Los Angeles Kings rookie Alex Laferriere had his family on their feet in his debut after winning a fight against Colorado Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor. The Avalanche went on to win the game 5-2, but Laferriere stole the show before heading to the penalty box.
The altercation occurred after one of Laferriere’s Kings teammates was penalized for tripping in the second period. Referees succeeded in subduing most players in the scrum, but Laferriere and O’Connor were not deterred and dropped the gloves.
Laferriere, drafted out of Harvard University in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft, invited his family to his first game in the league. His parents were spotted in the crowd celebrating after their son took down O’Connor in a fight that ended in less than a minute.
Though Laferriere has not yet earned his first point in the league, he managed to make an impression in his debut nonetheless. It is unlikely that he will be satisfied with a fight victory alone, however, as he stated a very clear goal over the summer.
“Winning games,” Laferriere told reporters when asked about his objectives as a rookie. “Right now, we’re just focused on winning games to try and get this team into the playoffs. The boys in that Reign room care a lot. No matter where I am, I just want to win games.”
In two seasons as a member of the Crimson, Laferriere scored 35 goals and played an important part in the team’s back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament. His father, Rob Laferriere, played college hockey at Princeton University and then Boston College, the latter of which he played for three seasons.
With the Kings trading away much of their established talent, young players like Laferriere will have ample opportunities throughout the season to develop and gain experience. Success may not come right away, but the team is trending upward.
