Robitaille Wings It as Kings Beat Sharks

Power play after power play, the Kings were openly looking for left wing Luc Robitaille, attempting to help him enter the NHL record book.

They had seven power plays through two-plus periods against the San Jose Sharks and the effort went for naught. Finally, eight was enough and Robitaille found the net from the right crease for his 60th of the season at 6:57 of the third period. That goal tied him with Steve Shutt for the all-time NHL single-season record among left wingers. Shutt scored 60 in the 1976-77 season for the Montreal Canadiens.

Later, with 4:21 remaining, Robitaille took sole possession of the record, moving ahead of Shutt with No. 61. Wayne Gretzky, from a bad angle deep on the left-wing side, banked the puck off the base of the net. The puck squirted in front to Robitaille, who put the rebound away as he was being tackled.

It was the go-ahead goal for the Kings, who defeated the Sharks, 2-1, on Thursday night at the Forum before a sellout crowd of 16,005. Robitaille’s second goal was the game-winner, and he kicked his legs in the air in celebration when he had been pulled down while scoring.

“I was really happy,” said Robitaille, who grew up watching Shutt play in Montreal. “It felt good. Ten years ago, I never even thought I’d have the chance to play in the NHL. Now, I’m setting records. I was aware of it for the last three weeks, but I didn’t think about it until the last game when I got to 59. I thought about it tonight, especially when I blew it on my first three chances and on a breakaway. Now, I’ve got the record, so I don’t have it on my mind and I can just think about winning games.”

Said King Coach Barry Melrose: “If Lucky’s in New York, Toronto or Montreal, he’s a phenomenal story. Being in L.A., he doesn’t get the ink he deserves here. He’s scored more goals in the last five years than any left winger. He breaks the record, and I’m here watching TV and there’s nothing on about him. I’m watching the Lakers lose.”

All season, Robitaille’s goals often have come at crucial times and Thursday was no different. He was the first King--and only the one--to break through against goaltender Arturs Irbe, who was in top form, stopping 33 shots before the first goal. But Robitaille’s career highlight came on a night featuring an erratic effort from the Kings.

The Kings were not only fighting against the Sharks, they seemed to be fighting themselves at times. In the third period, San Jose helped out by putting only one shot on goal--with 4:36 remaining.

Irbe kept the Sharks within range, facing 44 shots and making 42 saves. Earlier in the season, Irbe shut out the Kings, 6-0, at the Cow Palace in Daly City. “I must be like a wall,” Irbe said after the shutout.

He was almost like a wall until Robitaille broke through twice.

Said Gretzky: “The way he (Robitaille) finished it off tonight is the way he’s played all year. He’s been there at crunch time and he’s scored the big goals. It was just tremendous that it was a big goal.”

From the second period on, the Kings (38-33-10) were playing with the knowledge that the Winnipeg Jets had defeated the Maple Leafs on Thursday. The victory kept the third-place Kings ahead of the Jets by three points and within five points of second-place Calgary, which was idle.

King Notes

Defenseman Rob Blake (lower back contusion) missed his second consecutive game. Blake will probably return to the lineup in time for the final regular-season game. He said the pain is decreasing and he wants to resume skating on Monday.