In Shark infested waters

On October 3 at The Pond there will be Sharks invading our waters. Can they survive in fresh waters? The Pond's waters for that matter which will having vicious Ducks attacking. Another question comes to mind for the Ducks who's going to be in the crease?

Obviously with Hiller's performance against the Sharks helping upset the President's Trophy winners. He's a favorite to start the game in the Ducks season opener with both goaltenders performing well during the preseason. It's hard to tell which goalie had out performed the other. If you're talking in that sense, if you're trying to figure out who had a better performance during those preseason games; well good luck to you. Both goaltenders had to shake off some rust from over the summer, and Giguere had to do so more than Hiller did. None the less, they're both back at playing hockey at the highest competitive level.

Watch Giguere over the season, as people still say he's as from some fans "Giguere's good but he's getting up there you got to admit that. Last season proved he was starting to go down hill" and other various things covering the same topic on Giguere of there's been people saying, he was struggling because of his personal issues. Giguere has the ability to bounce back now that he's starting with a clean slate he's going to make better of his game. He'll prove the naysayers wrong and prove that he's still an amazing goalie. Giguere is the best goalie the Ducks have ever had having the most wins. Which he was recognized and rewarded at the March 28, 2008 game against the San Jose Sharks. In which Jonas Hiller started the game and had an unfair goal counted against him. As in, the Sharks shoved him into the net and he looked like a folding pizza box, but the goal was not waived off.

Hiller is setting himself up not to have slump right after his spectacular season. The preseason helps all the veteran players shake off the rust and younger players, especially ones who have just freshly been drafted and were lucky enough to get an invitation to their team's training camp and to even make it past the camp to have a chance to get a nice little taste of NHL ice. Hiller as with Giguere, has more to prove to himself and his confidence than he does to anyone else. Obviously proving himself to other people will come in the same category. Your worst enemy is yourself.

The goalie is the last line of defense. If his team makes a mistake he has to make up for it. If he makes a mistake he has to make up for it. This is obviously involves both Giguere and Hiller. A goalie needs to put his entire mind into the game, he cannot have his mind focused on something else other than that. He needs to be strong mentally and cannot have any other distractions.Here's a great quote from Ken Dryden:

"Because the demands of a goalie are mostly mental, the biggest enemy is himself. Not a puck, not an opponent, not a quirk of size. Him. The stress and anxiety he feels when he plays, the fear of failing, the fear of being embarrassed, the fear of being physically hurt, all the symptoms of his position, in constant ebb and flow, but never disappearing. The successful goalie understands these neurosis, accepts them and puts them under control. The unsuccessful goalie is distracted by them, his mind in knots, his body quickly follows."

When Hiller and Giguere make a mistake. When any goalie makes a mistake a red light flares on behind him spinning like a emergency vehicle's lights. Another arena, a celebratory horn sounds, rival fans screaming and hooting. The shooter and his team celebrating. When they play at home, their fans criticizing.

"The goalie is like the guy on the minefield. He discovers the mine and destroys them. If you make a mistake, somebody gets blown up."- Arturs Irbe

"Goaltender is a normal job. Sure. How would you like it if at your job, every time you made the slightest mistake, a little red light went on over your head, and 18,000 people stood up and screamed at you?"- Jaques Plante

It's hard to tell who Randy Carlyle is going to give the nod to in fact. As both are hoping they start the game, the rematch against the Sharks, they both cannot start the game. Neither Giguere nor Hiller doesn't have any information yet, who's going to start the season opener. As people give personal opinions and predictions on who's going to start the game the decision probably won't be known until Saturday the time of the game, maybe Friday. Both Giguere and Hiller are mentally ready and are anxious to finally get this regular season underway. Regardless of who will skate himself in to the blue paint on opening night. Giguere has proved in the preseason and in previous season he can be a Shark Killer. Hiller has definitely proved he can be. The Sharks don't want to face Hiller they'd probably rather face Giguere but only on a slight note. These teams know the goalie situation in Anaheim. They've played against both Giguere and Hiller and they know both a great goalies.

A goalie can end up a hero he can end up a villain to his own team' to his own fans, to himself. A goalie does not makes saves off of luck every single team maybe sometimes he does but not always

"Sometimes you get lucky but to be lucky you have to fight for it"-Jonas Hiller.


This team is going to be easy. The phrase has been heard by hockey fans and its heard too often. A team who is a bottom feeder is coined as being easy. This isn't true when a team is a bottom feeder it doesn't mean they are an easy team. They may be less competitive than they higher ranked teams but that doesn't mean that they are going to be an easy team. There is no easy game. Not only is it fans that believe they can cost into a game, which is an 'easy' team. Teams themselves have being guilty. They were looking lazy on the ice. They're laying back and not playing like they should. The Ducks have also been guilty of this.