EDMONTON, Alberta – Feeling energized after their biggest comeback of the season, the Ducks will end their winding trip north of the border with a big player coming back.

Ryan Kesler is expected to be with the Ducks for Monday’s game against Edmonton after being away from the team for four days to tend to a family matter.

Kesler missed the last two contests at Toronto and Ottawa after heading back to Orange County on Thursday. Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said his center was due to fly in Sunday.

Boudreau said he has a sense that Kesler is returning with a peace of mind over what the coach had originally called a family emergency that necessitated his presence.

“It was important for him to go home,” Boudreau said. “I’ll let Kes give you any information that he wants to divulge.”

Maybe their most indispensable player, Kesler plays in all situations for the Ducks and averages the most ice time among their forwards at 19 minutes, 28 seconds per game. His 80 blocked shots also lead the forwards and his 44 points rank third behind Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.

The Ducks have had several key players absent. Another one may return as defenseman Sami Vatanen will be a game-time decision. Vatanen has been sidelined for eight games because of a head injury but has been practicing with the team since arriving in Toronto last week.

Kevin Bieksa will miss his second consecutive game. Bieksa suffered an upper-body injury against Toronto and Boudreau said the veteran defender will remain out until the team returns home, where it hosts Calgary on Wednesday.

But while down five regulars, the Ducks gave themselves the opportunity to finish their five-game trek across Canada with a 3-1-1 mark if they defeat the Oilers in their final visit to Rexall Place. A stirring third-period rally in Ottawa is why it’s possible.

The Ducks’ 4-3 overtime victory after trailing 3-0 entering the third period is their biggest comeback since March 31, 2014 when they erased a four-goal Winnipeg lead in a 5-4 win.

It was just their fifth win when trailing after two periods and they’re a different team in being far better at protecting leads. But in wiping out three-goal deficits in back-to-back games, Boudreau has a motivational tool he can turn to in times of distress.

“It gives them a sense of belief that they can do it because we haven’t done it much this year,” Boudreau said. “Could we do it against L.A. or San Jose or anybody else that was a better team? I don’t know. We still did it.”

DESPRES, PERRON STILL UNCERTAIN

Boudreau had no new updates on any timelines for Simon Despres (upper body) or David Perron (shoulder), saying he won’t get a better sense of their conditions until they return home.

Despres was sent back to Anaheim to be evaluated last week after being hit in their game against Montreal. There’s a concern over any possible recurrence of concussion symptoms after the defenseman missed 42 games before returning to the lineup at the end of January.

Perron is out week-to-week for now but the Ducks haven’t revealed the full extent of the winger’s shoulder problem after he was injured when he went into the boards on a failed attempt to deliver a hit on Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele.

Boudreau said he needs to consult with Dr. Orr Limpisvasti, the team’s medical director.

“I know he’s seen the doctors and he’s doing rehab but I just don’t know where he is in the rehab and what the length is,” Boudreau said.

As far as how much Perron’s availability for the playoffs is impacted, Boudreau said it is too early to tell.

“Again, every report that I get is he’s improving,” he said. “I don’t whether that means it’s a high rate and improving a lot or just improving every day. All of those things will come more into play when I talk to Dr. Orr.”

Contact the writer: estephens@ocregister.com