Hockey Challenge Scores for Charity

Luc Robitaille of the Los Angeles Kings is a scoring machine feared by NHL goalies.

But the Kings’ record-holding scoring left wing couldn’t buy respect from Jimmy Kimmel, better known as “Jimmy the Sports Guy,” the resident color commentator at the Burbank-based radio station KROQ-FM (106.7).

“I can stop him until the moon goes away,” Kimmel boasted. “I can stop him all night long.”

And that’s what Kimmel set out to do in a best-of-seven charity challenge shootout late Tuesday at the Iceoplex skating rink in North Hills.

Little did Robitaille know that Kimmel had a secret weapon: Tad Newcomb, also known as “Big Tad,” a 315-pound resident assistant at KROQ.

The pair formed a formidable shield in front of the goal.

“Are they together?” asked a surprised Robitaille, as he entered the rink. “There’s no room in [front of] the net.”

He found some, scoring three straight goals after missing twice.

The event was put on by Nestle Crunch, the corporate sponsor of the Team Iceoplex youth hockey program, said Lisa Sakata, general manager of Iceoplex. Nestle donated $1,000 for the charity challenge. The winner got to pick the charity to receive the money.

As about 60 people, 40 of them children, watched, Robitaille’s next shot rebounded off Kimmel’s helmet, tying the score 3-3, with one shot to go.

Robitaille made a slow breakaway toward the goal, faked and aimed for the center. However, the puck hit Newcomb’s skate, preserving the victory for KROQ.

The radio station chose the Starlight Foundation, a Los Angeles-based organization that assists critically ill children, to receive the charity money.

“It was a lot of fun and it’s for a good cause,” Robitaille said. “But we’ll have a rematch for sure, though. Next time, I’ll take on three of them.”