Ian Laperriere News and Photos
Stanley Cup Playoffs 2006
Western Conference Semifinals – Game 2
Avalanche 0 - Mighty Ducks 3
Colorado Avalanche head coach Joel Quenneville gives instructions on the ice during a team practice Saturday, May 6, 2006, in Anaheim, California. The Avalanche fell to Anaheim 5-0 in the first game of the National Hockey League Western Conference semifinals Friday evening.
(AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
No Excuses
(from the Rocky Mountain News, 5/6/06)
Avalanche forward Ian Laperriere refused to use the team's four-day layoff between playoff games as a crutch for Friday's abysmal performance.
"It could have gone the other way. Those guys won in seven games and they could have been tired, but they had more energy than us," Laperriere said, referring to the Ducks' seven-game series with Calgary that ended Wednesday.
"That's just excuses, excuses, excuses. At this point, when you're in the playoffs in the second round ... you don't go that far and use excuses and we won't use it. We didn't match their intensity and emotion, and we need to do that (Sunday)."
Ian Laperriere of the Avalanche received eight stitches for a gash on the bridge of his nose that he received when Vitaly Vishnevski of the Mighty Ducks caught him with a stick during the first period of Game 2 on Sunday. (Rocky Mountain News/Joe Mahoney)
Ouch
(from the Rocky Mountain News, 5/9/06)
Avalanche forward Ian Laperriere needed eight stitches to close a cut on the bridge of his nose.
The gash came courtesy of Anaheim defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski, who caught Laperriere with his stick in the first period of Game 2.
No penalty was called, but Laperriere let referee Kerry Fraser know he missed a call.
"It would have been nice to have a 4-minute power play," Laperriere said. "(Fraser) said, 'I can't call it. I didn't see it.' He's right."
Colorado Avalanche head coach Joel Quenneville talks to his team during the second period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Western Conference semifinal series against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Sunday, May 7, 2006 in Anaheim, California. The Mighty Ducks won the game 3-0, taking a 2-0 lead in the series. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Anaheim Mighty Ducks goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov blocks a shot by Colorado Avalanche's Alex Tanguay during the third period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Western Conference semifinal series Sunday, May 7, 2006, in Anaheim, California. The Ducks won 3-0.
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
"Maybe we (are trying) to complicate things right now," Laperriere said.
"We need more traffic in front of him (Bryzgalov). He's a big man, and when he gets a chance to see the puck, he's going to make the save."
(Denver Post, 5/8/06)
(Rocky Mountain News/Joe Mahoney)
"We're squeezing the sticks a little," Avs winger Ian Laperriere said. "We've just got to go back home and feed off our fans, and try to get a win and go from there."
(Denver Post, 5/8/06)
One of our (blurry) photos from the game
More of our photos:
Lappy Photos – Game 2
Other Avs – Games 1 & 2
Physical In A Smart Way
(from the Globe and Mail, 5/9/06)
Ian Laperriere, one of the few Avs to try to answer the physical challenge presented by Anaheim, figures it's time desperation crept into his game. So, expect some crease-crashing tactics tonight.
"The way to beat any goalie is to put traffic in front of him and put more pucks to the net," Laperriere said. "We have to simplify [because] sometimes when you try to be too fancy, you don't have enough time to put the puck on the net.
"We just need to play dirty hockey. Put [the puck] down the wing and put it on the net, with traffic in front."
Laperriere usually will fight at the drop of a glove, but he figures winning the physical battles for loose pucks becomes more important than filling the penalty box with players serving major penalties.
"We need to match the way they're playing right now," Laperriere added. "Just be smart about it, play physical and come out [with a goal or two]. Those guys are physical in a smart way."