Sport-scan daily brief

8:38 p.m. EDT, October 5, 2013

ST. LOUIS —

Panthers coach Kevin Dineen generally doesn't change his lineup after a win, but despite coming off a well-balanced 4-2 season-opening victory over the Dallas Stars, he tinkered with his third line in preparation for the tough St. Louis Blues Saturday night.

Dineen recalled the last time the Panthers came into St. Louis on Nov. 17, 2011, when they were also coming off a win in Dallas (6-0) and had won three of four, however, they took a 4-1 pounding that felt more lopsided than that.

"I expect an extremely tough game,'' Dineen said after morning skate at Scottrade Center. "I thought we were playing pretty good hockey when we came in here a couple of years ago and they dealt us a pretty nasty blow. That's a team that's a good measuring stick for us at this stage.''

So he replaced right wing Drew Shore with a more physical Krys Barch on a line with Scottie Upshall and center Scott Gomez, who scored a goal in his first game as a Panther and in the first game of the season for the first time in his 14-year career. Center Shawn Matthias remained with Tomas Kopecky and Jesse Winchester.

"I've been given the extra healthy bodies so we'll take advantage of it and it continues to be a work in progress to find a mix, symmetry, whatever the word is we're looking for,'' Dineen said. "Barch is an honest guy, an honest player and he can skate. We like to use our speed and he can add to us.''

Forward Joey Crabb and defenseman Matt Gilroy were again healthy scratches, and Tim Thomas was back in the net after turning aside 25 shots Thursday to notch his first victory since April 22, 2012 or since his self-imposed 17-month hiatus.

Barch was reacquired last week in a trade with the Devils to bring his physical prowess to a team that lacked an enforcer-type since trading George Parros to the Canadiens in the offseason.

"They're a big team, they play heavy, the crowds are always into it. I played here a lot when I was with Dallas,'' said Barch, who played with Dallas from 2006-11 and for the Panthers in 2011-12 before joining the Devils.

"They come hard at you, they've got a veteran lineup; [coach Ken] Hitchcock runs a structured system so you know what you're getting. You're going to have to earn everything.''

Panthers' recently signed right wing Brad Boyes returned to his favorite building where he notched back-to-back seasons of 43 and 33 goals in 2007-08 and 2008-09, but hasn't topped 17 since. He credits his former linemates Paul Kariya and Keith Tkachuk with setting him up for glory.

"I felt like I could score every game, it was crazy,'' said Boyes, who played here from 2006-11. "I didn't have any hat tricks so it's almost like I did score every game. When you play with one of the best passers whose played you know you're going to get the puck and he's not looking for it back, and one of the best power forwards, you just go to the net.

"It was a great mesh and every game I knew I'd get chances. I'm working on doing that here. The more we play together the more you realize how guys work. We don't have a Boston team whose been together for five years, so we're trying to get better.''

Even though the Blues were 25-6-5 against the Eastern Conference since 2011, Hitchcock was impressed with the Panthers' collective skating speed in Thursday's win over the Stars.

"I know Dallas is fast but they got outskated [by Florida], and that was really surprising to me,'' Hitchcock said after morning skate. "When you look at the Panthers' personnel and the way they've built the team their forwards are quick. They transition the puck really quickly and they've got speed.''

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 10.06.2013

719748 Los Angeles Kings

Kings' forward Matt Frattin tries to get in line

By Lisa Dillman

October 6, 2013

WINNIPEG, Canada

— Kings forwards Jeff Carter and Mike Richards know their lines, take their cues from one another and usually not much goes wrong if they feel like improvising.

The rest of the cast, at times, seems a little lost.

Left wing Matt Frattin is the latest forward trying to figure out the script with Richards and Carter. In two games, Frattin has two assists, one at even strength, the other on the power play.

It's a tough assignment, but there have been moments of understanding on the two-game trip, a win and a loss. The Kings were off Saturday and their home opener is Monday.

"It's the one constant we've had in camp,"Coach Darryl Sutter said of Frattin-Carter-Richards. "So it's an adjustment, that's a hole that we've had. We feel [Frattin] can play that, play with Mike and Jeff. Quite honest, there's times where Jeff is center, Mike is left [wing] and Frattin is right."

