Audette Isn’t About to Let Slashing Go Unnoticed

Don’t plan on inviting the Kings’ Donald Audette and Dallas’ Richard Matvichuk to the same party.

Audette spent Sunday afternoon being wheeled up a ramp to the X-ray room at Reunion Arena after being slashed across the foot by Matvichuk with 38 seconds to play in Dallas’ 1-0 victory.

The X-rays were negative, and so was Audette, who sat with ice across his tightly wrapped instep.

“He slashed me, then I slashed him back and then he really slashed me,” Audette said. “He’s just a . . . loser and I’ll get him back.”

Or maybe forget the whole thing?

“Never,” Audette said.

Audette was assessed a two-minute minor penalty on the play, which came while the Kings were on a power play and using six skaters, having pulled goalie Stephane Fiset from the ice.

Matvichuk drew a five-minute penalty for slashing and a game-misconduct penalty, which means he’s going to have to deal with NHL vice president Colin Campbell.

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Joe Nieuwendyk’s goal at 31 seconds Sunday was quick, but hardly the quickest the Kings have given up this season.

Dallas’ Tony Hrkac scored in the game’s first eight seconds Nov. 8, beating the Kings’ Manny Legace.

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The Kings lost their fourth one-goal game to Dallas, but Fiset insists that “they aren’t that much better than us.”

“They just start strong,” he added. “We just started playing in the third period. If we played two more periods like we played the third, we can beat them.”

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Much is made about the importance of Rob Blake to the Kings, who are 3-15 without him in the lineup.

But there are other players who are significant factors. The Kings are 10-4-2 with Jozef Stumpel, Glen Murray and Blake in the lineup at the same time.