Avery Lets Scoring Do All His Talking

Sean Avery was back on the ice and, somewhat surprisingly, didn’t pick up any penalties. Instead, he picked up a goal and an assist for the Kings during the 4-4 tie with the Ducks on Wednesday.

“I didn’t think I had to go out and prove anything,” he said. “I thought I played it pretty simple and got the puck on the net.”

Avery’s postgame remarks were far less inflammatory than his words in the wake of the Kings’ 4-0 loss Dec. 31 to the Phoenix Coyotes.

In that game, Avery hand-delivered a nine-minute power play to the Coyotes and subsequently told reporters he reacted adversely to Mike Sillinger’s existence near the King net because the Kings weren’t “team tough,” actions that led to healthy-scratch status last Saturday against the Dallas Stars.

King Coach Andy Murray sat down with Avery a few days ago and showed him the contrite response offered by Colorado Avalanche enforcer Jim Cummins after he took three costly fighting penalties Dec. 20 against the Kings.

“Cummins said that he went against team guidelines and he knew he was wrong,” Murray said. “I think [Avery] needed to be aware of what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable.”

Avery will face a few new buddies tonight when the Kings play Vancouver.

In a recent interview with ESPN.com, Avery offered up the name of Vancouver forward Matt Cooke when asked whom he would choose if he could “have one free punch at any NHL player.” Avery also said that Canuck stars Todd Bertuzzi and Markus Naslund “have a pretty big chip on their shoulders.”

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King defenseman Maxim Kuznetsov was designated for assignment and could be claimed by another team. Any team that claims Kuznetsov would have to assume nearly half of his $575,000 salary.

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Sergei Fedorov donated $1,812 -- the money he was awarded by Duck fans for scoring the game-winning goal against Colorado on Dec. 19 -- to Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

TONIGHT

Kings vs. Vancouver, 7:30

Fox Sports Net

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- KSPN (710).

Records -- Kings 16-13-7-4, Canucks 22-11-6-2.

Record vs. Canucks -- 0-1-1.

Update -- The line of Naslund, Brendan Morrison and Bertuzzi has combined for 44 goals.