Carter might be listed as a right wing. At times, that's in name only.

"That's where they line up," Sutter said. "Mike and Jeff interchange a lot in a game. That's probably what Matt has to learn the most is those guys play together. It's who is going to play with them."

Sutter has spent most of his time as Kings coach trying to solve the problem on the left side, looking for the right fit for Richards and Carter. He tried Dustin Penner, Dwight King and Kyle Clifford, among others.

"We've had two-, three-goal scorers play there the past two years. Dustin was a two-, three-goal scorer that was in and out of the lineup," Sutter said of Penner, who is now with the Ducks. "We've had kids in there.

"We've moved Mike over, moved Jeff to center. It's been a big hole in our lineup."

On the draw

Kings center Anze Kopitar had an assist in Thursday's season opener and scored in the shootout at Minnesota. But he had an unusually difficult night in the faceoff circle and brought it up, unprompted.

"We took a beating on the faceoff, I personally did. Big time," said Kopitar, who won only five of 19 draws. "There's always stuff you can work on."

Kopitar obviously took the issue to heart. His effectivness went from 26% in the faceoff circle at Minnesota to 62% in the Kings' 5-3 loss at Winnipeg on Friday. His ice time against the Jets, by the way, was 22 minutes 37 seconds, second to Kings defenseman Drew Doughty's 27:08.

LA Times: LOADED: 10.06.2013

719749 Los Angeles Kings

KingsVision: We Are All Kings

One year after producing the excellent and well-received Stanley Cup Moments series, the creative minds at KingsVision have debuted a new feature in which a player from the team is joined with an influential member of the team’s fanbase. It is called We Are All Kings, and several videos have already been posted at LAKings.com.

As Los Angeles is a world center of creative influence, there are many prominent members of the team’s following eager to converse with the players. These conversations represent a natural union between those who have made an impact off the ice, and those whose on-ice artistry fits within the sports culture of a city in which teams generate attention through winning and entertaining.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.06.2013

719750 Los Angeles Kings

Waking up with the Kings: October 5

-There will be those questioning why Jonathan Quick was chosen to start the second game of a back-to-back with travel involved, and looking at the results – he hasn’t won starts on consecutive days since early in the 2011-12 season – it’s not exactly an obscure conclusion to reach. But while Quick wasn’t as brilliant as he was in Thursday’s season opener, he didn’t receive the help he has been accustomed to receiving, and through the first 125 minutes of the season it’s becoming clear that the Kings still have some work to do defensively. This appears to be a common theme around the league, though it is still slightly disconcerting to see a team that averaged 25 shots against per game in 2012-13 allow 29 and 33 shots through the first two games of the new season.

-For 20 minutes, Los Angeles played to a T the style of possession-dominant hockey that has become its hallmark. 24 hours after Minnesota carried much of the play, it was almost difficult to find a moment in the first period when the puck was on a Winnipeg player’s stick at even strength. Justin Williams, among the best possession forwards in the National Hockey League, was playing keep away from the Jets defenders through several impressive shifts early in the game. Ondrej Pavelec was as dominant in the first period as Jonathan Quick was through nearly the entirety of the Minnesota game, and there may have been some whispers of trouble in the first intermission after the Kings generated 18 shots on goal and a bevy of Grade A and B scoring opportunities yet remained locked up facing the remaining 40 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back set. Los Angeles appeared to record as many scoring chances in the first period as they did through regulation Thursday night, and had they faced a goaltender that wasn’t as strong as Pavelec was, there very well could have been a “2” or a “3” on the scoreboard after 20 minutes.

-Though Darryl Sutter referenced his turnover that led to Olli Jokinen’s 300th career goal, I agree with his assessment that Mike Richards was among the Kings’ best skaters early. One of the most intuitive and positionally sound players on the Los Angeles roster, there are often nights when Richards’ consistent contributions aren’t sharply defined upon a live glance. Friday night wasn’t one of those games. He was competitive throughout – as he always is – and provided a key screen on Matt Greene’s goal.

