All-Star Robitaille Outpolls Gretzky

Left wing Luc Robitaille of the Los Angeles Kings surprisingly beat teammate Wayne Gretzky as the leading vote-getter in fan balloting for the Campbell Conference starting team in the NHL All-Star Game.

Robitaille, the 1987 Rookie of the Year who had two goals and one assist in last year’s All-Star Game, received 279,202 votes in the balloting, announced today, for this season’s game, Feb. 7 at Edmonton.

Gretzky, eight-time winner of the league scoring title and a veteran of eight All-Star Games, including the 1983 game when he scored four goals and was named the most valuable player, finished third in the overall balloting with 270,988 votes.

He will start at center for the Campbell Conference.

Los Angeles and Edmonton dominated the starting team with three players each.

The other Kings’ starter will be defenseman Steve Duchesne. The Oilers’ starters will be goalie Grant Fuhr, the second-leading vote-getter with 272,181; right wing Jari Kurri and defenseman Kevin Lowe.

Kurri, who will be making his fifth All-Star appearance, just missed the 200,000 mark in ballots, receiving 197,528. Lowe, also making his fifth All-Star appearance, led the defensemen in voting with 192,154. Duchesne, making his All-Star debut, made a late surge in gaining the second starting berth on defense.

He finished with 138,635 votes, edging Calgary’s Gary Suter (137,443).