Frederik Andersen proving the Ducks made the right offseason choice

Kristen J Shilton | USATODAY

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Frederik Andersen is good at more than blocking shots. He's good at blocking out noise, too.

Right now, a lot of that involves Jonas Hiller.

After taking over as the Anaheim Ducks' starting goaltender last season, the team opted to go with Andersen full time and allow the veteran Hiller to hit the free agent market this summer.

Andersen, 25, proved he was more than worthy as a No. 1 goalie, compiling a 35-12-5 regular-season record and keeping the Ducks in games when his team seemed dead in the water at times during their recent first-round playoff sweep of the Winnipeg Jets.

But as fate would have it, the Ducks will face Hiller's Calgary Flames in the second round, starting Thursday. And while Hiller has said he wants to prove the Ducks wrong for not re-signing him, Andersen doesn't feel extra pressure to perform in front of his old friend. He just wants his team's playoff run to keep going.

"It's not about proving myself; it's about winning," Andersen said. "I want to win with this team and that's the bottom line. We have to get through all of Calgary, not just (Hiller)."

Still, the interest in the story line doesn't escape Andersen. He breaks into a quick, knowing smile when a comparison of the two netminders comes up.

"I just think it's going to be a fun (series)," he said. "(Hiller) and I don't have too much influence on each other in the game, but it's always fun to play against someone you know. It's not going to change anything, it's just another thing for people to (talk) about. At the end of the day, it doesn't prove anything. All that matters is who wins the game."

The fact that Hiller recently was between the pipes in Anaheim could help the Ducks. Players have battled him in practice and know what to expect.

"Facing (Hiller), we know his tendencies," said defenseman Francois Beauchemin. "But he has played great and gives (Calgary) a chance to win every night. We have to be prepared to challenge him. He's been doing this for a while. We didn't want it (to happen), but now we're going to play against him and it will be a great challenge."

Said Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau: "Hilly deserves to start; he's played great. I have to believe he wants to beat us pretty bad. He (will) be a tough goalie to beat."

But as the Ducks proved against the Jets, they are masters at stealing a win from their opponent. Being able to bend without breaking will be necessary if they want to keep up with the Flames' young squad.

"(Calgary's) defense will challenge us," said Andersen. "They have some real skill players we need to respect. But like in the Winnipeg series, we have to beat the Flames with our game. It's not about what has been done in the regular series, or the last series. If we can play the way we're capable of, we can win. We know that."

What Andersen is capable of has become more apparent in his first full season as a starter. The Denmark native's calm demeanor is a departure from the often more fiery temperament of goaltenders. But other than the occasional smashing of a stick, Andersen sees the big picture in front of him and revels in the moment.

"Even in Winnipeg (when we were down), I just enjoyed it all," he said. "Even when they were taking it to us, I enjoyed it and I had fun. That's what I've learned a lot from the past few years. No matter what happens, just think about the next shot you're facing and have fun. It's the most important thing.

"Being a goalie who plays almost every night has been enormous for me. It feels different when you're going into the playoffs and you have to be sharp every night, having the experience from the regular season of being out there (all the time) changes everything for you. It has helped me a lot and it will continue to."

His even keel has impressed Boudreau too, who pointed to Andersen's performance in Game 3 in Winnipeg, when he allowed four goals, as Andersen's ultimate bend-don't-break moment.

"Freddie has kept us in (games); he's excellent," Boudreau said. "Even when he's given up four goals, that might have been his best game (of the series). When he made the save with 45 seconds left to keep us in it, that's what big goalies do, what good goalies do."

Andersen doesn't care much for personal accomplishments. When he tied an NHL record in March as the fastest netminder to 50 wins (set by Montreal Canadiens goalie Bill Durnan 70 years ago), it was only everyone else talking about it that made him pay any attention to the milestone.

"(The record) just shows what kind of team this is, and the amount of talent around me," Andersen said. "It's not something I take too much pride in personally. But what (I do take pride in) is how much we've been able to do here. I'm just fortunate to be a part of it."

Winning is the only prize Andersen has interest in. And the Ducks have gotten mighty good at that.

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