Ducks’ Goal Is to Stay in Hunt

Before anyone suggests that the Mighty Ducks have finally met an obstacle they can’t conquer in the Stanley Cup playoffs, second-year forward Joffrey Lupul will quickly review what they have done.

“We were in a situation where we were going to be a team that wasn’t even going to be close to making the playoffs,” Lupul said. “We’ve bounced back and faced our share of adversity this year.

“This is no different. We’ve got to win one game at home. That’s all we got to do.”

Lupul is right. To avoid elimination tonight, all the Ducks need to do is win Game 6 at the Arrowhead Pond in their Western Conference quarterfinal series against the Calgary Flames. Accomplish that and a decisive seventh game will be played Wednesday night.

If only this situation were no different from the regular season. In November, the Ducks were stumbling around with an eight-game losing streak. As late as March, they were sitting on the outskirts of the playoffs.

But they could afford a loss or two then. There were still games to play.

It is different now. Another defeat and a season, one that has been full of rewards, is over.

“There’s not a whole lot to worry about other than going out and playing as hard as we can to try to stay alive and force another game,” Duck captain Scott Niedermayer said. “It explains itself pretty clearly.”

As they went through an optional skating session at the Pond on Sunday, the Ducks sought to forget a discouraging 3-2 Game 5 loss Saturday in which they were thoroughly outplayed until the final minutes of regulation.

They took solace from the fact that as the teams have traded victories, the losing one has responded with a determined effort the next time out.

Forward Teemu Selanne said the Ducks played so poorly “that it wasn’t funny anymore.”

“We didn’t even give ourselves a chance to win,” he said of Saturday’s game. “We have to regroup and begin as new.”

To send the series back to Calgary, the Ducks know they must clamp down on Flame captain Jarome Iginla. Iginla has tormented them with a series-best five goals, with two in each of the last two games.

Duck goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere said the forward was “probably one of the top five players in the league.”

Said rookie defenseman Francois Beauchemin: “You just got to limit his chances, stay close to him and give him less time when he’s got the puck.”

The Ducks also may have a tough net decision.

Giguere was pulled Saturday after giving up all three Calgary goals in eight shots in little more than a period. The 28-year-old veteran, who hasn’t been sharp, may still be dealing with a late-season lower-body injury, as well as having the shadow of his brilliant 2003 playoff performance looming over him.

Rookie Ilya Bryzgalov filled in well for the injured Giguere in a 2-1 overtime loss in Game 1. Bryzgalov also stopped all 19 shots he faced in relief Saturday and may have enhanced his status as the Ducks’ goaltender of the future.

Duck Coach Randy Carlyle would not tip his hand, maintaining his season-long policy of not announcing his starting goalie ahead of time.

But when asked whether any goaltender usually wants to return immediately to the net after a poor performance, Carlyle said: “Historically, I’ve always been the type of coach that made a decision to give the individual a chance to redeem himself.

“I’ve always done that. I believe in that. That’s part of the relationship you build with players. Nobody’s perfect. We all make mistakes.”

Giguere sounded as if he were relishing the challenge and said his confidence hadn’t taken a hit.

“Not one bit,” he said. “I know I can play in this league. I know I can be successful. I wouldn’t change anything I did yesterday. Things sometimes don’t go your way. Sometimes they go your way. I’m going to keep working hard.”

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Left wing Todd Fedoruk has been working out with the team but has not gained medical clearance to return.

Fedoruk sat out the last two games with what he called “internal bruising” in his chest after being knocked out of Game 3 by Calgary defenseman Rhett Warrener.