Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock was asked last night about the recent play of his top two lines.

To his credit, he didn't have to think about which ones they are. Others might be at a loss to identify them.

The Jackets' 4-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes in Nationwide Arena continued a trend of disjointed performances.

"You have to work to score in the league -- bottom line, you have to work," Hitchcock said. "Lines that score are based on second and third efforts. We are not getting it."

Despite constant tinkering, Hitchcock can't seem to get consistent performances from the likes of Kristian Huselius, Rick Nash, R.J. Umberger and Antoine Vermette.

Nash, Vernette and Huselius are the team's leading scorers, but points don't tell the story. Second-year winger Jake Voracek has been the one player able to generate regular chances.

"He's been our best player so far this season," Hitchcock said.

Huselius has five goals and four assists, but his play is so sporadic that he has had meetings with Hitchcock. He was set back in the preseason because of the flu but refuses to use that as an excuse. He has been barely noticeable in the past two games, other than a meaningless power-play goal Sunday in a 6-2 loss to Los Angeles.

"The last couple of games we haven't played well, and we know we have to get better," Huselius said. "The whole team is in a slump right now."

Filatov improving

One forward who showed jump was rookie Nikita Filatov. He created several first-period scoring chances with his passing and speed. But Filatov earned just two shifts from the start of the second period to midway through the third, Hitchcock said, because of all the special-teams play.

"He had a good first period; the penalties took him out," Hitchcock said.

Roy farmed out

The Jackets assigned defenseman Mathieu Roy to minor-league Syracuse. Roy had not played 10 games, meaning he could be sent down without having to clear waivers.

The Jackets have six healthy defensemen. General manager Scott Howson said Jan Hejda, out since Oct. 13 because of a sprained right knee, is still at least a week away from returning.

Roy had four assists in seven games and a plus-1 rating.

Temper, temper

Hitchcock said Jason Chimera and Derek Dorsett, members of the checking line, must not be lured into retaliatory penalties or misconducts.

After Chimera was bloodied on a low hit by the Los Angeles Kings' Rob Scuderi on Sunday, Dorsett was assessed a game misconduct for trying get back at the defenseman. Attempting to stand up for his teammate, Dorsett had to be restrained by officials.

Chimera earned a 10-minute misconduct for yelling at Kings players and not going directly to the Jackets' bench.

The two players were not on the same line that night.

"The big challenge for those two guys is to stay on the ice," Hitchcock said. "They are hard to play against, but they can't get taken off the ice."

treed@dispatch.com