SUNRISE, Fla. — When Dave Tippett was asked to provide a good Kevin Dineen story Tuesday, he just laughed. And then he added, “All the dirt on Kev you couldn’t print.”

Tippett and Dineen shared a lot of good memories as teammates on the Canadian Olympic team and then with the Hartford Whalers.

Tuesday night they’ll be facing each other as NHL head coaches for the first time when Tippett’s Phoenix Coyotes face Dineen’s Florida Panthers.

“To watch how his career has evolved — he’s moved into the upper echelon of coaching in games played and in wins — is not surprising at all because he was always one step ahead of the game,” Dineen said. “A very well tought-of player and a very well-rounded player – he was always maybe looked at as a defensive guy, but he scored some huge goals for us back in the day in the Whaler green.”

Tippett, in his third season with the Coyotes, ranks second in coaching victories since the start of the 2002-03 season behind only Detroit’s Mike Babcock.

Dineen, meanwhile, is off to a great start in his first season behind the bench with the Panthers.

“He’s done a very good job,” said Tippett, who was in Dineen’s wedding. “I don’t say that just because he’s a good friend of mine. You see how hard their team competes, you see that they have some structure – they’re finding ways to win close games. Those are all the earmarks of a guy that’s doing a good job as coach. They’ve got a lot of new faces, they’ve got a lot of people that he had to bond very quickly and it looks like things are going well for him.”

Tippett said Dineen should merit Hall of Fame consideration for his work as a player. And he said Dineen’s teams play just like their coach.

“You knew, even his teams in the minors, they were going to compete hard, they were going to be teams that were well prepared,” Tippett said. “Kevin was a guy that never left anything in the dressing room. When he went on the ice, it was to play hard and you can see his team, that’s the way they compete.”

For Dineen, facing a good friend is nothing new. He went through the same thing on Nov. 3 when the Panthers played host to the Chicago Blackhawks and Coach Joel Quenneville, who happened to be his best man.

Dineen can only hope for a better result this time — the Panthers lost to Chicago, 3-2, in a shootout.

For Tippett, he’s hoping his team can rebound from a tough 3-2 loss to the Rangers on Saturday when Brad Richards scored with one-tenth of a second left in regulation.

“That story is getting a little old there; it seems like every coach in this League was in my wedding,” Dineen said. “I’ve got lots of brothers that are out there and I’ve got a lot of great friends that have been extremely fortunate to make a living in this game.

“It’s nice when they’re in the other conference. We play them once this year. I was certainly disappointed to see how (Tippett’s) last game ended. I think that makes for a much tougher game for us when you have a team that’s going to be as grumpy as they are coming in to play tonight. We’ll have our hands full with that team.”

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Phoenix Coyotes will have one of their defensemen back Tuesday night and they could have a new one in the lineup as well.

Coach Dave Tippett said after the morning skate that Rostislav Klesla would return after missing the last seven games because of a lower-body injury.

But Tippett said he hadn’t decided whether to play David Rundblad, who was acquired Saturday in the trade that sent Kyle Turris to Ottawa.

“He’s up for selection,” Tippett said. “He’s not ruled out yet, but he’s not ruled in, either.”

Rundblad, who did not play in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Rangers, had one goal and three assists in 24 games with Ottawa.

Here’s the projected lineup for the Coyotes:

Ray Whitney - Martin Hanzal - Radim Vrbata
Mikkel Boedker - Daymond Langkow - Shane Doan
Raffi Torres - Boyd Gordon - Kyle Chipchura
Taylor Pyatt - Cal O'Reilly - Lauri Korpikoski

Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Derek Morris
Adrian Aucoin - Keith Yandle
David Schlemko - Rostislav Klesla
David Rundblad

Mike Smith
Jason LaBarbera

Injuries continue to force the Florida Panthers to shuffle their lineup.

Forward Bill Thomas was signed to a two-way contract Tuesday and should be in the lineup against Phoenix. Thomas had three goals and four assists in 24 games for the Panthers last season, but has played in San Antonio all season.

He will replace Sean Bergenheim, who is out with a groin injury. He was injured Sunday in a 3-2 overtime victory against Carolina after scoring his third goal in two games. Coach Kevin Dineen said he didn’t have a timetable for how long Bergenheim would be out of action. Bergenheim missed seven games earlier this season with another lower-body injury.

In another move, Tim Kennedy will skate up front after being recalled from San Antonio of the AHL for the third time this season. Kennedy will replace Greg Rallo, who was sent back down after making his NHL debut at the age of 30 on Sunday.

