DUCKS: GAME 2 GOALIE STILL A MYSTERY CARLYLE MUM ON WHO WILL GET START.

Byline: ELLIOTT TEAFORD

Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- Coach Randy Carlyle declined to name his starting goaltender for Game 2 of the Ducks' opening-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Minnesota Wild.

"Next question," he barked after Thursday's workout, following his standard practice of refusing to reveal his goalie ahead of time.

Carlyle did say he has decided whether Ilya Bryzgalov or Jean-Sebastien Giguere would be in goal when the Ducks attempt to take a 2-0 series lead against the Wild tonight at the Honda Center. He simply hasn't shared his decision.

Neither Bryzgalov nor Giguere knew who tonight's starter would be.

"We both have to be prepared," Bryzgalov said.

Giguere agreed.

"It's not like I'm going to go out and get drunk," he said.

Bryzgalov won the Ducks' playoff opener Wednesday night against the Wild, making 24 saves in a 2-1 victory that was every bit as tight as advertised beforehand.

Giguere sat out after an emotional week following the birth of his son, Maxime, who was born with a deformity in his right eye. His left eye is fine, however.

Bryzgalov started the Ducks' final three regular-season games in place of Giguere, winning once and losing twice in shootouts. He was 5-1-3 with a 1.96goals-against average in his past nine starts before the playoffs.

Giguere, who is only four years removed from winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs, had a franchise-record 36 victories during the regular season. He said he was physically and mentally prepared to start Game 1.

Carlyle and Giguere had a brief conversation on the ice after Thursday's 40-minute practice, but neither would divulge the specifics of their chat.

"We were just talking," Carlyle said. "How things are going. How he felt. The regular conversation you have with a player."

Said Giguere: "It's not my style to go see the coach (and ask to play). Randy knows I want to play."

In fact, Carlyle bristled when it was suggested that Giguere had lost his job as the Ducks' No. 1 goaltender because of his family crises.

"I don't think you can categorize it as losing his job," Carlyle said. "It's definitely premature to make that assumption. A 36-game winner loses his job because of a family matter? I don't think so."

Carlyle said the decision on his Game 1 starter came down to Giguere's fragile emotional state and Bryzgalov's sound play in the final regular-season games. Carlyle often refers to his goalies as 1-A and 1-B.

"As a staff, we talked about it two days before the game," Carlyle said, "and we made the decision the day before. It allowed 'Jiggy' to add two days of practice. Now we have two playoff-ready goaltenders."

Keeping Bryzgalov and Giguere in the dark about who will start Game 2 has its benefits, according to each goalie.

"Why is it so important which goalie is starting?" Bryzgalov asked a pack of reporters. "He told me I was to play (Game 1) and I played. My job is to stop the puck."

Moments later, with a similar-sized group surrounding him as he sat at his locker stall, Giguere sounded just as philosophical as his teammate. He did acknowledge being more than a little distracted because of his son's medical issues, however.

"Last week, sometimes my mind was wandering off," Giguere said.

Asked about Carlyle's penchant for declining to name his starter in advance, Giguere said, "It makes no difference. Your preparation should be the same whether you're starting or not. It's part of being a goalie. Sometimes you play and sometimes you don't. You accept your fate and you move on.

"If I don't play, it's not the end of the world."

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