-As the game evolved, and as the scoring chances began to even out, the Kings were challenged at times to keep up with the speed of the Jets’ top players. It was hard not to be impressed with Evander Kane’s performance, which included a Gordie Howe Hat Trick. The player selected fourth overall in 2009 – one spot before Los Angeles took Brayden Schenn – was the most dangerous player on the ice and combined his usual net-driving and competitive power forward attributes with a sharp release and an impressive top speed. Having cut his teeth in the Eastern Conference for the first four years of the career, could he be on the cusp of a breakthrough season in the more rugged Western Conference?

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.06.2013

719751 Los Angeles Kings

October 4 postgame notes, highlights

-Los Angeles fell to 8-3-4 all-time against the Winnipeg franchise. the On the road, the Kings are 3-3-2 against Winnipeg / Atlanta.

-With his third period goal, Justin Williams recorded the 499th point of his career.

-The Kings won 40-of-63 faceoffs. Amongst the regulars, Anze Kopitar finishing 13-of-21, Colin Fraser won 9-of-13, Jaret Stoll won 8-of-12, Jeff Carter won 6-of-8, and Mike Richards won 4-of-8.

-Wilie Mitchell and Matt Greene led all skaters with four blocked shots.

-After logging 24:28 in the season opener, Willie Mitchell logged 19:52 in the second game of the back-to-back set.

-Drew Doughty logged a game-high 27:08 of ice time.

-The last time Jonathan Quick won starts on back-to-back nights was November 16 and 17, 2011. He stopped 23-of-24 shots in a 2-1 shootout win over Anaheim at Staples Center before stopping 35-of-38 shots in a 5-3 win at Honda Center the following night.

-Olli Jokinen’s second period goal was the 300th goal of his career.

-Evander Kane recorded three points (1-2=3), a game-high plus-3 rating, a game-high seven shots, and a game-high five hits in 14:38 of ice time.

Saturday, October 5 is an off-day for the Kings. The team’s next practice will take place at TSC at 10:00 a.m. Sunday.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.06.2013

719752 Minnesota Wild

Russo's Sunday NHL Insider: First ugly fighting incident on league's first night

Article by: Michael Russo

Star Tribune

October 5, 2013 - 3:39 PM

Every season, there always is that one incident that gets the armchair anti-fighting crusaders to voice their stance loudly.

“It’s a little earlier this year than others,” the Wild’s resident bruiser, Zenon Konopka, said.

That’s because this year’s first ugly incident came on the first day of the NHL season, in longtime enforcer George Parros’ first game as a Montreal Canadien. In a fight with fellow Toronto tough guy Colton Orr, the two swung for the fences. Orr lost his footing, had a fist full of Parros’ sweater and pulled the big man down. In a scary scene, Parros crashed to the ice mustache-first, was removed on a stretcher and hospitalized because of a concussion.

The anti-fighting media crusaders took to Twitter. The difference now was the next day, when actual influential hockey folks echoed that it’s time to examine if there’s a place for fighting in the NHL.

After all, the Olympics don’t have it, nor college. There’s less in the NHL playoffs, which offer some pretty good hockey to watch.

General Managers Ray Shero (Pittsburgh), Jim Rutherford (Carolina) and Steve Yzerman (Tampa Bay) were all quoted by TSN, with Yzerman saying, “We penalize and suspend players for making contact with the head while checking, in an effort to reduce head injuries, yet we still allow fighting.”

With a general managers’ meeting set for November, you know this debate will be added to the agenda, although NHL exec Colin Campbell told ESPN “there is not an appetite to change the rules with respect to fighting.”

Konopka says the Parros incident was a fluky “accident” that could happen at any point in a game.

“People at factories get injured all the time,” Konopka said. “Does anybody want that to happen? No. They’re not going to close the plant either. The key is learning from casualties and moving forward. Us tough guys need to learn about leverage in fights. What happened there can’t happen.”

Konopka is a fascinating guy, as most fighters are when they rationalize their jobs.

Konopka is big into “Stop Concussions.” Some proceeds from his wine label, ZK28, go to the charity. During last year’s NHL lockout, he went to Boston University, where they study chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative disease that occurs in people with a history of head trauma. The brain of the late Derek Boogaard was found to have CTE, and as of now, it can only be discovered postmortem.

“I feel like I’ve got a vested interest in it,” Konopka said. “Nobody’s fought more than me in the last four years, so if anyone’s got it, I’m a good candidate. They told me they think they’re a year out from being able to diagnose it in a living person.

