Ducks don't name Game 4 goalie

Saturday, 05.10.2014 / 4:05 PM | Curtis Zupke - NHL.com Correspondent

LOS ANGELES -- It remained unclear who would start in goal for the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday in Game 4 of the Western Conference Second Round series against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center (9:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TSN, RDS).

The Kings lead the best-of-7 series 2-1.

Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau sounded like he would use Jonas Hiller, who left the ice first at the morning skate, although rookie goalie John Gibson stepped off about two minutes after Hiller. Gibson, 20, would be a bold choice; he's played three NHL games and none in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"He's a good goalie, and in the future he's going to be a tremendous goalie," Boudreau said. "I just don't know if he's today's goalie."

Hiller left the ice first at the morning skate for Game 3, but rookie goalie Frederik Andersen started before he came out midway through the third period with a lower-body injury. Andersen was nowhere to be found Saturday, and Boudreau all but ruled him out.

"He's not skating today, so that's an indicator he's not ready to play," Boudreau said.

Boudreau confirmed that left wing Matt Beleskey remains out with a lower-body injury and said center Mathieu Perreault will be a game-time decision with a lower-body injury. Anaheim can insert left wing Patrick Maroon in Beleskey's place on the top line, particularly if Maroon's usual linemate Perreault is out. Perreault skated but said wasn't sure if he would take warm-ups.

The only certain change is that left wing Daniel Winnik will be inserted after he was scratched four of the past five games. Winnik was part of the shutdown line with center Saku Koivu and right wing Andrew Cogliano earlier this season.

"I expect Danny to be at his best," Boudreau said. "When he's at his best, he's a really good player. When he's not at his best, he's sometimes not engaged. I've got to believe sitting four games out -- the longest tenure with me -- he's going to be real hungry, and he's going to put forth a great game. We've needed him a lot this year, and he's come through."

Winnik is one of Anaheim's better penalty killers, and his big body would seem to work well against the physical Kings. Boudreau sat him in favor of young wings Devante Smith-Pelly and Emerson Etem.

"It's tough," Winnik said. "But you've just got to stay positive and keep coming to the rink with a smile on your face and realize, 'Hey, you're still in the playoffs' and we still have the season. That's the most important thing."

There were no changes for the Kings, who don't pay much attention to the Ducks' goalie shuffle. But defenseman Drew Doughty offered his prediction.

"I don't see Gibson going in," Doughty said." I think it'll be Hiller going in. He came in during the third [period on Thursday] after not playing for 50 minutes and did a pretty good job. Hopefully, we can push Hiller out and make Gibson come in late."

The Kings are without rugged defensemen Robyn Regehr and Willie Mitchell, and their absence was more noticeable in Game 3 because the Ducks scored two power-play goals. Kings coach Darryl Sutter admitted it's not ideal, especially when Doughty is in the penalty box.

"It's challenging for us to lose left-side D," Sutter said. "Drew and Slava [Voynov] don't play the left side, so that's the challenge you're facing in this series. It's not so much Drew. You know how Drew's going to play, and the minutes he's going to play. It doesn't change the situations. It's basically every other shift. If you look at the two goals scored against us in the series, they were 4-on-3s against us, and Drew's in the penalty box. It tells you how important he is, when you do that."

Here are the projected lineups:

DUCKS

Patrick Maroon - Ryan Getzlaf –Corey Perry

Daniel Winnik – Saku Koivu – Andrew Cogliano

Jakob Silfverberg – Nick Bonino – Teemu Selanne

Devante Smith-Pelly – Rickard Rakell – Kyle Palmieri

Cam Fowler – Ben Lovejoy

Hampus Lindholm – Francois Beauchemin

Bryan Allen – Sami Vatanen

Jonas Hiller

John Gibson

Injured: Matt Beleskey (lower body), Mathieu Perreault (lower body), Tim Jackman (hand), Stephane Robidas (leg), Sheldon Souray (wrist)