MacLean tinkering with lineup

Trying to lead his club out of a seven-game losing streak, coach Paul MacLean made a number of changes for Thursday's meeting with the Nashville Predators. Even the unlikely ones worked.

The Senators, who had scored a total of nine goals during the slump and only two in their previous four home games, rang up four against Pekka Rinne, considered in some circles to be the best goalie in the NHL.

Igniting the first line with a pair of assists was Bobby Butler, who had spent the three previous games in the press box as a healthy scratch.

Also turning out to be a wise move was MacLean's decision to start Alex Auld in goal. It was his first such assignment since Dec. 30, and it ended No. 1 goalie Craig Anderson's consecutive starts run at 18.

While Butler will no doubt be back on the first unit when the Senators host the Edmonton Oilers Saturday afternoon, don't be surprised to see Auld back on the bench. In winning just his second game of the season, he didn't make any brilliant stops. And two of the goals he surrendered were suspect. But the Senators played a tighter defensive game around their backup, which was probably what MacLean was hoping for when he made the goaltending switch.

Thinking that he might now actually have a challenge for playing time might prompt Anderson into picking up his play. He's been nowhere close to the goalie the Senators need him to be the past couple of weeks.

Copyright (C) 2012 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.