Richards shuffles Jackets’ lines
The Blue Jackets underwent a midseason makeover yesterday, courtesy of a three-game losing streak that brought the momentum of a 10-1-1 December to a lurching halt.
After being outscored 13-6 in losses to Toronto, the New York Islanders and Montreal, Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards remade his bottom three forward lines before a game against the New York Rangers last night.
It was no tonic: The Blue Jackets lost 2-1, extending their losing streak to four.
Most notable was the demotion of top-six center Brandon Dubinsky, who began the game on the fourth line. Dubinsky committed the most egregious of three thirdperiod penalties that led to the Blue Jackets’ downfall in a 3-2 loss to the Canadiens on Wednesday. But none of the changes shocked the Blue Jackets, who consistently have failed to sustain time with the puck outside of their zone.
“We’ve been struggling, so I think if we went with the status quo, that would have been shocking,” center Mark Letestu said. “But our job is to come in and give quality minutes, wherever we’re playing. There should be no effect on anybody’s psyche.”
Letestu was moved up to the third line between left wing Matt Calvert and right wing Josh Anderson, who made his NHL debut. Letestu switched back to his usual spot on the fourth line in the third period, swapping with Dubinsky.
The top line of Scott Hartnell, Ryan Johansen and Nick Foligno was unchanged. Rookie Alexander Wennberg centered left wing Jeremy Morin and right wing Cam Atkinson on the second line.
“The last three games, we’re not happy with how we’ve played, so you’re looking to make changes,” Richards said. “It’s as simple as that.”
Anderson debuts
Anderson was called up from Springfield on Thursday and made his NHL debut after playing 37 games for the Falcons.
Anderson, 6 feet 3 and 214 pounds, had strong showings in training camp each of the past two seasons but figured he would spend the season in the American Hockey League after watching several other Falcons players earn recalls.
“You have to play well and just wait for your chance,” Anderson said.
Arena rock
The NHL announced that Fall Out Boy and O.A.R. will serve as headline performers during the first and second intermissions of the All-Star Game on Jan. 25 at Nationwide Arena.
O.A.R., formed in Maryland, honed its sound on and around the Ohio State campus in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Locksley will also perform. Its song The Whip is played after Blue Jackets goals.
Slap shots
Bruins forward Brad Marchand will serve the first game of a two-game suspension against the Blue Jackets tonight at Boston. Marchand was suspended for slew-footing Rangers center Derick Brassard during a 3-0 Bruins win on Thursday. … Calvert was considered a game-time decision after missing the morning skate because of illness, but took the warm-up and played.