By Eric Stephens, Times Staff Writer

Mighty Duck backup goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov typically starts the second of back-to-back games on the schedule.

But with his strong performance Saturday in a 6-2 victory over the Kings coming off his first NHL shutout, Bryzgalov is making it difficult for the Duck coaching staff to keep him out of the net even with the presence of Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

Coach Randy Carlyle didn't rule out the possibility that the rookie will get more work in the near future — perhaps even in tonight's rematch against the Kings — after starting him in consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 22-Dec. 6, when Giguere was injured.

"I think you can pretty much read in between the lines," said Carlyle, who has a policy of not announcing his starting goalie for upcoming games. "We said we would try to put the competition up for all positions on our hockey club. Bryz now has [put] himself in position where he's won two games."

Bryzgalov, 25, has a deceiving 9-10-1 record because of poor offensive support early in the season. He ranks in the top 10 in goals-against average (2.45) and save percentage (.913) in his first full season.

"When I play more, I get more experience and I feel more confident," he said.

Giguere, who makes $4 million and has a year left on his contract, has bounced back from a subpar 2003-04 season. Despite battling hamstring and groin problems, he is 14-7-9 with a 2.72 goals-against and still views himself as the first choice in the net.

"I don't need Bryz to push me or anything like that," Giguere said. 

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Ilya Bryzgalov will remember Thursday night. Not only did the 25-year-old rookie goalie get his first NHL shutout but it came at the expense of fellow Russian Evgeni Nabokov.

"It's an awesome feeling," Bryzgalov said. "My parents called and said, 'Congratulations. We're proud of you.' "

Bryzgalov, who has been impressive as backup to Jean-Sebastien Giguere, said the reaction in Russia was surprising. With Nikolai Khabibulin unable to play in the Olympics because of a knee injury, Nabokov and Bryzgalov are expected to compete for the starting job.

"It's not a big deal for me," Bryzgalov said of upstaging Nabokov. "Most important is winning and challenging for the playoffs. In the Russian media, they said that [I] showed who must play in the Olympics. I think it's stupid."