“So I feel I better help work on the science part and raise some money so they can figure out how to fix you if there is something wrong with you down the line.”

So, how can Konopka justify such a dangerous job when he thinks there’s a chance he has the beginning a brain illness that can affect him later in life?

“You go into an automobile? There are crashes and fatalities all the time,” Konopka said. “You put your seat belt on, you follow the rules. You’re not going to stop driving. Driving is part of your everyday living.

“This is part of my everyday living. I grew up with hockey. It’s part of me. You take hockey away from me, it would be a crushing blow, and hockey needs policing.”

In Thursday’s Wild opener, Keith Ballard stood up for himself by fighting Colin Fraser after the Kings forward hit Ballard from behind. In the same game, Konopka sought out and fought Kyle Clifford two shifts after he boarded defenseman Jonas Brodin.

Pro-fighting crusaders say this is why fighting is necessary.

“A lot of times it keeps everything in check,” the Wild’s Zach Parise said. “You can’t just run around and know you’re being protected by the rules and protected by the officials.”

And as long as cheering fans stand in droves whenever two combatants drop the gloves, fighting’s probably going nowhere.

NHL Short Takes: Roy’s outburst planned?

It’ll be entertaining watching Patrick Roy as a rookie head coach in Colorado. The Hall of Fame goalie and fiery coach in juniors received a $10,000 fine by the NHL for his exchange with Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau opening night.

Roy, upset that Ben Lovejoy kneed No. 1 overall pick Nathan MacKinnon earlier in the game, twice pushed the alarmingly flimsy glass partition toward Boudreau.

Boudreau said Roy’s antics were “bush league” and said it would be a long year for Roy if he keeps yelling at refs and opposing players.

“What Boudreau said was all lies,” Roy said the next day.

Regardless, you can bet this was calculated. Avs fans loved it, as did his players, who you know will work hard for a coach that 1) defends them, and 2) has a fiery temper that could one day be aimed at them.

Ugly tie back on bench

Longtime NHL journeyman Dallas Eakins made his coaching debut for the Oilers and in honor of his former Florida coach, Roger Neilson, wore one of the old coach’s hideous jungle ties. Neilson died of cancer in 2003.

“Roger was known for his horrible ties and I was saving this one for a long time,” Eakins said.

WILD’S WEEK AHEAD

Tuesday: at Nashville, 7 p.m. (FSN)

Thursday: vs. Winnipeg, 7 p.m. (FSN)

Saturday: at Dallas, 7 p.m. (FSN)

Player to watch: Matt Cullen, Nashville

The Minnesota native who played for the Wild the previous three seasons will make his home debut as a Nashville Predator on Tuesday.

VOICES

“He’s got farmer’s strength.” - Wild left wing Zach Parise on defenseman Ryan Suter

719753 Minnesota Wild

Second game, same result: Wild loses to Anaheim in overtime

Article by: Michael Russo

Star Tribune

October 6, 2013 - 12:18 AM

Wild coach Mike Yeo expected a “grumpy” Anaheim Ducks team Saturday night after the squad had two off days to simmer following its opening-night beatdown in Colorado.

Surly the Ducks were, as they jumped to a two-goal lead before the Wild found a way to match Anaheim’s desperation.

The Wild rallied to force overtime but ended up losing 4-3 exactly 4.9 seconds before what could have been a shootout on Mathieu Perreault’s breakaway goal.

“Very disappointing, but that’s what happens when you come out on your heels and passive,” said Zach Parise, who scored twice, including the tying goal 75 seconds into the third period. “That’s what happens. We found ourselves just trying to get back into the game, which we did a good job of.

“But you start out with two games at home and come out without a win, that’s not the way we drew it up.”

After Kyle Brodziak was denied by Jonas Hiller on a 2-on-1, the Perreault winner came off a give and go with defenseman Francois Beauchemin. Marco Scandella went down on one knee to try to block the pass. He didn’t, giving Perreault a free avenue to Niklas Backstrom.

Scandella was on the ice for all four goals, partner Jared Spurgeon three.

“Things didn’t go the way we wanted and we’re going to have to be better than that,” Scandella said.

This came after the Wild’s top line carried it back into the game. Jason Pominville also scored a power-play goal, but the Wild is 0-0-2.

