Since ending a two-month goalless drought on Jan. 16, Dallas Stars forward Ales Hemsky has five goals in his last 14 games, and head coach Lindy Ruff is rewarding him for his efforts.
The 32-year-old veteran skated with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn on the team's first line during Friday's practice and is expected to remain on the top unit for Saturday's game against the Boston Bruins.
Hemsky is in the midst of his most productive stretch of the season, with four points in his last five games, and he credits his recent success to being more relaxed.
"Confidence helps for sure," he said, according to Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News. "Sometimes, you just have to stop thinking so much and just try to play your game. I think I'm skating better, and when you get a role that's more involved, that helps you. It feels good."
Though Hemsky's recent surge has come playing alongside youngsters Mattias Janmark and Valeri Nichushkin, Ruff is hopeful the Czech Republic native will continue to make plays with the team's pair of All-Stars.
"When Hemmer is skating the way he's skating, he's creating a lot of his own chances," Ruff said of the lineup shuffle. "It's an option I would like to try. I like where he's at. It's an opportunity to see if we can find something that's really dynamic."
The Stars will look to end a two-game losing skid Saturday as they sit one point behind the Chicago Blackhawks for the division lead.
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