Carlyle continues to look for the right combination

Since winger Chris Kunitz suffered a broken hand against Detroit in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, the Ducks have filled his spot on their No. 1 line with a variety of players.

Dustin Penner got the first chance to skate with center Andy McDonald and right wing Teemu Selanne. Then Todd Marchant got the nod. Even Brad May had an opportunity to skate on the top line against the Red Wings in the six-game series.

But over the last two days in practice, Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle has flipped the script and worked rookie Andrew Miller with the top line.

“It’s a secret,” Carlyle replied when asked who will fill the first line against Ottawa in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals Monday at the Honda Center. “It gives us the option. We have young players who have played a full year in the American Hockey League and we feel that they have some ability and talent.”

With the Senators featuring four lines that have offensive punch, Carlyle is concerned about getting more balance out of his lineup. During the first three rounds of the playoffs, the Ducks have primarily used three lines with the fourth being used only in certain situations.

“It’s extremely important to have all of your personnel available to you, as many as possible that are healthy,” Carlyle said. “We think it’s very, very important because you don’t know. You may have a player leave here today and twist his ankle off a curb, then he’s not available the rest of the series. You’ve got to have quality personnel ready to play.”

Miller, whose older brother Ryan is the starting goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres, scored 16 goals and 36 points in 79 games playing for Portland in the AHL this season. He made his NHL postseason debut against Minnesota in the first round.

“He’s a young kid, who’s smart with the puck,” Carlyle said about Miller, who’s 6 feet 2 and 165 pounds. “Good hockey sense and he can skate.”

McDonald said it has not been an easy adjustment playing without Kunitz, who jelled in his role as the first forward back defensively and the first on the forecheck.

“The more you play with a guy, the more you learn his tendencies and that makes things a little bit more easier on the ice,” said McDonald, who has five goals and two assists in 16 playoff games this year. “You’re able to go on your instincts where you don’t have to think too much.

“When we lost Kunitz, we’ve had guys in and out. That makes things more difficult because you are adjusting to somebody new there. You’re playing with a guy you may not have played with in the past. You kind of have to be a little more aware, where you have to talk more in practice and in-between shifts.”

Selanne, who has five goals and 12 points in the playoffs, said the extra practice time has helped if the Ducks call on Miller in Game 1.

“It’s good that we have time to skate with Drew, it could be a good carry-over,” Selanne said. “But the main thing is that we have options.”

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Individual tickets for the Cup finals sold out in 10 minutes on Saturday, according to Ducks officials.

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lonnie.white@latimes.com