Preview: Ducks Battle Fowler, Blues Tonight in St. Louis

The Ducks will kick off a season-long six-game road trip tonight against a familiar face, taking on the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center.

PUCK DROP: 5 P.M. PT | WATCH: VICTORY+ / FOX PLUS (KCOP-13) | AUDIO: DUCKS STREAM | NHL GAMECENTER

Anaheim hits the road with points in five of its last six games after a tough 3-2 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. The Ducks once again rallied from a third-period deficit, tying the game with 13 minutes to go in regulation on a power-play goal from Mason McTavish, but would fall in the extra session on an absurdly bad bounce - a clearing attempt off the boards that somehow carromed over the net and right to the open Jonathan Huberdeau for a tap-in game-winner.

"It was a tight-checking, playoff type of game," head coach Greg Cronin said. "The crowd was awesome. [The Flames] came out early, they had like eight shots to none. They put everything deep and threw it to the net, I think it was a good strategy. After we got through that, it was just a back and forth game. I really felt we were gonna tie it, I think we could’ve shot the puck way more than we did and it’s unfortunate the way it ended."

Added Alex Killorn, who scored his eighth goal of the season in the loss, "I think the beginning of the game was tough for us, but we found our way [later] in the first period and throughout the game. Good of us to get a point out of it...I love the fact that every game we play in, we're in. There haven't been many games where we're in a third period, we're looking up and looking at a score that we can't come back from. A lot of times, we're right in the mix."

The loss dropped Anaheim to 17-18-5 on the season, seven points back of the Western Conference's second Wild Card berth.

The Ducks now head to St. Louis to meet an old friend for the first time - defenseman Cam Fowler, who was dealt to the Blues in December. Fowler, Anaheim's all-time leader in games played, points, goals and assists by a defenseman, has collected nine points and +3 rating in his first 12 games with St. Louis.

"Those are some of those best friends over there [with the Ducks]," Fowler said with a smile this morning. "Obviously, it's been a transition for me, but I'm making new friendships here and we have a great group of guys here. It's going to be a unique experience for me lining up on the other side of those guys. I'm going to try to do it with a smile on my face and enjoy it, and then get a chance to catch up with some of them after the game.

"There are going to be emotions that come with playing. It's not going to feel like a normal game and [I] just have to understand that. I just have to soak it all in as much as I can."

The 33-year-old will be honored prior to puck drop tonight for recently appearing in his 1,000th NHL game, St. Louis' Winter Classic victory over the rival Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field.

The Blues begin a four-game homestand tonight after a brief but winless road trip, consecutive losses to the Blue Jackets and Wild.

“There’s positives, but you go up 4-2 on the road, you've got to find a way to win a game,” winger Jake Neighbours said of the loss to Minnesota. “There’s no excuses. It’s not right. You want to make the playoffs, you've got to win those games. It was a great effort to battle back, obviously not the start we wanted, but we get up to 4-2, it’s got to be over. We have to find a way.”

St. Louis (19-19-4, 42 points) sits fifth in the Central Division, four points back of a Wild Card position.