Avery's Lip A Disservice?
Avs' Laperriere says Kings forward isn't making nice on ice
(from the Rocky Mountain News)
By Rick Sadowski
Rocky Mountain News
September 29, 2005 - Ian Laperriere would like nothing more than to suit up for the Colorado Avalanche's preseason game tonight against the Los Angeles Kings at the Pepsi Center.
Especially if Kings forward Sean Avery is on the ice.
Laperriere spent parts of nine seasons in a Kings uniform, two as a teammate of Avery's, but they aren't exactly bosom buddies.
Laperriere, who signed with the Avalanche as a free agent after the 2003-04 season, said he heard Avery had bragged that he was going to fight him Saturday during the teams' game in Las Vegas.
"But when I dropped my gloves," Laperriere said Wednesday, "he just skated away."
Avery made the Montreal-born Laperriere even angrier Tuesday by denigrating French-Canadian players in an interview with the Canadian network TSN while discussing the concussion suffered Sunday by Kings center Jeremy Roenick on a check by Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Denis Gauthier.
Avery said he thought it was a "clean hit" but added: "I think it was typical of most French guys in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not back(ing) anything up.
"I'd think if a guy like Brett Hull was coming up the middle, somebody probably wouldn't have stepped up and hit him, but like I said, a typical move from a guy wearing a visor that certainly doesn't like to get scratched at all."
Laperriere said he would be happy to oblige Avery tonight.
"If he's looking for a French guy who will back it up, I'm his guy," he said. "Print it. I'll be more than happy to back it up."
Avalanche center Pierre Turgeon, who is from Rouyn, Quebec, chose not to comment, saying he wasn't about to "waste my time talking about that guy."
It's noteworthy that Montreal-born Luc Robitaille is the Kings' most popular player. Eric Belanger, who hails from Sherbrooke, Quebec, played on the same line as Avery when the Kings played San Jose on Tuesday.
Avery is from Pickering, Ontario; Roenick is from Boston.
"What really makes me mad is he is taking away too much attention right now," Laperriere said. "He should talk about the game; we're back playing. He should talk about us being back on the ice instead of saying stupid racial things."
"It's a racial thing. If he said anything about any other ethnic (group), you'd get fined, suspended. You can't say that."
The Kings released a statement quoting Avery as saying, "I certainly did not want to offend anyone with my comments. I am an emotional guy who sometimes says things that shouldn't be said. I apologize if I offended anyone."
According to the Los Angeles Times, the statement was issued after a call from the NHL office.
Kings general manager Dave Taylor told the Los Angeles Daily News that he would have a "discussion" with Avery but didn't anticipate the need for discipline.
"We obviously don't condone what he said," Taylor said.
Roenick was angry after suffering the 11th concussion of his career. He said Gauthier's hit showed a "lack of respect" and was uncalled for in a preseason game.
"I've seen that Canadians are saying that I'm complaining and whining because I got hit hard," Roenick told the Times. "But I have gotten hit hard many, many, many times, probably more so than they have ever been hit. They just love to complain about me because I'm an American who gets more press than their Canadian players.
"I'm sure if (Avalanche captain and Canadian-born) Joe Sakic got hit the way I got hit and said the same thing I did, Canadians wouldn't be sitting there saying Joe was complaining."
Roenick said Gauthier called him Monday to apologize.
SCORING DROUGHT: The Avalanche has totaled only 10 goals in four games - five at even strength in regulation. There have been two power-play goals, two short-handed goals and one in overtime.
"Maybe when it comes to sniffing out the loose pucks, we haven't been. . . . I don't want to say we haven't been desperate enough, but we haven't had the great bounces," coach Joel Quenneville said. "The goaltending on both sides has been excellent. I think that's been part of it. The power play, which is probably the way we want to ignite our offense, is probably the place to start."
The Avalanche has gone 2-for-22 on power plays and killed 27 of 29 penalties.
ETC.: Avalanche defensemen Bob Boughner (groin), Patrice Brisebois (groin) and Curtis Leschyshyn (hip) will play tonight. Boughner and Brisebois have played in one preseason game, and Leschyshyn hasn't played in any . . . Goalie Vitaly Kolesnik is scheduled to play the entire game.