“We’re not looking to flip bodies right now and keep on moving guys in and out of the lineup,” Dineen said. “We want to find the right players and I know Tim Kennedy is the right guy for the job. He’s been here for the majority of the year and from everything that I understand Bill Thomas has put in a good stretch of hockey and deserves an opportunity to come back and play some games in a Panthers uniform.”

Here’s the projected lineup for the Panthers:

Tomas Fleischmann - Stephen Weiss - Kris Versteeg
Marco Sturm - Tomas Kopecky - Bill Thomas
Shawn Matthias - Mike Santorelli - Mikael Samuelsson
Krystofer Barch - Tim Kennedy - Matt Bradley

Jason Garrison - Brian Campbell
Dmitry Kulikov - Mike Weaver
Ed Jovanovski - Erik Gudbranson

Jose Theodore
Scott Clemmensen

SUNRISE, Fla. – Here are the projected lineups for the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers for their game Friday night at BankAtlantic Center:

CALGARY FLAMES

Curtis Glencross - Olli Jokinen - Jarome Iginla
Alex Tanguay - Brendan Morrison - Rene Bourque
Blake Comeau - Mikael Backlund - Lee Stempniak
Tom Kostopoulos - Matt Stajan - Tim Jackman

Chris Butler - Jay Bouwmeester
Scott Hannan - Derek Smith
T.J. Brodie - Brett Carson

Leland Irving
Miikka Kiprusoff

FLORIDA PANTHERS

Tomas Fleischmann - Stephen Weiss - Kris Versteeg
Marco Sturm - Tomas Kopecky - Jack Skille
Sean Bergenheim - Shawn Matthias - Mikael Samuelsson
Krys Barch - Mike Santorelli - Matt Bradley

Jason Garrison - Brian Campbell
Dmitry Kulikov - Mike Weaver
Ed Jonanovski - Keaton Ellerby

Jose Theodore
Scott Clemmensen

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers recorded a 4-3 victory against New Jersey on Nov. 21, but they don’t want a repeat performance when the teams meet again Tuesday night.

Sure, the same outcome would work just fine for Coach Kevin Dineen and his troops – they just don’t want to fall behind 3-0 like they did in the teams’ first meeting.

“You know what, we started that game well, we played well the first seven-eight minutes and all of a sudden a wave of Devils talent really came at us,” Dineen said after the morning skate Tuesday. “That was one of those games that we really felt strongly that we could come back and that our team was confident and playing well. That was a real character-builder for our team.

“It was certainly one of the games that sticks out so far this year on the positive side. We don’t want to play that formula too often where you get down three and then have to scratch and claw to fight your way back. It certainly makes for a quality matchup moving into tonight’s game.”

The Panthers made history with that victory over the Devils. It was the first time ever they had rallied from a three-goal deficit to win in regulation.

Defenseman Brian Campbell knows that kind of comeback doesn’t happen often.

“We can’t get down 3-0, we know that,” he said. “That’s not going to happen again. This team we’re playing is a great team. We had mistakes early on, some turnovers that cost us, some lackadaisical play. We’ve got to be ready from the get-go tonight and we want to be the ones that are setting the tempo and pushing the pace.”

Martin Brodeur was in net for New Jersey on Nov. 21 and he’ll start again Tuesday night.

“We’ve got to play 60 minutes, that’s the bottom line,” he said. “We got off to a great start and we sat on it and they gained some confidence as the game went on and beat us in the third. That’s why we need to respect them — not that we didn’t respect them, they’re a good hockey team that can put the puck in the net, so you’ve got to play well.”

Brodeur, though, stopped short of calling this meeting a revenge game for the Devils.

“They’re not the Rangers or the Flyers, so it’s a little different,” he said. “But, again, we let go two points, so we’ll try to get them back tonight.”

SUNRISE, Fla. — Kurtis Foster could have been excused if he wanted, or needed, to sit out New Jersey’s game at Florida on Tuesday night.

But after flying Monday night and Tuesday morning to join his new team just in time to head to the BankAtlantic Center for an optional skate, the veteran defenseman was feeling more excited than exhausted.

“Coming to a new team I think I’ll get a little bit of a burst of energy, a little bit of adrenaline going knowing that it’s my first time with the team,” said Foster, whom the Devils acquired in a four-player trade. “Just the excitement of meeting new guys and being with a team that’s in a lot better position than we were in Anaheim and you’re winning games and close to the playoffs, it definitely makes it a lot easier to deal with a little bit of tiredness. I’ll go back and get a good rest this afternoon and be ready to go tonight.”

