Maurice planning changes for Game 4

Tuesday, 04.21.2009 / 12:46 PM
Brian Compton  - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Looking for a winning combination, Carolina Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice may very well make some changes heading into Tuesday night's Game 4 against the New Jersey Devils at the RBC Center (7:30 p.m. ET, TSN2, RIS)

"We'll look at moving some people around," Maurice said after the morning skate.

Maurice wouldn't divulge any other information, but one has to believe there's a decent chance that defenseman Dennis Seidenberg will be involved. Seidenberg dressed for Game 1 -- a 4-1 loss at New Jersey -- and then sat out the next two games. He went 5-20-25 in 70 games for the Hurricanes during the regular season.

"It was very frustrating," said Seidenberg, who led Carolina and was tied for 17th in the NHL with 160 blocked shots. "I played the whole season and had a decent amount of ice time. When you get taken out, you're never happy when that happens."

Seidenberg was replaced by Frantisek Kaberle, who scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for the Hurricanes in 2006. He did not record a point in either of the last two games. Seidenberg admitted he was surprised when he was told before Game 2 that he would not dress.

"Definitely, but that's how it is," Seidenberg said. "You've just got to stay with your game. It's the playoffs. As long as the team wins, I can't really say too much. I'm pulling for the team so that's all that matters."

Maurice was asked what prompted him to take Seidenberg out of the lineup. The 27-year-old has appeared in four postseason games in his career; the other three were played with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2004.

"I just wanted a little different puck movement on our set," Maurice explained. "We didn't think they were moving the puck as well as we hoped in the first two games. (He took it) like a man."

New Jersey coach Brent Sutter said there will be no changes to the Devils' lineup for Game 4. The team is without captain Jamie Langenbrunner, who suffered a lower-body injury in Game 2. Brian Rolston will once again take Langenbrunner's spot on the top line alongside Zach Parise and Travis Zajac.
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