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Coming off Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Washington Capitals, the Senators may still be missing four regulars — including goalie Craig Anderson — but that’s no excuse.

“I want more of what you saw in the second and third period, and that’s more drive,” Boucher said Sunday before the Senators’ charter flight to Columbus. “We’re just too perimeter.

“We’ve just got too many guys who try to skill it and (use) the perimeter and look for space when there is no space out there. Most of the game, you have to charge through the game. I love the White line, it’s unbelievable, but we can’t be a one-line team and that’s what we’ve been lately.”

Photo by Justin Tang / THE CANADIAN PRESS

Boucher said he had to try something new by breaking up the White trio because the Senators weren’t winning and success was always part of the rebuilding plan.

“Those three guys (White, Stone and Tkachuk) have worked so hard and they’re great to watch, but we need to have a team,” Boucher added. “It’s not that I wanted to split the line up, but I have to spread my hard working elements throughout the lineup.”

Sure, there’s risk involved, but Boucher is paid to make these decisions and the Senators are 3-8-1 in their past 12 National Hockey League games. A five-game losing streak to end 2018 would just add to the mounting frustration, and some of these guys are clearly underachieving.

Dzingel, who can become an unrestricted free agent if he’s not re-signed before July 1, hasn’t lived up to expectations. He has three goals and three assists in 13 games in December, and that won’t cut it. When Boucher talks about guys needing to pay the price, Dzingel’s one of them.