"For about two months it seemed like the only thing that would take Jonas Hiller out of the net would be a truckload of pucks behind him.

The Ducks rode Hiller for 19 consecutive starts from Jan. 29 to last Friday, when the goalie finally watched a game from the bench. But now that the Ducks have conceded to an early summer, they can dial it down for Hiller.

Coach Randy Carlyle had to lean on Hiller as the Ducks were only three points out of a playoff spot at the Olympic break, but Carlyle said that backup Curtis McElhinney "will get an opportunity as we go forward" with eight games remaining and the Ducks all but mathematically eliminated.

"It's only fair for Jonas to have a little bit of a breather," Carlyle said.

"He's played a tremendous amount of hockey. There's (been) a lot of pressure on him for a month and a half."

Hiller had played in do-or-die games for the Ducks or Team Switzerland in the Winter Olympics for all of February. Including his Olympic duty, Hiller played 15 games in a 35-day span, which he said was more of a mental challenge than physical."