John MacLean tinkers with lines hoping to find offensive spark
It's been a tough November so far for the New Jersey Devils. In six games this month the Devils are 2-3-1, and have been shut out three times. In an effort to kick-start the Devils' offence, head coach John MacLean has recently begun to tinker with his lines.
MacLean experimented on Tuesday with switching around Travis Zajac and Dainus Zubrus. Zajac found himself at practice centring a line with Brian Rolston and David Clarkson, while Zubrus found himself between Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Vasyunov.
"We didn’t score last game and it was something we’ve been thinking about," MacLean told reporters after practice. "I just thought, we’ve got a couple of days here of practice and I think it’s a good time to make a move."
The last game MacLean was referring to was the 3-0 shut-out loss at the hands of the Boston Bruins.
Kovalchuk also spoke about MacLean's decision to switch things up saying, "When you’re losing, that’s what happens. The coach tries to find some chemistry between guys and he changed some lines around. You just have to stick with it and play as hard as you
can."
Zajac, who had been at centre with Kovalchuk on his wing since the start of the season, now gets a new look.
"They’re two good players that are going to get in on the forecheck, they’re going to make plays," Zajac said of Rolston and Clarkson. "It’s just a little bit of a new look for me with those guys. I think they’re more similar to the way I play: up and down.
We’re just looking for a little something else and to get other lines going."
The Devils have struggled since the start of the season but have recently pulled off the bottom of the Eastern Conference by virtue of the fact that the New York Islanders who are win-less in their last ten games have been struggling even worse.
The Devils next game is against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday 18 November.
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