“It’s a tough one to accept,” Pominville said.

The Wild lost second-line center Charlie Coyle with a lower-body injury midway through the second period. Late in his shift, Coyle was checked in the neutral zone by Andrew Cogliano and landed awkwardly. He tried to return late in the second but returned to the locker room after testing his injury. He could be seen in the runway with team orthopedist Joel Boyd.

Yeo said he doesn’t think Coyle’s injury is “gravely serious,” but it’s a stretch to expect him to play Tuesday in Nashville. If he misses time, the Wild would likely move Mikael Granlund to center and call up a winger from Iowa.

Jason Zucker is down there but coming off a groin injury.

After a one-sided second period in which the Wild was only able to pull within one on Pominville’s power-play goal, Parise tied the score at 3-3. Jonas Brodin sent a puck to Keith Ballard at the point, Ballard fired in net and Parise tucked home the rebound for his second of the game.

Ballard, the Baudette native and former Gophers standout, recorded his first point with the Wild.

The Wild drew a power play soon after, but Dany Heatley’s stab at a go-ahead goal was cranked loudly off the post.

The start couldn’t have been worse for the Wild. The Ducks struck just 1:40 in, then again by the 5:43 mark.

“We can’t play with the starts we have,” Pominville said. “You’re not going to win many games when you have to battle back through the course of the game.

The top line and second line started the game with back-to-back shifts pinned in the Wild end, with the second shift proving painful.

After Scandella failed to check Saku Koivu in the corner, the veteran center sprung free, fed Beauchemin at the point and tipped his little wrist shot from the top of the circles past Backstrom.

Then, after a Granlund hooking penalty, Nick Bonino scored a power-play goal on Corey Perry’s rebound with Scandella caught between in the crease defending nobody and Backstrom slow to get over.

But Matt Cooke showed why his value goes beyond physicality. He’s known for drawing penalties and he drew two on this night; both resulted in power-play goals.

“We battled back to get a point, but we’re not happy about this one,” Yeo said.

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.06.2013

719754 Minnesota Wild

Wild notes: Dumba makes NHL debut

Article by: Michael Russo

Star Tribune

October 5, 2013 - 11:58 PM

In a cool scene, teammates thrust Matt Dumba to the center of the circle Saturday morning to lead the Wild’s stretch after practice.

“They’re going to be happy in Red Deer tonight,” teammates told Dumba, he said.

That’s because Dumba made his long-anticipated NHL debut later that night in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks. The 2012 first-round pick stayed a week into last season, but he played no games before returning to Red Deer of the Western Hockey League.

This time, two months and 10 days after his 19th birthday, Dumba skated alongside veteran Keith Ballard in a bona fide regular-season NHL contest. He logged 10:22, wasn’t on for a goal and had a shot with his parents, Treena and Charlie, in the crowd.

“I’m just thankful that my opportunity has come along,” Dumba said. “It was everything I dream of, but I know I have a lot of work ahead of me.”

Dumba is a wild stallion. He’s got a big shot, loves to hit and often skates … everywhere. Ballard said it’s important to read off each other and just make sure that if one defenseman decides to go, “it’s not both of us.”

“Matt’s got a lot of skill,” Ballard said before the game. “An important part of his career as he goes forward is learning when to use that and learning when to just get it out of trouble, make the smart play, play kind of a boring game.

“It’s just a matter of finding the times to use it. For me as his partner, it’s being in the right spot and talking so no matter what he’s doing or where he is, he knows that I’m going to be in my position as a safety valve.”

It feels like just yesterday when Ballard, 30, was the young pup. His mentor in Phoenix early in his career was defenseman Derek Morris.

“I don’t think I had quite the skill Matt has, but my first couple years, I was also just up and down the ice and had no thought of, ‘This could lead to an odd-man rush, or this is a bad idea or we’re up one goal late in the game, don’t do this,’ ” he said. “It took me a bit of time to play my position more.”

Still, while the Wild knows Dumba may make mistakes early, it also wants him to play his game. He offers a dimension the Wild lacks.

“He had some really good moments,” coach Mike Yeo said. “He gave you glimpses of what he can do. He’s going to be a pretty electric player. He’s going to be a guy that creates offense.”