Former Hurricanes forward Jeff O'Neill had a goal to help the Red top the White 6-3 in a team scrimmage Sunday at the RBC Center, but he was overshadowed by another free-agent getting a tryout with the Canes.
Dan LaCouture had two goals and an assist in the first two periods as the Red took a 4-2 lead. O'Neill's goal, off a Ryan Bayda rebound, came four minutes into the third period and made it 5-2.
"I'm just trying to prove myself and make a statement," LaCouture
said. "I want back in again in the worst way."
LaCouture, 31, has played in 326 NHL games with five teams. The 6-2, 210-pound forward last was in the league with Boston in 2005-2006, spending last season with Lugano of the Swiss-A league.
O'Neill starred for the Canes before leaving for the Toronto Maple Leafs and then sitting out of the NHL last season. He has scored many a goal in the RBC Center but enjoyed the one Sunday.
"It was exciting," he said. "Although that was only a Red-White goal it was
kind of a big goal, just to get my confidence up. Hopefully I can build
on it."
Most of the Canes regulars practiced Sunday morning and sat out the
scrimmage. Carolina opens its preseason schedule Wednesday against
Washington at the RBC Center.
Forward Dwight Helminen had a goal and assist for the Red, and Joe
Jensen scored on a penalty shot. Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, often
paired with Tim Conboy, had three assists for the Red.
Stefan Chaput and Robert Slaney had second-period goals for the White to force a 2-2 tie, and Jakub Petruzalek also scored.
"Dan looked good," Canes coach Pete Laviolette said of LaCouture. "I
thought he looked strong on his skates, he was strong on the puck.
"You could tell he was an experienced player and had played games in the NHL. He was noticeable."
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
