Visnovsky Improves in a Hurry

WASHINGTON —  The scene was a bit daunting, and maybe a bit confusing for Lubomir Visnovsky.

“He got better as the game went on,” Coach Andy Murray said Friday after the Kings had opened their season with a 4-1 victory over the Capitals.

“We felt his game improved with every shift.”

That was the idea.

“I’m a little nervous,” the Slovakian rookie said eight hours before his first NHL game. “I believe that after I’ve had a couple of shifts, I’m going to be fine.”

He was, said defense partner Jaroslav Modry, who translated for Visnovsky, whose English has improved to “Mo helped me a lot” and “thank you.”

“It just took him a couple of shifts. He’s a smart player who reads the game very well. I talked to him. He was nervous in the beginning.”

He should have been.

“Here he was, on the bench, and a country-and-western band plays the National Anthem,” Murray said. “I think he said, ‘I never play well then I hear that song.’ ”

On Friday, he played well enough to turn in four shots, hit a couple of guys--no small thing when you are a small defenseman, 5 feet 10, 180 pounds--and didn’t turn the puck over.

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Jamie Storr saved 19 of 20 shots in his first NHL season opener, and Murray acknowledged the performance, while waiting for the next.

“We’re going to play the goalie that’s playing well,” the coach said of his policy of riding a hot horse until he cools.

“If that means playing 82 games, he’ll play 82 games.”

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Murray was not particularly happy about getting only three power plays to Washington’s eight.

But he was effusive about the seven power plays in which the Capitals failed to score against a Kings’ defense that has become more aggressive this season.

“We had outstanding penalty killing,” he said. “I thought penalty killing was a key to the game.”

Washington’s lone goal came from Calle Johansson on a 5-on-3 man advantage.

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Center Brad Chartrand cleared waivers and was assigned to Lowell. . . . In addition to the Southeast Division banner going aloft in the MCI Center on Friday night, the numbers of Rod Langway (No. 5) and Yvon Labre (No. 7) were retired by the Capitals.

at Buffalo, 4

Fox Sports Net 2

* Site--Marine Midland Arena.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 1-0-0-0, Sabres 1-0-0-0.

* Record vs. Sabres (1999-2000)--1-1.

* Update--At Washington, the Kings managed to miss goalie Olaf Kolzig, the Vezina Trophy winner last season, because he was injured. Tonight, they miss Dominik Hasek, because he suffered a strained knee ligament Thursday at Chicago and was put on injured reserve. His usual backup, Martin Biron, has yet to sign, leaving the Sabres with rookie Mike Noronen, who replaced Hasek in Chicago and turned back 15 of 17 shots in winning; and Peter Skudra, obtained on waivers Friday. The Sabres are also without captain Michael Peca, who is asking for a $4-million-a-year contract and is being offered $2.4 million.