Laperriere Takes Avalanche’s Offer

Forward Ian Laperriere, a checking-line fixture for the Kings since 1996, signed a three-year, $4.2 million contract Friday with the Colorado Avalanche, declining bigger offers from other teams to play for the perennial Stanley Cup contender.

Laperriere, who made $900,000 last season and became an unrestricted free agent Thursday, was never a top scorer for the Kings, but he endeared himself to fans with his plucky play. Laperriere had 61 goals in 595 games with the Kings, but he was fifth in team history with 1,017 career penalty minutes.

Laperriere, 30, jumped at the chance to play for Colorado, which won the Stanley Cup in 2001 and 1996. If he plays in enough games, he could receive a fourth year that would increase the contract value to $5.6 million.

“I turned down more money from other teams to go there,” Laperriere said. “I’ve been playing the way I play for 10 years and I think that’s what they expect me to do. I know what my job is. In L.A., it was a defensive role playing against the best line and I’m sure that’s the way it will be in Colorado.”

At the same time, Laperriere said he would miss playing for the Kings, who offered a three-year deal worth $3.6 million.

“For sure it’s tough,” he said. “I was in L.A. for eight years and I wanted to re-sign there. I also told them if the deal wasn’t right, I was going to test my free-market value. It’s security for me and security for my family.”

Mike Bresnahan

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Pro Basketball

A day after losing Steve Nash, the Dallas Mavericks secured their new backcourt. Marquis Daniels, a restricted free agent, agreed to a six-year deal worth roughly $38 million and top draft pick Devin Harris of Wisconsin signed a contract for at least $7 million over three years.

The Denver Nuggets took care of their top off-season priority, agreeing to terms with center Marcus Camby on a multiyear contract.... The Philadelphia 76ers signed first-round pick Andre Iguodala. Iguodala, the ninth overall selection, averaged 12.9 points and 8.4 rebounds last season at Arizona.

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Jurisprudence

The trial for Glenn Thompkins, the former Rialto Eisenhower football coach, will begin Sept. 27 in San Bernardino County Superior Court in Fontana.

Thompkins, 28, was arrested on Nov. 26, 2002, for allegedly having sexual relations with a 17-year-old female student from June through November 2002.

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Soccer

Once Caldas pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Copa Libertadores history, downing six-time champion Boca Juniors on penalty kicks Thursday at Manizales, Colombia, to become only the second Colombian team to lift South America’s premier club trophy.

The teams were tied, 1-1, at the end of regulation. Boca Juniors then missed all four of its kicks, and Once scored two when Elkin Soto and Jorge Agudelo converted.

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Miscellany

Hicham El Guerrouj’s 29-race unbeaten streak in the 1,500 meters ended in the Golden Gala meet at Rome when the Moroccan finished eighth, nearly two seconds behind winner Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain, who won in 3 minutes 30.25 seconds.

In other events, Tonique Williams of the Bahamas won the women’s 400 meters in 49.25 seconds, handing Ana Guevara of Mexico her first loss in three years, and two-time world champion Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic extended his two-year unbeaten streak in the 400 hurdles (48.43).

Mike Wallace drove from fifth to first on the last lap of the NASCAR Busch Series race at Daytona Beach, Fla., taking advantage of crashes by Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Paul Tracy won the pole for the Cleveland Grand Prix, blasting around the 2.106-mile runway course at Burke Lakefront Airport in 57.546 seconds (131.749 mph).