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Tough Chore For Laperriere

(from the Daily News)

By Matt McHale 
Staff Writer

December 2, 1999 - Luc Robitaille will play Friday night against the Mighty Ducks, but it is Ian Laperriere who might have the biggest impact for the Kings. 

Laperriere is the third-line center in charge of containing the Ducks' mighty top group of Paul Kariya, Teemu Selanne and Steve Rucchin. 

Although he leads the league with 81 penalty minutes, Laperriere says he doesn't want to find himself off the ice against one of hockey's more talented power plays. But he knows he needs to put pressure on the NHL's fastest line. 

"You just want to find a way so they don't just blow right by you," said Laperriere, who heads a line that also has Craig Johnson and Marko Tuomainen. "The worst thing to do is step up to meet them and have them score a goal and leave you 30 minutes behind." 

That will be a far bigger test than whether Robitaille has fully recovered from his broken left foot. Robitaille, who scored 10 goals in the first 15 games before the injury, skated in drills with the team the past two days and has deemed himself ready to play. 

"It looks good," he said. "It will be good to be back and in a big game like this, too. The foot feels great." 

Laperriere knows the Ducks have developed a reputation this year for physical play but says they still are far more likely to win with speed and finesse than their fists. 

The Ducks first started to fight Sept. 28, during an 8-1 loss to the Kings in the final game at the Forum. Selanne was strongly taken into the boards, touching off a brawl that nearly included coaches Andy Murray and Craig Hartsburg. 

But it was opening night against the Stanley Cup champion Dallas Stars when the Ducks became known as the NHL's goon squad. Defenseman Ruslan Salei shoved Stars center Mike Modano headfirst into the boards, a play that cost Salei a 10-game suspension and $109,000 fine. 

Ducks defenseman Pascal Trepanier and left wing Jim McKenzie also were hit hard for rough play in the season opener. Trepanier was suspended five games for boarding Stars center Joe Nieuwendyk, and McKenzie was suspended four games for pummeling Dallas defenseman Darryl Sydor's head into the ice. 

"When you watch them on videotape, you realize that game against Dallas was an aberration and our game simply got out of hand," Murray said. "Those things happen. You don't condone them, but that's not a Craig Hartsburg-coached team." 

A Hartsburg-coached team usually counts on Selanne, with 25 points in 22 games (11 goals) and Kariya, with 25 points in 24 games (11 goals), to lead the way. 

The Ducks entered Wednesday night's game against Tampa Bay with back-to-back victories. They have done that five times this season but never won three straight. The 14-7-4 Kings will be happy to get back Robitaille even though Ziggy Palffy is among the league's top 10 scorers with 27 points. 

"There will be a lot of great players on the ice Friday," Laperriere said, "but this thing will be won with defense. It's great that both teams are playing well this year. That is what you need to make a rivalry strong."

COPYRIGHT 1999 Daily News