Foster was acquired by New Jersey along with minor-league goalie Timo Pielmeier in exchange for defenseman Mark Fraser, center Rod Pelley and a seventh-round choice in the 2012 Entry Draft.

It was the second time in less than six months that Foster was traded. Anaheim had acquired him July 1 in exchange for fellow defenseman Andy Sutton.

New Jersey will be the sixth NHL team for the 30-year-old Foster, following Atlanta, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Edmonton and Anaheim. He’s expected to be paired Tuesday night with Bryce Salvador and also should get time on the Devils’ power play, where he will be reunited with former Thrashers teammate Ilya Kovalchuk.

“Knowing what Jersey is all about, I want to try to play solid defense, but my game is shooting the puck and create as much offensively,” Foster said. “I know that [Kovalchuk] likes to play the off-side on the power play and I like to play the right side. Hopefully, it’s a match that works out and (I’ll) try to get him the puck as much as I can in a position where he can shoot and make sure as many of my shots through, too. If I can generate a little bit of offense, help out the PP and play a solid all-around game, that’s kind of what I’m hoping for.”

Foster says he’s 100 percent recovered from a leg problem that sidelined him during training camp and the exhibition season.

He explained that a wire that he had inserted after fracturing his left leg while with Minnesota somehow moved and went into his quad. Foster said the wire was clipped at the bone and the leg shouldn’t be an issue moving forward.

Foster broke his leg in March of 2008 and missed most of the following season, but he played in 71 games for Tampa Bay in 2009-10 and 74 games for Edmonton last season.

Foster was informed of the trade after being pulled off the ice 10 minutes into Anaheim’s practice Monday afternoon.

It wasn’t until he drove home after showering that Ducks general manager Bob Murray informed him where he was being sent.

“I really didn’t know what to think,” Foster said. “It’s kind of a weird feeling when he tells you you’re being moved but he doesn’t tell you where. He did say at that point that it was a good situation for me and it was the best thing for my career going forward. When you have a GM telling you that, it’s a good thing and when he told me it was the Devils I was pretty excited.”

Foster took a 5:30 p.m. flight from Anaheim to Dallas and then headed to South Florida on a 5:45 a.m. flight Tuesday morning.

During the optional skate, he got some one-on-one instruction from Devils assistant coach Adam Oates, who also coached Foster in Tampa Bay.

“You never want to be traded, but when you do, you know that the team you’re going to likes you and wants you, so it’s always a good feeling,” Foster said. “Even though I’ve moved on to my fourth team 
in a couple of years, it is exciting, it is nice to know that I’m still wanted out there and that I think I can really help this team.
         
“[I’m] very, very happy. I think my wife will have a hard time leaving California. She enjoyed the beach life there, but for my family, my wife and my son, it’s a move that’s going to benefit the most for my future going ahead.”

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Panthers goalie Jose Theodore will get the chance to quickly atone for his first bad performance of the season.

Coach Kevin Dineen said after the morning skate that Theodore will be back in net Tuesday night when Florida faces the New Jersey Devils.

Theodore was pulled after the second period of Sunday's 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers after allowing six goals on 22 shots. Despite that rough outing, Theodore will go into the New Jersey game with an 11-6-3 record with a 2.39 GAA and a .922 save percentage.

Sunday marked the first time this season that Theodore was pulled for ineffectiveness. He was replaced after the second period of an Oct. 22 game against the New York Islanders because a lower-body injury.

Theodore was in the net against New Jersey on Nov. 21 when the Panthers rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3.

"He's the right guy for the job," Dineen said. "He's played extremely well for us and he's given us a chance to win every night. He threw a stinker at us, like the rest of the crew, the other night. Now, you rebound and you come back and that's what's great about having people that have great experience. They move on and get ready for the next one."

The Panthers will face the Devils without the services of rookie defenseman Erik Gudbranson, who suffered a charley horse in the Rangers game.

That came after Gudbranson scored his first NHL goal.

Here are the projected lines for tonight's game:

DEVILS
Petr Sykora - Patrik Elias - Dainius Zubrus
Zach Parise - Adam Henrique - Ilya Kovalchuk
Eric Boulton - Ryan Carter - David Clarkson
Mattias Tedenby - Tim Sestito - Cam Janssen

Henrik Tallinder - Mark Fayne
Bryce Salvador - Kurtis Foster
Alexander Urbom - Adam Larsson

Martin Brodeur
Johan Hedberg

PANTHERS
Tomas Fleischmann - Stephen Weiss - Kris Versteeg
Marco Sturm - Tomas Kopecky - Mikael Samuelsson
Sean Bergenheim - Shawn Matthias - Jack Skille
Krystofer Barch - Mike Santorelli - Matt Bradley

Jason Garrison - Brian Campbell
Dmitry Kulikov - Mike Weaver
Ed Jovanovski - Keaton Ellerby

Jose Theodore
Scott Clemmensen

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Washington goalie Tomas Vokoun was happy to return to South Florida so he could see his wife and two daughters. But the trip will not include a start against his former team.

