Hiller is up to the task

The Ducks’ Jonas Hiller is playing like a million bucks. Make that $18 million.

Four days after receiving a rich four-year contract extension, Hiller made 46 saves in a 3-1 victory over Detroit on Wednesday at the Honda Center.

The win pulled the Ducks to three points out of a tie for the final Western Conference playoff spot as they prepare to play the Kings on Thursday night at Staples Center.

“I think he has the confidence that he can play, and he’s proven it to us,” Coach Randy Carlyle said.

The performances that earned Hiller the Ducks’ No. 1 goalie role have only gotten sharper since his new contract and the trade of goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere to Toronto.

“I don’t look at him as a real second-year or third-year player,” Carlyle said of Hiller, who is playing in only his third NHL season but turns 28 this month.

“I look at him as more of a veteran guy, just because of his age group and the experiences he’s already had in Europe and then last year in the playoffs,” Carlyle said. “He doesn’t seem to be a guy that has a lot of peaks and valleys.”

It has been mostly peaks lately. Since the beginning of January, Hiller is 11-4.

Over the last three games, including a shutout against Florida on Monday, he has stopped 109 of 111 shots for a .982 save percentage and a 0.65 goals-against average.

The only goal he gave up Wednesday came on a power play with nine seconds left in the second period, when Pavel Datsyuk -- a player he robbed earlier with a glove save as he skated in alone on the Ducks’ net -- beat him high on the glove side.

The goal ended a shutout streak that started during a victory over Tampa Bay on Friday at 155 minutes 3 seconds, making it the longest of Hiller’s career.

The Red Wings, one of the teams the Ducks are chasing for the final playoff spot, made him work plenty hard, with 21 shots in the second period.

“It’s fun to play when you get a lot of shots. It’s also a little tiring,” Hiller said, expressing a bit of concern about the shot total knowing he’ll face the Kings in the second of back-to-back games.

A strong start gave Hiller a 3-0 cushion against the Red Wings, who played for the Stanley Cup last season but have struggled unexpectedly, in part because of injuries.

Defenseman Ryan Whitney gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead only 1:11 into the game on a shot from the point. Whitney, a native of Massachusetts, could be in the mix as a possible late addition to the U.S. Olympic team after New Jersey Devils defenseman Paul Martin withdrew because of injury.

Kyle Chipchura made it 2-0 at 16:13 with a deflection of a shot by Steve Eminger that was reviewed, but stood. Bobby Ryan scored his team-leading 25th at 8:55 of the second period.

Etc.

Ryan’s goal tied the 22-year-old, who will play for the U.S. team in the Vancouver Olympics, with New Jersey’s Zach Parise for most in the NHL this season by an American-born player. . . . The Ducks assigned defenseman Nick Boynton to Manitoba of the American Hockey League after he cleared waivers, and recalled winger Matt Beleskey from minor league affiliate Bakersfield.

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robynnorwood@verizon.net