Henri-André Laperrière (June 12, 1925March 8, 2015) was a Canadian

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...

defenceman. He was a member of the

Ottawa RCAF Flyers The Ottawa RCAF Flyers were a Canadian senior ice hockey team from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) base in Ottawa. The team was made up of active and former RCAF members and Canadian Army personnel. The team won the gold medal in the 1948 ...

team that won the gold medal in

ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland, was the sixth Olympic Championship, also served as the 15th World Championships and the 26th European Championships. Canada won its fifth Olympic gold meda ...

. As a member of the RCAF Flyers, Laperrière was inducted into the

Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Forc ...

Sports Hall of Fame in 1971, and into the

Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame The Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame is an honour roll of the top Canadian Olympic athletes, teams, coaches, and builders (officials, administrators, and volunteers). It was established in 1949. Selections are made by a committee appointed by the Cana ...

in 2008.

Playing career

Henri-André Laperrière was born in Montreal on June 12, 1925, the son of a local

streetcar A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport a ...

operator. Laperrière played junior ice hockey for the Verdun Terriers in the 1944–45 season. He played for the

Montreal Carabins The Montréal Carabins are the men's and women's athletic teams that represent the Université de Montréal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Teams play at the CEPSUM Stadium and at l'aréna du CEPSUM, located at the Université de Montréal campus. ...

men's ice hockey team while attending the

Université de Montréal The Université de Montréal (UdeM; ; translates to University of Montreal) is a French-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university's main campus is located in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of Côte- ...

from 1945 to 1950. In advance of

, he was recruited by Canadian Amateur Hockey Association vice-president

Norman Dawe Robert Norman Dawe (October 18, 1898January 4, 1948) was a Canadian sports executive. He originated as an ice hockey referee for minor ice hockey games in Verdun, Quebec, before becoming involved in the administrative aspect of sports. He was ...

, to play for the

team which represented Canada. Laperrière was instated as a private in the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

. He played in eight matches and scored one goal at the Olympics. During the final eight seconds of the last game against Sweden, he replaced the

goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as the goalie) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near t ...

Murray Dowey Murray Albert Dowey (January 3, 1926 – May 26, 2021), was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Fast Hands", he was a member of the Ottawa RCAF Flyers, which won the gold medal in ice hockey representing Canada at the 1948 Winter Olympi ...

who received a penalty. The RCAF Flyers won the game by a 3–1 score, and won the Olympic gold medal in ice hockey. After the Olympics, Laperrière declined an offer from the

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...

to play professionally. He remained in university and won Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union hockey championships in 1949 and 1950.

Later life and honours

Laperrière retired from playing hockey in 1950. He later worked as a graphic designer, served as member of the city council for

Outremont Outremont is an affluent residential borough (''arrondissement'') of the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It consists entirely of the former city on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec. The neighbourhood is inhabited largely by fran ...

from 1970 to 1982, and was a president of the Outremont Hockey Association for five years. As a member of the 1948 Ottawa RCAF Flyers, Laperrière was inducted into the

Sports Hall of Fame in 1971, and into the

in 2008. In 2001, the Canadian Forces selected the 1948 Ottawa RCAF Flyers team as Canada's greatest military athletes of the 20th century. Laperrière died in Montreal on March 8, 2015.

References

External links

*
Henri-André Laperrière's profile at database Olympics

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laperriere, Henri-Andre 1925 births 2015 deaths 20th-century Canadian politicians Canadian ice hockey players Ice hockey people from Montreal Ice hockey players at the 1948 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 1948 Winter Olympics Olympic gold medalists for Canada Olympic ice hockey players for Canada Olympic medalists in ice hockey Quebec municipal councillors