KINGS UPDATE: AVERY LIGHTS CANUCKS' FUSE.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Sean Avery, the scrappy winger who infuriated Kings coach Andy Murray last week by questioning the team's toughness in the media, has added a big chunk of bulletin board material for tonight's opponent, the Vancouver Canucks.

In an interview last month with ESPN.com, Avery criticized the Canucks' top offensive players Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi and said he was prepared to fight Vancouver center Matt Cooke.

The story has been posted for two weeks and finally reached the Canucks through Canadian Internet site Sportsnet.ca.

``But that was before he was reborn,'' said Murray, who benched Avery on Saturday for inflammatory comments aimed at teammates after a fight with Phoenix's Mike Sillinger.

Murray has tried to get Avery, who scored Wednesday in his return against the Mighty Ducks, to strike a balance between agitating opponents and going over the line.

Avery was not asked to apologize to teammates but did speak at length with Murray and captain Mattias Norstrom about team protocol.

But Murray only could shake his head when learning Avery's comments had become big news in Vancouver.

When asked about trash talking in the NHL, Avery told ESPN that Bertuzzi and Naslund, among the league's top scorers, were two of the worst.

``Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi are pretty good players, but they also have a pretty big chip on their shoulders,'' said Avery, acquired last March from Detroit. ``Naslund surprisingly talks a lot. His was a reference to money, saying how much he makes. It was like we were back in juniors talking how big our signing bonus is.''

Before Wednesday's game, Avery said he was not worried about lighting a fuse under the Northwest Division-leading Canucks, the No. 2 team in the Western Conference.

``It's not a problem if I don't draw a penalty,'' he said.

In the interview with John Buccigross, host of ESPN's NHL Tonight, Avery also took aim at Cooke, who plays a similar agitating style.

Cooke has said the animosity from Avery stems from beating him in a fight during junior hockey.

``He never fought me,'' Avery said Wednesday. ``He's never gotten into it with anybody.''

In the earlier interview, Avery said: ``I think that anyone that plays this style of game realizes at some point you have to fight, whether you win the fight or get your lunch fed to you.

``It's about a respect thing with your teammates. Guys have been saying that forever about Matt Cooke. I'm not sure if he's ever fought in the NHL. It's not whether you win or lose the fight, it's just that you show up. I remember in Detroit, I told my teammates at one point to not help me in a scrum; 'I'll be OK. Go get a drink.' ''

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

SEAN AVERY

Kings winger says he is prepared to fight Vancouver center Matt Cooke.

Box:

(ran in Final edition only) KINGS vs. VANCOUVER

- Matt McHale