Here’s Looking at You, Kings

L.A., eh?!

Get ready for Hockey Goes Hollywood. Get ready for Stanley and his Cup, coming soon to an arena near you. Get ready for the Montreal Canadiens vs. the Los Angeles Californiens. Showtime on ice, a production 26 years in the making, is on its way to Inglewood, where the Kings are about to fight for the heavyweight hockey championship of the world.

This one was for every true-blue, red-blooded puck follower who has been faithful to the Kings since their jerseys were purple, just as this one was even for every hockey-come-lately who never showed his or her face inside the Forum unless somebody there was dribbling a basketball.

And this one was for Hollywood’s hockey version of Bogie and Bacall, Rogie and McNall, a couple of behind-the-scenes heroes so devoted to the organization and so committed to winning that, when their team seemed on a treadmill to nowhere, Rogie Vachon and Bruce McNall were even willing to step aside and relinquish their executive responsibilities to someone else.

And this one was for Nick Beverley, the straight-backed, crisply pressed gentleman right out of a Van Heusen shirt ad who succeeded Vachon as general manager, who pulled a trump card from his shirt pocket between the second and third periods to show McNall. On the flip side of Beverley’s pass admitting him to the game, he had scribbled a final score: “L.A., 6-3.”

And this one was for Dave Taylor, a King as ageless as Camelot’s, a player so old he could be the Maple Leaf goalie’s father, who nonetheless was so anxious before the game that he couldn’t relax, couldn’t nap, couldn’t follow his customary routine and even had Corey Millen turn to him on the way to the game to say: “Hey, what is this--16 years in the game and you’re still nervous?”

And this one was for Luc Robitaille, another King original, an all-star called Lucky who unlike some of his luckier teammates has never had the privilege of playing for a champion, a native son of Montreal who now must go home to try to keep the Cup away from his boyhood idols.

And this one was for 99. That’s his number. You know his name.

And this one was for 33. Marty McSorley, you might not be the Great One, but you’re the Pretty Damn Good One and you made this one happen every bit as much as Wayne.

And this one was for Mike Donnelly, who scored the goal that put the Kings ahead to stay, whose father, also named Mike Donnelly, sat beside Taylor’s wife in the stands holding his stomach at what he just saw, saying later: “I think I’ve got an ulcer after watching that game, but Mike’s goal made it all worthwhile.”

And this one was, naturally, for Alexei and Tomas and Muddy and Warren and Rob and Shu and Patty and Corey and Jari and Tony and Hud and Darryl and Kelly and even Mark Hardy, another old-timer like Taylor who has a finger still waiting for a ring, someone who got to dress for Saturday’s game and be a part of the experience.

And this one was also for Jimmy Carson, who might temporarily be gone but is not forgotten, as well as for Lonnie Loach and Marc Potvin and Guy Leveque and Brandy Semchuk and Robb Stauber and Rick Knickle and the Thompsons, Jim and Brent, none of whom played in Game 7 but all of whom have made contributions to the Kings’ success.

This one was for Barry Melrose, who not only made it happen but promised that it would, but also for Tom Webster and Robbie Ftorek and Pat Quinn and every coach back to Red Kelly who never got to see this day.

This one was for Marcel. And for Charlie Simmer and Butch Goring. And for Bob Berry and Jay Wells. And for Stevie Duchesne and Steve Kasper. And for Tiger Williams and Todd Elik. And for Vic Venasky and Ross Lonsberry. And for Mike Murphy, who once coached the Kings and on Saturday was coaching against them, as a Maple Leaf assistant. And for Larry Robinson, who ought to be involved in a Canadien-King series somewhere.

This one was for all the Kings we’ve loved before.

“It’s huge. That’s the only word I can think of,” Beverley said from the catwalk of the Maple Leaf Gardens press box, where he went through one stick of chewing gum after another until Donnelly cleared the puck for the very last time.

“I’m so happy for everybody in the organization,” Beverley said. “Especially for Bruce McNall, who has put so much energy and time and money and emotion into this for so many years. I’m happy for Barry Melrose, who keeps giving you guys all these great quotes. I’m happy for (assistant coach) Cap Raeder, slaving away on our bench the way he does.

“And you know who I’m really happy for? I’m happy for Pete Demers. The man’s been our trainer for 25 years. He’s been waiting for this longer than anybody I can think of.”

Pass it around.

Kings reach their goal.

Assist to everybody.

What the Kings Were Saying

BARRY MELROSE: “Our greatest players played. That’s why we won. Wayne Gretzky decided to play today and when the greatest player in the world comes to play, the game’s yours.” BRUCE McNALL: “Barry kept saying to me: ‘Believe! Believe!’ But I couldn’t stop shaking. I started down to the locker room after we scored the two goals, and all the way down the stairs I had to grab the rail to steady myself. Barry called me a basket case.” WAYNE GRETZKY: “This is probably the most personally satisfying game I’ve ever had. I’ve played 14 years, and I didn’t want to be remembered as the guy who didn’t play well in the semifinals versus Toronto.” DAVE TAYLOR: “The key moment was when Barry called that timeout after Toronto tied us, 2-2. He told us to settle down. Basically, we were starting to get back on our heels. He wanted us up on our toes. He told us we’d have all summer to rest. This was now or never. That was one smart timeout. We really needed that.” TONY GRANATO: “This is unbelievable. Yet it shouldn’t be, I guess. With the leadership Wayne Gretzky gives us, I guess this was inevitable. And the guy behind the bench, well, whatever it is Barry Melrose does to be that optimistic, let me tell you something, it works.” MARTY McSORLEY: “The Leafs kept coming, didn’t they? Those guys don’t quit. But neither did we. It’s been five years for me and it’s been five years for Wayne, and I know he’s been under a lot more pressure than I have. I’m happy for him and I’m happy for me, but mostly I’m happy for L.A.” KELLY HRUDEY: “It’s been a strange year. I’ve been pelted with criticism. A lot of us have. I’m not vindictive, but this is awfully sweet. I knew I had it in me. November and December seem like years ago to me now.” MIKE DONNELLY: “You work hard all year and all your career to get to the next level. It’s a little pay back for all the time you put into hockey. For a hockey player, it’s the best feeling in the world.” CHARLIE HUDDY: “Gretz was on a mission. He was out to prove a whole lot of stuff. When he wasn’t getting three or four or five points a game, some people didn’t notice all the other things he was doing. But Gretz isn’t a screamer. He just goes about his business.” LUC ROBITAILLE: “I’m so happy, I can’t talk. I’m going home to Montreal, to the Forum. It’s a special place. There’s so much history there. Maybe we can make a little more.”