from the OC Register,
Darkness had just swallowed the insides of Staples Center when a standing-room-only crowd began the bass-voiced chorus of “Luuuuuuuc” for the King who made us all “Lucky.”
Luc Robitaille’s throat shook. His soft hands pulled on the knot of his black suit’s black tie. Nerves struck the legendary left winger who retired from the NHL last spring but will never have the heart to leave the game.
The spotlight waited to bathe Robitaille, as it did the NHL legends standing at center ice, ready to honor him in an hourlong, jersey-retirement ceremony on Saturday night before the Kings played the Phoenix Coyotes.
“The Great One,” Wayne Gretzky, said nobody loved the game more than Robitaille did. Former Kings coach Barry Melrose remembered “the student of the game.” Jari Kurri, Larry Robinson, Marty McSorley, Rogie Vachon were among the Kings alumni and 14 of Robitaille’s former teammates who clapped heartily for the King of the night.
added 9:07am, from Helene Elliott of the LA Times,
Robitaille reminded a lot of people about the good things in hockey and sports and human nature. “I can come back here and bring my grandkids one day and see my name at the top of the building in a city the size of L.A.,” he said. “With all the stars in this town and have my name in Staples Center, it wasn’t what I set out to do, but it’s the greatest honor I’ve ever gotten.”
more (reg. req.)
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