Laperriere Stays Hot With Two More Goals
Kings defeat Predators behind winger's second straight two-goal game to move into sixth place in Western standings
(from the Daily Breeze, Los Angeles)
By Sacha Terrill
Daily Breeze
February 24, 2004 - There was a time when Ian Laperriere's success could be measured by the number of stitches on his face.
Laperriere has carved out a niche in the NHL by using his body to check opponents, his pesky character to provoke foes and his wits to defend the top players on other teams.
The Kings winger scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season on Monday night to give him his second consecutive two-goal game, six goals and eight points in eight games, and 200 career points.
Laperriere's scores, and Michael Cammalleri's ninth goal, helped support backup goaltender Cristobal Huet, who made 21 saves for his third shutout of the season in a 3-0 win over Nashville before 17,612 at Staples Center.
"I don't know what's going on," Laperriere said, smiling. "I got chances and I buried a couple. Eric Belanger and Sean Avery have been playing great. They're great on the forecheck and make great passes ... I don't know, I was just lucky again tonight."
Not bad for a veteran of 11 seasons who has scored no more than nine goals in a season.
"I've never been looking at points in my career," Laperriere said. "If I did then I don't have a great career. For a player like me (to get 200 career points) it means I've been around for a while."
"I'm not a goal-scorer. I wouldn't even go there."
The victory was the second straight for the Kings (24-17-14-7), who moved into a tie with the Predators (30-23-7-2) for sixth place in the Western Conference. The loss snapped Nashville's three-game winning streak and was the team's second defeat in seven games (4-2-1).
"I couldn't even tell you where we are in the standings," said Coach Andy Murray, whose team is in a five-way scramble for the final four playoff spots in the conference. "I just know we got two points.
"I thought tonight we just did a good job, for the most part, of taking their time and space away from them. We were on them pretty quick."
Especially the Avery-Belanger-Laperriere line. The trio had the tough assignment of taking on Nashville's top line of Steve Sullivan, David Legwand and Scott Walker, who helped the Predators score 18 goals in their three games before facing the Kings. Both Walker and Sullivan entered the game with 10 points in three games, while Legwand had four points in as many games.
But Walker was completely shut down, while Legwand took just one shot and Sullivan, who was acquired from Chicago last week, had three.
Avery, in particular, was effective against Walker and goaded the winger into a four-minute penalty early in the third period. On the ensuing power play, Laperriere recorded his second goal of the game.
"They played against the hottest line in the league over the last three or four games," Murray said of the checking line. "What we wanted to do was to make sure that line was not in the game. For the most part we eliminated them."
After two periods, the teams were even in shots at 13, but the Kings were ahead 2-0 on goals by Laperriere and Michael Cammalleri.
Laperriere struck for the first time at 8:23 of the opening period, taking a backhanded pass from Belanger and forcing the rolling puck past Nashville goaltender Tomas Vokoun (16 saves).
The Kings continued to build in the second period, catching up with the Predators in shots and distancing themselves after Cammalleri's wrist-shot bounced off of a post and into the net at 2:45.
Notes: Murray said No. 1 goaltender Roman Cechmanek, who missed his second game because of a groin injury, is "week-to week" and will be re-evaluated in about eight days. Cechmanek, however, believes the situation is not as dire.
"I think it's day-to-day," Cechmanek said of the injury, "because it is getting better. But you never know with these things."