Laperriere Becoming More Goal-Oriented

High-energy winger, not known as scorer, already has 9 points
(from the Rocky Mountain News)

By Aaron J. Lopez
Rocky Mountain News

November 2, 2005 - It was after midnight in Montreal, but 91-year-old Paul Laperriere was wide awake in front of his television as the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks skated in overtime.

A Montreal Canadiens season-ticket holder for more than 25 years, Laperriere recently adopted the Avalanche as his favorite team.

Blood is thicker than frozen water, and Laperriere's was about to boil with pride.

Skating toward the goal, his grandson was living a dream sequence - a breakaway chance to win the game in front of a national audience watching Hockey Night in Canada.

It would be the American equivalent of catching the winning touchdown pass on Monday Night Football.

Needless to say, Ian Laperriere rewarded his grandpa - and simultaneously put TVs in Vancouver at risk - by scoring the deciding goal in Colorado's 4-2 victory.

His heroics capped a remarkable first month in an Avalanche uniform and prompted a heartfelt phone call from his grandpa Paul.

"Trust me, I made his day," Laperriere said Tuesday. "You could tell in his voice, he was emotional."

Apparently it runs in the family.

Whether coming to the defense of a teammate, sacrificing his body to block a 100-mph slap shot, chasing madly after the puck on the penalty kill or celebrating a winning goal, Laperriere is all emotion.

While the just-happy-to-be-here approach is a tired sports cliché, it is a tenet Laperriere holds dear, and it endears him to his teammates and coaches.

"You've got to like his attitude and his approach," Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville said. "He's always the first one around the rink. He's one of those guys that loves playing.

"He's got so much excitement in him and enthusiasm, you can't help but like the guy."

In the tradition of his father and grandfather before him, Laperriere is passing on his love of hockey to the next generation.

As he speaks with reporters after an hour-long practice, Laperriere ties the skates of his 3-year-old son, Tristan, who sports his father's No. 14 sweater and matching helmet.

Eighteen-month-old Zachary undoubtedly will not be far behind.

"I want to give my kids a chance to live what I lived when I was young," said Laperriere, who was weaned on Hockey Night in Canada and impromptu games in the family room.

"Just be passionate about the game. I don't care if they play hockey or not. I just want them to have the chance to choose if they want to try it or not. It's a great game."

When the lockout last season kept the 31-year-old Laperriere out of NHL arenas, he filled the void by touring Europe with fellow players as part of a 10-game exhibition, and he worked out tirelessly until the 2004-05 season was canceled.

With the labor dispute fading from memory, Laperriere looks rejuvenated.

His four goals and five assists through 11 games put him on pace to finish with 67 points, which would shatter the career-best 27 he recorded in 1994-95.

"I think that year and a half off made me realize how lucky I am," he said. "I've been (playing hockey) for over 25 years, and sometimes we forget how lucky we are to be doing something we love. It was a good reality check."

If not for Laperriere's contributions, the Avalanche might be in need of a wake-up call of its own.

Aside from his scoring, Laperriere has been a force on Colorado's penalty-killing unit, helping the Avalanche thwart 64 of 73 power plays.

The .876 kill percentage ranked fifth in the NHL entering play Tuesday.

He also boasts a team-best plus-9 rating and is one of Colorado's leaders in intangibles - blocking shots, irritating opponents, dropping the gloves and lifting spirits.

All things considered, he probably was the team's Most Valuable Player for October.

"Definitely," Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles said. "He's been tremendous. He's an energy guy, he's scoring goals, setting up goals, blocking shots. He's doing everything. He's the ultimate player right now."

Laperriere shrugs off the compliments, saying the impressive start is the result of hard-working teammates and his own happy-go-lucky approach to the job.

Avalanche assistant Tony Granato, who played with Laperriere briefly with the Los Angeles Kings and against him for the better part of seven seasons, has a different theory.

"I think he's starting to realize that he is getting more confidence offensively," Granato said. "I think he always thought his role had to be to bring energy and be the ultimate team guy. Sometimes I think he forgets how good he can be offensively.

"He probably didn't have a whole lot of chances (in his career) on a breakaway in a four-on-four overtime, and yet he looked like he had been there many, many times."

Avalanche defenseman Rob Blake spent four-plus seasons with Laperriere in Los Angeles and is thrilled to be reunited with him in Colorado.

"He's always been a great player. I've said that all along," Blake said. "Now he's probably getting more of an opportunity to work on offensive stuff.

"His overtime goal came at the best time - four days off (between games). He can live on this for four days."

Never at a loss for words, Laperriere has been happy to recount his overtime winner to any teammate within earshot. After all, he has averaged fewer than eight goals a season and never knows when the next one might come along.

"I've never been a point guy who was looking at stats, but if I can help the team once in a while like that, then I welcome that," Laperriere said. "I'm not a goal-scorer and I'm not fooling anyone, but if I can chip in for the team, I'll be more than happy to do so."

Crunching numbers
Avalanche forward Ian Laperriere is on pace to easily eclipse his previous best NHL seasons:

THREE STARS OF THE GAME:
#1 COL 14 I. Laperriere
#2 COL 15 A. Brunette
#3 COL 18 A. Tanguay

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