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Heap of Penalties Litter Avs' Victory

(from the Rocky Mountain News)

By Rick Sadowski

Rocky Mountain News

September 20, 2007 - DALLAS - A little old-time hockey, eh? 

The Hanson Brothers weren’t present Thursday night, but they weren’t needed at the American Airlines Center, where the Avalanche defeated the Dallas Stars 6-3 in a game marred by penalties. 

"It’s only preseason ... interesting," Avalanche forward Ian Laperriere said after the teams combined for 28 penalties totaling 96 minutes, with seven fighting majors and five roughing minors among the infractions. 

The Avalanche scored three consecutive power-play goals in the third period to erase a 3-2 deficit before rookie Cody McLeod connected for an empty-net goal with 1:15 remaining while Laperriere and Dallas’ Todd Fedoruk were cooling off in their respective locker rooms. 

Laperriere’s face was marked with bruises and cuts, courtesy of the 6-foot-2, 241-pound Fedoruk’s sledgehammer-like fists. 

"He’s a train and he went over me," Laperriere said. "That’s all right. What can you do?" 

With five minutes remaining, Laperriere said, Fedoruk told him before a faceoff he planned to fight defenseman Kurt Sauer, who is 6-4 and 220 pounds but hardly is a fighter. 

"(Fedoruk) said, ‘I have to do something, I haven’t done anything. I have to go after somebody,’" Laperriere said. "Well, he won’t go past me." 

Laperriere wasn’t penalized after the altercation, but he was given the heave-ho during the Avalanche’s ensuing power play for high-sticking and cross-checking Stars forward Jussi Jokinen. 

"I thought it was a stupid move by Fedoruk," Laperriere said. "I told their bench, ‘The next time I’m out there, I’ll do something stupid.’ It was a clean, stupid thing, I guess." 

Rookie T.J. Hensick continued his bid to earn a roster spot with a goal and two assists, giving him three goals and three assists in two games after admittedly being nervous Monday night against Phoenix in his NHL debut. 

"I’ve played a lot better since," said the former Michigan player, who opened some eyes with two goals and two assists in Sunday’s Burgundy and White Game. "I’m gaining confidence in every game. I can’t expect to go out and put up three points a night, but things are going well right now and, hopefully, they can continue. 

"I’m trying to make it hard on them, put them in a situation where they have to keep me. In order to do that, I have to keep playing well." 

Hensick skated at right wing alongside center Eric Healey (two goals, one assist) and left wing Jaroslav Hlinka (two assists Thursday and five in three games). 

"He continues to look like he can make things happen," Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville said of Hensick. "His speed catches your eye. Overall, he’s had a real strong camp. We’ve tried him at center and at right wing, and he looks like he’s comfortable at either position. His versatility enhances his opportunity here." 

But Quenneville emphasized there only are a few openings and said the Avalanche will face a number of difficult decisions before the Oct. 3 regular-season opener against the Stars. 

One of them could involve Healey, 32, who has played professionally for nine seasons but in only two NHL games, with Boston in 2005-06. 

"He’s new to the organization and trying to make an impression, and he’s left us with some good thoughts," Quenneville said. 

ETC.: Forward Brad Richardson suffered soft tissue damage to his wrist while skating with teammates before the start of camp and will "be out for a bit," Quenneville said. "It was a freak accident. There was no defining blow." ... The Avalanche reduced its roster to 33 players by sending rookie David Jones and Dale Purinton to the Lake Erie Monsters in the American Hockey League. 

sadowskir@RockyMountainNews.com