TAMPA -- A day after the fact, the Canes' Dan LaCouture had to shake his head and smile. In his first game for Carolina, he scores the game-winning goal in a 6-4 win over the Florida Panthers in the season opener.

LaCouture didn't have any family or friends at the game at the RBC Center -- they were all in Massachusetts. But he had plenty of voicemails and text messages awaiting him after it.

"Quite a few," he said, breaking into a big grin. "Everyone back home was watching the game. My parents, sisters and brothers and buddies were watching the game on television. 

"Even my wife kept my little two-year-old daughter up, even though she doesn't understand fully. But she knew she was watching Dad."

Former Hurricanes forward Jeff O'Neill had a goal to help the Red top the White 6-3 in a team scrimmage today at the RBC Center, but he was overshadowed by another 30something 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 came four minutes into the third period and made it 5-2.