Damien-Brunner-Hindash.JPG

Devils winger Damien Brunner said he will keep his spirits up despite being taken out of the lineup.

(Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger)

LOS ANGELES – When the Devils signed Swiss winger Damien Brunner to a two-year, $5 million contract in training camp they envisioned him providing some of the offense the team desperately needed after the recent departures of several top scorers.



So far, Brunner has been a disappointment, which is why he will be scratched from Thursday night's game against the Kings at Staples Center. Mattias Tedenby will take his spot in the lineup.



"Well, I haven't scored in 10 games so maybe it's not that surprising," Brunner said after skating with three teammates Thursday morning.



He has gone 10 games without a goal or an assist and Brunner won't use bad luck as an excuse.



"I think I just have to work harder," he said before elaborating. "That's just a standard quote. I have to start moving better, support the puck better, maybe make some plays. But I think the main part is to stay positive, keep working hard and watch the game closely to see what I can do better to be better next game. It's no time to feel sorry for yourself."



In four preseason games, Brunner scored a goal with two assists. He started the regular season with five points (three goals, two assists) in five games before tailing off.



"I thought the preseason and the first four or five games were really good. Then things changed a little bit," Brunner said. "I'm not doing as much as I did before with the puck as far as creating. At least in the last 10 games we didn't (give up) any goals-against. I think the minutes I play right now it's also important not to get scored against. At least that part is okay."



Brunner played left wing on a line with Andrei Loktionov and Steve Bernier in the Devils' 4-3 overtime victory Wednesday night in Anaheim. But it was more of the same.



The Devils' coaching staff made it clear what they expect from Brunner. In 44 games with the Detroit Red Wings last season he had 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists).

"Obviously they need some offense from me and they didn't get that lately," Brunner said. "I hope I can bounce back, get stronger than I was before and get out of this hole. It's no time to start feeling sorry for yourself and start digging deeper. That makes no sense."



How will he keep his spirits up?



"That's not that hard. I've been in worse situations in my career than playing in the NHL and getting scratched," he said. "I have to keep my head up, think about what went wrong and go through some stuff in your head you can do better and get positive pictures in your head. Think about the good stuff you can do on the ice.

“With the positive (thoughts) I think the legs will come back and the confidence level will be back. I don’t think this is going to be tough for me to get over this. I mean, there are 82 games in this league. This is just one game.”

* * *

Staples Center was where the Devils lost the last game of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals. They fell to the Kings, 6-1, in Game 6 on June 11, 2012.

"I won't lie. They weren't the best memories walking in," Stephen Gionta said about the visitors' dressing room in Staples.

Gionta was at the rink but did not skate with a small group of players that included Cory Schneider, Jacob Josefson, Brunner and Tedenby.

Schneider will start against the Kings.