Laperriere Proves Toughness After Facing Slapper
(from The Mercury)
By Anthony J. SanFilippo
Journal Register News Service
November 28, 2009 - Here's everything you ever need to know about the character of Ian Laperriere.
He threw his face in front of a Jason Pominville slap shot Friday. The puck, travelling about 90 MPH, split Laperriere's lip in two.
He skated off the ice on his own, went to the training room, found out that he had lost several teeth and needed somewhere close to 100 stitches on both the inside and outside of his mouth to close the wound.
For most people, that would be a traumatic enough event to take some time off of work.
Not Laperriere.
Instead, grabbed a full-face shield, and returned to the game to take four shifts in the third period.
"I think he shocked his teammates," John Stevens said. "I think they were a little worried about him wanting to come back, but there was no question in his mind. The most troubling thing to him through all of that was that he was missing as much time as he was (missing), which tells you a little bit about him.
"But he's a ferocious warrior that seems to want to fight through everything to be playing the game. It was a pretty impressive effort by him."
Laperriere, 35, wanted to talk after the game, but was told not to by the doctors. Although, when he was asked how many teeth he lost, he said, "seven."
Turns out it wasn't quite that many, but his dedication to the team and the sport of hockey still shouldn't be undermined.
"He lost four teeth," said Flyers' oral surgeon Dr. Guy Lanzi. "He had a big laceration inside and outside of his mouth. His lip was totally split. He did great. He is a tough guy."
While Laperriere didn't look pretty after the game, he did travel with the team to Atlanta and is expecting to play today.
Having Laperriere in the lineup should provide the Flyers a much-needed spark. With him and the return of Danny Briere to the lineup, the Flyers will look to turn around what has been a real rough patch for the team before getting a four-day break.
Tonight's game will be their 10th in 17 days, easily the roughest stretch of the season for the team.
Brian Boucher will get the start in goal against the Thrashers tonight. Boucher has been the sharper goalie of late as Ray Emery has allowed 16 goals in his last four starts while Boucher just four goals in his last three appearances.