Without Leclerc, the Lines Change

Left wing Mike Leclerc was sidelined Wednesday for a second consecutive game because of an infected left elbow. Leclerc, who has four goals and five points in nine games, is expected to play Friday against the Washington Capitals.

“They don’t want this to be a constant problem,” Leclerc said of sitting out Wednesday against Pittsburgh. “I don’t want to miss three weeks with this. It’s the Bursa sac. It gets inflamed and the fluid builds up. [But] it’s 100% better.”

With Leclerc out, Coach Craig Hartsburg shuffled his line combinations dramatically against the Penguins. Hartsburg kept the Paul Kariya-Matt Cullen-Teemu Selanne line intact, but the Ducks had a far different look on the other lines.

Marty McInnis, Steve Rucchin and Jeff Nielsen formed the second line. Jim McKenzie replaced Leclerc on the third line, joining Antti Aalto and Ladislav Kohn.

Ted Donato, who normally plays on the second line, moved to the fourth line, joining Ted Drury and Pascal Trepanier. Trepanier has spent most of the season as a defenseman.

Usually, Hartsburg is reluctant to change his lines. Part of Wednesday’s adjustments were because of Leclerc’s injury, but Hartsburg also was hoping for a kick start. “It’s consistency,” Hartsburg said. “We’ve got to get going. We’ve got to get on a roll over the course of the next few games, not just a period or one game.”

“The biggest thing for us is we’ve got to skate and we’ve got to work. We’ve got to make sure we don’t turn the puck over, especially in the middle of the ice. We also have to check. Our chances for success are better when we play a checking game.”