Instead, Coach Dale Hunter said Michal Neuvirth will get the call against Florida, the team for which Vokoun played for the last four seasons.

"Those are the decisions Coach makes," Vokoun said. "I'm a paid employee and I don't make those kind of decisions. I'm a hockey player, I'm paid to play games. When they tell me I'm playing, I'm playing. When they told me I'm not playing, I'm not playing."

Vokoun left his family behind when he signed a one-year contract as a free agent with Washington this summer because he wanted his kids to stay in their school.

He flew to South Florida ahead of his teammates and stayed at his house on Sunday night.

"Obviously for me it's special becasue my family is here," he said. "I get to see my kids and stay home a couple of days. Being away since September, it's really nice."

Vokoun faced the Panthers earlier this season when the teams met in Washington and stopped 20 shots in a 3-0 shutout victory.

Hunter also said after Monday's morning skate that defenseman Roman Hamrlik will miss a third consecutive game with a lower-body injury.

Left wing Alexander Semin, however, could be available after missing Saturday night's 3-2 overtime victory over Ottawa with a shoulder injury. Hunter said a final call on his lineup will be a game-time decision.

Here's how the lineups could look tonight when the Southeast Division-leading Florida Panthers host the Washington Capitals at the BankAtlantic Center:

CAPITALS
Alex Ovechkin - Nicklas Backstrom - Troy Brouwer
Cody Eakin - Marcus Johansson - Mike Knuble
Jason Chimera - Brooks Laich - Joel Ward
Matt Hendricks - Jeff Halpern - Mathieu Perreault

Karl Alzner - John Carlson
John Erskine - Dennis Wideman
Jeff Schultz - Dmitry Orlov

Michal Neuvirth
Tomas Vokoun

PANTHERS
Tomas Fleischmann - Stephen Weiss - Kris Versteeg
Marco Sturm - Mike Santorelli - Jack Skille
Shawn Matthias - Tomas Kopecky - Sean Bergenheim
Evgenii Dadnov - Tim Kennedy - Bracken Kearns

Jason Garrison - Brian Campbell
Dmitry Kulikov - Mike Weaver
Ed Jovanovski - Erik Gudbranson

Jose Theodore
Scott Clemmensen

SUNRISE, Fla. — Anton Stralman will make his New York Rangers debut Wednesday night against the Florida Panthers.

The 25-year-old Swedish defenseman has been a healthy scratch since signing with the Rangers on Nov. 5. Coach John Tortorella is hoping Stralman can help a power play that is tied for 28th in the League.

"He needs to get in sooner or later, see what he is," Tortorella said. "I thought he moved the puck well on our power play yesterday (at practice). We'll see if he can help us a little bit there."

Tortorella said Jeff Woywitka will be scratched to make room for Stralman.

Stralman spent the last two seasons with Columbus. He led all Blue Jackets defensemen with 34 points two seasons ago and had 18 points in 51 games in 2010-11.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Panthers center Marcel Goc will miss his fourth consecutive game Wednesday night with what has been listed as an upper-body injury, and he might be out for a little while longer.

Coach Kevin Dineen addressed Goc's status after the Panthers' optional morning skate and said the injury was a result of Goc taking a hit to the head in a game at Dallas Nov. 15.

Dineen, however, stopped short of calling the injury a concussion.

"We're just in that precautionary stage before we make any kind of statement on exactly what the injury is," he said. "I had a really good talk with him today and he’s making strides in the right direction.

"He took a pretty good shot. I don't like playing this game where I'm trying to stickhandle around what exactly an injury is, but sometimes I have to get a definitive answer from my medical group before I make any kind of a public statement on that."

Goc, signed as a free agent from Nashville on July 1, has 2 goals in 17 games, but has been a key member of the penalty-killing unit and also has been asked to take a lot of key faceoffs in the defensive zone.

Dineen did not give a timetable for Goc’s return.

"Everybody has different reactions to injuries and his are consistent with us giving us some time to make sure that he's all right," Dineen said.