With Ducks beset by injuries, Cam Fowler has a lot of responsibilities on his plate

When Cam Fowler put pen to his new eight-year, $52-million contract extension this offseason, Ducks general manager Bob Murray must have imagined nights like these.

The Ducks had been outskated all night, and were lucky to be one one goal behind the Philadelphia Flyers when Fowler spun Claude Giroux around in the neutral zone, stole the puck, glided toward Brian Elliott unimpeded and simply let loose with a rocket that sailed over the goaltender’s left shoulder.

The short-handed goal earned the Ducks a point in the eventual overtime loss on a night when the offense barely could get a sustained cycle going.

With fellow top-four defensemen Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm expected to be sidelined until November after shoulder surgeries, Fowler is being counted on more than ever. He quarterbacks the top power-play unit. He’s on the No. 1 penalty-kill team. And he’s the bedrock of the defense on the Ducks’ top pairing alongside Josh Manson.

But Fowler can’t completely make up for the loss of team captain, No. 1 center and fellow power play point man Ryan Getzlaf. One season after the power play ranked No. 17 with just an 18.7 conversion percentage, the Ducks are goal-less on the man-advantage in six opportunities.

“The chances are there, we’re moving the pucks well, eventually something is going to go in for us,” said Fowler, a dual citizen who is a native of Canada but grew up in Michigan. “We have been answering a lot of questions about the power play and we’re working on it as hard as we can so eventually something will happen for us.”

A bigger issue might be the number of penalties the Ducks are forced to kill. Coach Randy Carlyle partly blamed the new point of emphasis on stick infractions, particularly slashing at the hands with great force. Already, the Ducks have faced nine power plays and have allowed two goals.

“Too many opportunities for them,” Fowler, 25, said. “They’re able to get their skilled guys in the hockey game and that’s something we need to clean up.”

Worse yet, the Ducks have held just one lead this season, scoring the game-winning goal in the final four minutes against the Arizona Coyotes.

It’s hard to have designs on the playoffs when always playing from behind, but there’s hope the pendulum will swing the other direction.

“We’re not spotting teams two or three goals so you have to look at that as a positive,” said Fowler, “but I’d like to see us come out and put teams on their heels instead of vice versa. We haven’t shown that in the first couple of games, but the season is still young and I expect us to improve in that.”

DUCKS NEXT UP

VS. CALGARY

When: 7 p.m.

On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 830.

Update: The Flames — somehow, someway — have never defeated the Ducks in Anaheim during the regular season, and are 0 for 29, the longest such streak in NHL history. … Legendary winger Jaromir Jagr, now 45, signed with the Flames last week, but didn’t make his debut Saturday in the team’s opener, deciding he’s not ready after missing training camp and the preseason. He could play vs. the Ducks. … The Flames (1-1) scored five unanswered goals Saturday to top the Winnipeg Jets. … The Ducks are 1-0-1 after the 3-2 overtime defeat to the Flyers on Saturday.

sports@latimes.com