Bylsma Has Been Centerpiece Before

Dan Bylsma continues to grind it out, doing unsung chores for the Ducks.

Bylsma, a right wing, was moved to center on the team’s fourth line Wednesday, a position he has not tried since 1997-98, when he was with the Kings. He was forced into the position because Marc Chouinard has an injured right knee.

“There is really not much difference, except I’ll have to play a lot more down low on defense,” Bylsma said. “That doesn’t bother me. I just like playing.”

Actually, Bylsma was a center in name only, as Coach Bryan Murray shortened his bench, using only three lines against the Boston Bruins. Murray used Bylsma, Kevin Sawyer and Denny Lambert in certain situations.

The bench got even shorter after Sawyer was sent out for his “situation.” Sawyer fought, and was nearly disrobed by, Boston’s Andrei Nazarov in the first period. Both received penalties for fighting and Sawyer was also slapped with a game misconduct.

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Right wing Jim Cummins had an MRI on Tuesday, but the results revealed little.

He is expected to be out at least two weeks because of strained rib-cage muscles, according to Murray.