Rumors on Nedved Won’t Go Away

Rumors persist of the Kings’ interest in former Pittsburgh forward Petr Nedved, playing at Las Vegas of the International Hockey League after being unable to reach accord with the Penguins on a contract.

Dave Taylor, vice president and general manager of the Kings, has said there have been talks but that the club has no interest in Nedved at the salary he demands, reportedly between $4.5 million and $6 million annually.

Taylor declined comment Sunday night when asked if conversations with the Penguins were on again after their financial plight sent them into Chapter 11 this week, and after Nedved had begun a season in the IHL at a salary much lower than the $2 million or so the Penguins were prepared to pay him.

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King Coach Larry Robinson shuffled his first two lines Sunday night, moving winger Josh Green from a line centered by Yanic Perreault to one centered by Jozef Stumpel.

Winger Vladimir Tsyplakov exchanged places with Green in an attempt to jump-start the Stumpel line.

It apparently worked, because Glen Murray, the third member of the Stumpel line, scored his first goal of the season, setting up at a spot near the Colorado goal and sending a shot by teammate Doug Bodger past Patrick Roy.

Murray, who led the Kings with 29 goals last season, had been criticized by Robinson for failing to work in the area near the crease, as had Stumpel.

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King goalie Jamie Storr is no stranger to groin injuries.

He suffered one last season that cost him 11 games of rehabilitation time at Long Beach.

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Defenseman Garry Galley was scratched for the fourth time. . . . Winger Craig Johnson was a first-time scratch.