NOTES : All-Star Robitaille Takes the Good With the Bad

Luc Robitaille had planned to drown his sorrows in Las Vegas this weekend, and, no, the sorrows weren’t for not making the North American team for Sunday’s NHL All-Star game.

He had gotten past all that. What he hadn’t gotten past was the Kings’ 3-2 loss to New Jersey on Thursday night.

But no Vegas.

Any sorrows will be drowned in Tampa, Fla., where Robitaille was summoned for the All-Star game as a replacement for Detroit’s Steve Yzerman, who was injured in Thursday night’s game against Carolina.

“I’m happy, but I’m still [upset] that we lost that game,” Robitaille said. “A week ago, I felt that if not making the all-star team was the worst thing that happened in my life, I would have a pretty good life. I still feel that way.

“But I am happy about going.”

Robitaille’s omission was considered somewhat strange because he already has 25 goals, more than in each of his last four seasons, and recently became only the 27th player in league history to score 500 goals.

He ranks third in goals, behind Philadelphia’s John LeClair (27) and Eric Lindros (26).

“Players from other teams had been coming up and telling me I should be there, and that’s been good enough for me,” said Robitaille, a six-time all-star who hasn’t played in the game since 1993.

“I’ve never taken it for granted.”

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Phoenix defenseman Teppo Numminen has been named to replace Detroit’s Uwe Krupp in the starting lineup for the World team. Krupp had earned a starting spot in fan balloting but is injured.

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If Sunday’s game is tied after regulation and a five-minute overtime, there will be a shootout, with five players from each team taking penalty shots.