Tim Sharp / AP file

Phoenix's Daniel Carcillo, second from left, battles Dallas' Mark Fistric, left.

8. Your best fights will wind up on YouTube
People have been posting video of my fights for as long as I've been playing pro hockey. Yeah, sometimes I check it out. I didn't mind going on there and watching my fight from this season with Dallas' Krys Barch. He came at me, I one-punched him and he was out cold. Of course, my fights with Ivanans and Hordichuk are on there, too, so it isn't all good.

9. Even if you're a middleweight ...
Remember: You wouldn't be in the league if you couldn't play the game. I had a discussion with Wayne and Shane Doan, our captain, toward the end of the season. They reminded me that I can be a guy who gets under other players' skin but that I also have a lot of skill. For a true tough guy, that's pretty rare, but most smaller guys who like to fight also can skate and handle the puck. I had only 13 goals overall, but I scored five in the last two games. Wayne and Shane both think I can be a 30-goal scorer, and I'd love to prove them right.

10. For fighters of all sizes ...
Learn where competitiveness ends and chaos begins. I didn't set out to have 324 penalty minutes. There were too many major penalties and game misconducts in there. I crossed that fine line too often, and I guess I'm still learning where it is. In Nashville, I lost the fight to Hordichuk — my first loss all year — and I got really pissed off and pretty much just lost it. I pushed a linesman, got a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct. Wayne got ticked off at me and sent me down to the minors for a week. You talk about a wakeup call. Why would anyone want to mess with his own career like that?

More news

AP

Carter powers Kings to 2-0 lead

Jeff Carter scored three goals, Jonathan Quick stopped 24 shots and LA matched an NHL record with their ninth straight road playoff victory, beating Phoenix 4-0 Tuesday to take control of Western Conference finals.

NBC Sports

Highlights: Kings do everything right in Game 2

  The Kings beat the Coyotes to match an NHL record with their seventh straight road playoff victory, thanks to Jeff Carter's three goals.

Headlines

• Label

NHL.com: Smith says Coyotes 'outcompeted again'

Frustration? Watch Doan's cheap shot on Lewis

PHT: Quick says Coyotes won't be rattled

PHT Extra: Rangers to run out of steam?

Kings part of crazy weekend at Staples Center

Rangers eager to try and make it 2-0 lead

NHL.com: Devils used to rallying in series

PHT: US faces Finns in Worlds quarters | Top Swiss