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Ron Wilson seems to have awakened the inner scorer in Jamal Mayers by switching him to centre.
Valued for his fourth-line physical role by the St. Louis Blues and in the past year and a half by his hometown Leafs, Mayers has a point in three straight games since Wilson moved him from left wing to take Rickard Wallin's place on the fourth line.
SURGE
"It's part luck and part giving it to the right guy," Mayers said of his modest surge, which included an assist off the draw on defenceman Tomas Kaberle's game winner against the Bruins on Saturday. "We (linemates Colton Orr and Viktor Stalberg) have generated some things on the forecheck and hopefully we keep it going."
Mayers wasn't sure at first how the shift of positions would suit him. He was a 100-point scorer of note at one time, but that was in 1991-92 with Thornhill of the old MTHL.
"I played 10 years at wing (with the Blues), so maybe I've been playing the wrong position," he cracked.
He won three of five faceoffs on Saturday and takes advantage of his brawn and brain.
PRIDE
"(Faceoffs) are something I take pride in," the 35-year-old Mayers said. "(Assistant coach Keith Acton) does a pretty good job pre-scouting the teams and giving us a sense of what each guy does. Every player tries to use whatever their attributes are, whether it's a quick guy or a strong guy trying to out-muscle another centre."
LANCE.HORNBY@SUNMEDIA.CA
