Gunmen Rob Leafs Near LAX

Three Toronto Maple Leafs players were robbed at gunpoint early Wednesday outside the Carl’s Jr. restaurant at the corner of Bellanca Avenue and West Century Boulevard, near Los Angeles International Airport, according to published reports.

The Toronto Star and The Toronto Sun, in reports from Bloomington, Minn., where the Maple Leafs play the Minnesota North Stars tonight, said goaltender Jeff Reese, left wing Claude Loiselle and defenseman Bob Halkidis, who formerly played for the Kings, were robbed of about $1,000 in cash and some jewelry by two armed men.

The Maple Leafs had played to a 4-4 tie with the Kings a couple of hours earlier.

Two of Halkidis’ friends were with the players in a car when the robbery occurred. Two men, whom the players described as in their early 20s, approached the car with handguns drawn, motioned for the five men to roll down the windows and then demanded their cash and valuables.

“I thought it was the guy coming to take our order--then I heard the gun cock,” Reese said. “Then I saw the one guy put the gun to the driver’s head.”

Halkidis lost about $400; Reese about $500, his wallet and his wedding ring and Loiselle was robbed of about $100 and two rings, one a diamond encrusted gold ring and the other a wedding ring. The other two men also were robbed of cash and their wallets.