Giguere sets up delivery for Ducks

The sight of Jean-Sebastien Giguere making save after save in front of an astonished red-and-white-clad crowd at Joe Louis Arena to keep an overwhelmed Ducks team in a playoff game long enough for a teammate to reward him with a dramatic overtime goal.

Four years ago, Paul Kariya delivered in Game 1 of a first-round series that the Ducks won in a shocking sweep. On Sunday, Teemu Selanne put the Ducks one win away from the Stanley Cup finals with his winner in Game 5.

Neither of those moments would have occurred if Giguere hadn't carried the load. In the Western Conference finals, if not this entire postseason, the veteran goaltender has only added to his extensive playoff resume.

Tonight, the Ducks can oust the Red Wings in Game 6 at what figures to be a revved-up Honda Center. And they are largely in this position because of the 30-year-old wall in front of their net.

"He has been the reason we've had a chance to win," Selanne said of Giguere. "We all know that everything starts from the goaltender. What can you say? You can't say anything more.

"He has done everything that we've asked of him and more."

To a man, the Ducks acknowledge they haven't played well in the last three games. After being pulled in the Game 3 rout, Giguere came back with consecutive 36-save performances to ward off the Red Wings while the rest of the team found its game.

Perhaps a new motivation, too, is what Giguere found at his home after last Tuesday's 5-0 loss.

"I got toilet papered at my home by Red Wings fans, so I've got to raise my level here," Giguere said Monday. "That's not a lie. I did get toilet papered."

Raising his level is not said lightly. Mike Babcock, the Detroit coach, knows all too well what Giguere can do.

It was Game 1 of the first round of the 2003 playoffs, and Babcock was behind the Ducks' bench as a star-studded Detroit team pummeled the goalie with 64 shots. Giguere, in what was his first NHL playoff game, repelled all but one before Kariya won it in triple overtime.

It was the liftoff to a run that didn't end until Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. Giguere became the fifth player from a losing team to win the Conn Smythe trophy as most valuable player of the playoffs.

Babcock, with his Red Wings facing elimination, did his best to steer clear of any further buildup of his former netminder.