Torn ACL Sidelines Kings' Laperriere
(from the Daily News)
By Roger Phillips
Staff Writer
October 14, 1998 - The Kings learned Tuesday that fourth-line center Ian Laperriere has a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will be sidelined on a week-to-week basis.
The 24-year-old Laperriere, a defensive specialist who played the first two games of the new season on a line with Sandy Moger and Matt Johnson, was injured in the second period of Monday afternoon's 4-2 loss at Vancouver when he collided with a Canucks player.
A magnetic-resonance imaging examination revealed the damage. According to a Kings spokesman, Laperriere will try to rehabilitate the knee without surgery and is hoping to play while wearing a brace. Laperriere will try to skate in about 10 days.
Laperriere was acquired by the Kings in a seven-player deal on March 14, 1996 and played in ten games before the end of the season. He had 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 77 games last season. He has no points in two games so far this season.
The Kings have a day off today and are scheduled to practice Thursday morning at Iceoplex in preparation for Friday night's home opener against the Boston Bruins.