"Tomorrow. That's as long as it gets," Hitchcock said. "Game is at 1 and that puts you at 4:30 on the bus and going in a different direction. It's one game and let's see."
Hitchcock liked the trio of Remi Elie, Jason Dickinson, and Brett Ritchie in Thursday's game. That line came up big in the game when Elie and Dickinson set up a Ritchie goal early in the third period that cut Tampa Bay's lead to 4-3 to begin the Dallas rally that forced overtime to help the Stars get a key point in the standings.
"We can use it as a momentum line. We got them out on the fly a lot and that had a big impact, positive impact for us," said Hitchcock. "If that's the focus they are going to have on a game-by-game basis that's really going to help us moving forward. They can all manage the puck; they are big strong guys. [Dickinson] is a very mature player in his own end and he's able to help us get pucks out. That's something we can really use going forward for momentum."
But Hitchcock isn't committed to that line either for the long term, or any set line combinations, especially this time of year.
"I think most coaches are nuts. We don't look at it that way," Hitchcock said. "We'll change in a second. We look at twosomes; we don't look at threesomes. If I can use Dickinson, Elie, or Ritchie in a different form and help the team, I am going to move them. We like what we see in some of the twosomes: obviously [Radek] Faksa and [Tyler] Pitlick; Benn and Seguin if we can keep it together. Other than that, we've got to be prepared to move.
"I know this time of year that if it is not working, don't sit on it. That's my experience. Don't think it is going to turn around a week later if you just stay with it. You've got to be able to see chemistry. If you see it right away, stick with it, and if you don't, you've got to move quick. We're prepared to move quick either way."
