ANAHEIM -- Anaheim Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau has had the continuity of using the same six defensemen for the first six games of the season, but he might put Mark Fistric into the lineup Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres at Honda Center.

Fistric took line rushes with defenseman Sami Vatanen in the third pairing and Vatanen's usual partner, Clayton Stoner, stayed out with the extras. It would be Fistric's first game this season.

"Him and [defenseman] Bryan [Allen] were both regulars on our team last year and I don't think you can win with just 20 guys," Boudreau said. "You have to have a 23-man roster. And at some point these guys have got to play. I've got all the confidence in the world in Mark; it's just that our defense has played pretty well recently.

"It's tough with eight defensemen, but you've got to get them acclimated in the games or they're not going to feel a part of it."

The St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks did not have morning skates prior to their 8 p.m. ET game Sunday at Honda Center.

The Blues will be without center Paul Stastny, who reportedly had his arm in a sling after he was injured early in the first period of a 6-1 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday.

St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said that Stastny, who signed with the Blues as a free agent in the offseason, is day-to-day. Magnus Paajarvi will be inserted in the lineup in Stastny's place, though it's unclear how the lines will change.

ANAHEIM -- Anaheim Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau is never shy to try new looks, so it's not a surprise that he will have a new face in the lineup when Anaheim plays its home opener Friday against the Minnesota Wild.

Left wing Chris Wagner will make his NHL debut after he was recalled Wednesday. Boudreau told Wagner on Thursday he would be in; he will play on the fourth line in place of Rickard Rakell, who has had an inconsistent start. Boudreau likes to go with a hot hand, and Wagner recently was the American Hockey League Player of the Week.

"He might be up here for a game or two, let's see what he’s got," Boudreau said. "No sense sitting him out. [Wagner and Rakell] both will be playing in an off-position, but he's coming off player of the week in the American Hockey League. He's feeling pretty good about himself. He's pretty excited about being up in the NHL for the first time, so instead of sitting let's see what he can do."

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- A kinder, gentler game between the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues?

It seems unlikely for teams that combined for 479 hits in their 2013 Western Conference Quarterfinal series. But even Kings coach Darryl Sutter agreed with St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock's opinion that the Kings and Blues play different styles from then, which makes the first game between them Thursday at Staples Center more interesting.

"For sure," Sutter said. "Quite honest, I couldn't tell you much about [the 2013 series] other than what was said outside. We had a good series and both teams probably have a higher skill set than they did at that time. Both teams have moved toward, for sure, [being] more of a four-line team."

The Blues added center Paul Stastny and the Kings became more of an attacking team last season with the addition of left wing Marian Gaborik. Los Angeles also has more speed with Gaborik and the line of left wing Tanner Pearson, center Jeff Carter and right wing Tyler Toffoli.

So the days of the combined 100-hit games between the teams might be less common?

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- It's only four games into the season, but it appears that the Los Angeles Kings top line will undergo its third incarnation when it plays the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday at Staples Center.

Left wing Marian Gaborik did not skate and is dealing with the same muscle injury he had in the preseason. Center Mike Richards took Gaborik's place with Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams on the top line. Andy Andreoff centered the fourth line and will make his NHL debut.

Coach Darryl Sutter only said that, "We'll see [Tuesday]. We'll decide [Tuesday night] what we're doing," and of Andreoff that "I hope he plays and I hope he plays well."

Kings general manager Dean Lombardi said Gaborik is out of the lineup and there is no timetable for his return, according to the Orange County Register.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -– The Los Angeles Kings will likely be without defenseman Jake Muzzin for at least one more game. Muzzin took extra practice at the optional skate Sunday morning and said he hasn't been cleared yet from an undisclosed injury.

The Kings begin a six-game homestand against the Winnipeg Jets at Staples Center.

"I wouldn't think too much longer," Muzzin said. "I've got to talk to the doctor and see what he says. That's about it. If he's says 'Good to go,' I'm good to go. I feel ready, conditioning wise. I can continue to skate and bag [skate] when I can't play."

Muzzin's absence means that Brayden McNabb will continue to get thrown in the fire as the defensive partner with Drew Doughty. McNabb has seen the opponent's top forwards, a tough task for a young player.

ANAHEIM -- Anaheim Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said defenseman Cam Fowler is day-to-day after Fowler left practice Thursday with an apparent leg injury.

Fowler had to be helped off the ice and did not put weight on his leg and appeared to be a lot of pain but Boudreau said it wasn't severe.

"He's actually not bad right now," Boudreau said. "You always get nervous when you sort of think you hurt something. You never know how much it is. Right now it's day-to-day. The trainer didn't say it was too bad. I'm expecting him, maybe not in the lineup Saturday [for Anaheim's preseason finale], but for sure [for the season opener Oct.9 at] Pittsburgh."

LOS ANGELES -- Two years ago veteran defenseman Willie Mitchell stood in front of his locker before Game 4 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final with a glowing expression. It was difficult for him not to get emotional at the prospect of winning the Cup for the first time.

It might have also been difficult for the rest of the Los Angeles Kings, who lost in their first attempt to close the series against the New Jersey Devils at home. They are more guarded this time around, and it was evident at the morning skate before Game 5 Friday against the New York Rangers at Staples Center (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, RDS).

The Kings lead the best-of-7 series 3-1. This is their first chance to close it out at home.

"As a team, I don't think we talk about [2012], but at the same time I think we all know that we failed to close it out two times," defenseman Drew Doughty said. "That's always going to be in the back of our minds. But what we can do is we can learn from that experience. We know what we did wrong and we know why we let them back in the series.

"That's why [Friday] we figure we have to close it out, because the more games we give them the more life they get. Especially here at Staples, our home arena. It's a very important game for us."

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Kings defenseman Robyn Regehr is not in the lineup for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the New York Rangers on Saturday at Staples Center (NBC, CBC, RDS).

Los Angeles Kings coach Darryl Sutter said it would be a game-time decision whether to insert Regehr, who has been out since May 3 with a knee injury.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Kings defenseman Robyn Regehr likely will return to the lineup for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday at Staples Center (7 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, RDS).

"He'll probably play [Saturday]," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said of Regehr at the end of his press conference Friday.

Regehr has been out since May 3 with a knee injury that occurred in Game 1 of the Western Conference Second Round series against the Anaheim Ducks when right wing Teemu Selanne hit Regehr against the end boards.