Page Says Rookie Knutsen Has Not Been Forgotten

Coach Pierre Page made it clear Tuesday that the Ducks have not given up on Espen Knutsen, a flashy rookie center from Norway who has slumped since his late-November demotion to Cincinnati of the American Hockey League.

“We could still use his skill and speed,” Page said. “Hopefully, he gets ahold of himself. He struggled when we sent him down there, so we left him there awhile to see how he would react.”

Knutsen didn’t respond as well as the Ducks had hoped.

First, he complained to an Oslo newspaper about everything from the cold weather in Cincinnati to what he believed to be the organization’s poor handling of him. Then he failed to produce, scoring only two goals in 19 games.

Knutsen had three goals in 19 games for the Ducks before he was sent to Cincinnati.

“All of Norway wants him to be successful,” Page said. “Maybe that’s a burden that’s really affected him. It was incredible when he was here. There were reporters and camera crews meeting him at the airport.

“It would be nice to see him be successful. Espen could come back and help us out.”

*

The Ducks recalled a rookie center from Cincinnati, but it was Matt Cullen rather than Knutsen. Cullen, who had 11 goals and 17 points in seven games since he was sent to Cincinnati on Jan. 5, is expected to play tonight against the Florida Panthers.

*

Defenseman Jason Marshall’s two-game suspension for drawing too many fight-instigator penalties was rescinded by the league. Marshall fought Colorado’s Claude Lemieux in the second period of the Ducks’ 2-0 loss last week.

*

Defenseman Dan Trebil, sidelined since Dec. 10 because of a broken right thumb, has been cleared to play by the team’s medical staff. Trebil practiced Tuesday with teammates for the first time since suffering the injury in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Page was uncertain after practice whether he would put Trebil in the lineup tonight.

Tonight

vs. Florida

* 7:30

* Channel 9

Site--Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim.

Radio--KRLA 1110, KCKC 1350.

Records--Ducks 15-25-8, Panthers 15-23-10.

Record vs. Panthers--0-0-1.

Update--The Ducks are in a 2-7-2 slide and the Panthers are 0-3-4 in recent games. Dino Ciccarelli makes his debut for the Panthers tonight after being traded last week by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has 597 goals, fourth among active players and ninth on the all-time list. Dave Gagner, with an abdominal strain, and Scott Mellanby, with a sprained left knee, are listed as day to day. Rob Niedermayer has a torn ligament in his left knee and is expected to be sidelined two to three weeks. The Ducks tied the Panthers, 3-3, on Teemu Selanne’s goal in the final minute of regulation in the first game Jan. 4 at Miami Arena.