Ducks’ Kevin Shattenkirk returns to roster against Blues

ST. LOUIS — Ducks defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk had two dates circled on the calendar at the start of the year — Nov. 19 and Nov. 21.

Two games against his former team, the Blues, in Saint-Louis. Luckily for Shattenkirk he was able to return to the lineup for the second of two games here on Monday night after watching a game of Saturday’s 6-2 loss to the Blues from the Enterprise Center press room .

Shattenkirk spent nearly seven years in St. Louis and made an impact.

“It’s more of a testament to the people here,” he said ahead of Monday’s game. “They’re just huge supporters of the team and the players. You really get to know the people. It’s a big, small city.

Shattenkirk was injured on November 9 against Minnesota and was unable to finish the game against the Wild, missing the next four games with a lower body injury. He was activated off injured reserve on Saturday.

“Before this (Minnesota) game, I had no problems,” he said. “There was nothing I felt. Even in the game, I couldn’t tell you what game could have caused it.

“It was very strange, I think I made an indirect pass on the ice, I went and jumped out of the way and joined. Then the next shift, I started with Simon (Benoit) and I gave him a pass… and I felt a little something catch on. I tried to go for it again and it caught some more. It was almost like my body was protecting itself from it.

The Ducks have gone with 11 forwards and seven defensemen multiple times this season, and they used that formation again on Monday.

“It’s probably the right thing to do too,” Shattenkirk said. “I’m just making sure everything is fine with me. I certainly wouldn’t want to come back and have anything happen and the guys run out of background.

“We have seven guys who can play and it’s nice to have the luxury of plugging us all in and giving everyone the time they need if all goes well.”

With seven at the back, there was a lot of juggling. In the first period, Shattenkirk was paired first with Colton White and then Simon Benoit, and he was on the ice with Cam Fowler when Fowler tied the game at 1-1 with 18 seconds left in the period.

TOO

With the Ducks rolling 11/7, the odd one out was rookie forward Pavol Regenda. Regenda has three points (one goal, two assists) in 10 games and has scored one goal in five games since being recalled from his AHL affiliate in San Diego on Nov. 9.

“It’s nothing with his game or his punishment,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “We thought with (Shattenkirk) coming out of injury, it was important to have seven Ds in there.”