“I don’t know, some women like that old, rugged look,” Giguere said with a laugh.

Selanne’s resiliency has been just one part of the story for the Ducks, who have yet to play their best hockey in the playoffs but are one victory away from advancing to the conference finals for the second season in a row.

Just check out the NHL playoff statistics sheet heading into Wednesday night:

* The Ducks led all teams in penalty killing, giving up three goals in 50 short-handed situations (94.0%).

* The Ducks had the fourth-best power play with nine goals in 48 man advantages.

* Giguere trailed only Dallas’ Marty Turco in goals-against average (1.42) and save percentage (.950).

* Chris Pronger, who jump-started Tuesday’s Game 2 come-from-behind win with his third goal of the playoffs, led all defensemen in scoring with 11 points.

* Out of the five players tied for most power-play goals with three, two were Ducks -- Andy McDonald and Francois Beauchemin.

“We know that we still have a long way to go,” forward Corey Perry said about the Ducks’ Stanley Cup run. The Canucks “are going to come out with their best effort and we have to be ready to match their intensity.”

“It’s going to be a hard-fought game and every one-on-one battle we’re going to have to win. That’s going to be the key,” he said, “and it’s been the key to this series.”

And that means more sticks and pucks coming at Selanne, who has three goals and six points in the playoffs, barely missing a shift despite his injuries.

“Teemu has sure had his fair share,” Carlyle said of Selanne’s head injuries. “Accidental high sticks, pucks. Whatever you want to call it. They surely have gone against him. But it’s just one of those things that he’s persevered.

“He’s been able to still display that passion and enjoyment for the game, while battling through those difficult times. Nobody likes getting a puck to the head or a stick to the face.”

It’s a toughness that Selanne’s teammates have noticed.

“Teemu’s not afraid to get his nose dirty,” Giguere said. “He goes into the corners and finishes his checks, gets in front of the net. That’s how he’s been able to score so many goals. Every once in a while, you’re going to get a stick in the face, but that’s just a testament of his work ethic.”

A testament that can also be said about the Ducks.

lonnie.white@latimes.com