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Pronger, Giguere lift Ducks past Kings

Nov 5, 2008 - 7:38 AM By John Reger PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Los Angeles Kings backup goaltender Erik Ersberg cannot buy a break against the Anaheim Ducks.

Defenseman Chris Pronger scored 40 seconds into overtime on Tuesday to lead the Ducks to a 1-0 victory over the Kings.

In his first start of the season, Ersberg made 26 saves but dropped his second straight close decision to the Ducks. The 26-year-old netminder stopped 39 shots in a 2-1 shootout setback to Anaheim on March 26.

"I got into the game pretty good right from the start,'' Ersberg said. "But it wasn't the end we wanted. We played a great game. We deserved to win. It (stinks) to lose.

"I think I played pretty well, we got one point, I guess that's good. After the game, you're just upset because you lost. Hopefully next time, we can get two points. It's my first start and it's really fun to be out there on the ice and get some shots. I guess it's a good game to build on."

Jean-Sebastien Giguere stopped all 35 shots he faced to post his second shutout of the season and 31st career. Giguere made 10 saves in the first period, 16 in the second and nine in the third en route to his seventh win.

"I saw the puck pretty well tonight," Giguere said. "It's been up and down this year, but for me, I got a lot of action and I'm feeling pretty good."

Tuesday's game was a lot less physical than the first meeting between the Pacific Division rivals three weeks ago, when the teams combined for 58 penalty minutes in the Kings' 6-3 triumph.

"We found a way to gut it out," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "Our goalie gave us a chance, and that's all you can ask of your goaltender. Both goalies made some critical saves at critical times. Giguere has been the backbone of our success for a while."

The lone goal in this contest came less than a minute into overtime and just four seconds after Wayne Simmonds' hooking penalty expired.

Teemu Selanne received a pass from Ryan Getzlaf in the left faceoff circle and dished the puck across the slot to Pronger, who one-timed it over the left shoulder of Ersberg. The goal was Pronger's fourth of the season and third in as many games.

"It's not the way we drew it up on the bench, let's leave it at that," Pronger said. "I knew the guy was coming out of the box and I shot it, and fortunately, it went off the crossbar and in."

Jason LaBarbera had started each of Los Angeles' previous 10 games, but coach Terry Murray decided to go with Ersberg in this one. It was just the second game that produced significant playing time for Ersberg, who replaced LaBarbera on October 25 midway through the first period and received the loss at Nashville.

"I liked his game a lot," Murray said of Ersberg. "Having not played in several weeks here, he showed a lot of composure. He was very calm, under control and made some very big stops. It does earn him another start, whenever that start will be. It wasn't like I was going to play LaBarbera 82 games anyway. It was a matter of time, and he took advantage of his opportunity here."

Despite the strong performance, Murray has no plans to start Ersberg on a full-time basis.

"There's only a controversy if you guys start it," Murray said of the media. "I can't see a controversy. LaBarbera is our No. 1 guy.

"There was no doubt that Ersberg was going to get a game, and he played well in this game. Our plan at the start of the year was to play both goalies, and that's the way it is still going to play out."

The Kings struggled on the power play, going 0-for-6. Los Angeles also had a man advantage in the second period shortened when Michal Handzus was called for hooking.

"It comes down to the special teams again," Murray said. "I thought we played very well against that hockey club 5-on-5, but the special-team part of the game right now is coming back at us. Our power play needs to get something going."