Angry Robitaille Sits Again

Luc Robitaille wore all black, appropriate attire to match his mood after he heard he was a healthy scratch Friday for a second consecutive game.

The top goal-scoring left wing of all time was angry he had to sit out against the Columbus Blue Jackets, raising his voice with King Coach Andy Murray before the team’s morning skate and then expressing his opinion in similar tones to King General Manager Dave Taylor later.

Robitaille, the Kings’ second-leading scorer this season, has been a healthy scratch only three times in 18 seasons. He had not scored a goal in nine games before sitting out Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild.

Murray told reporters that Robitaille was being rested for that game, citing a difficult schedule portion in which the Kings played five games in eight nights. Friday, Robitaille did not play because Murray said he was satisfied with the way the lineup looked in Wednesday’s 2-2 tie.

“We came off our best game of the year in Minnesota the other night,” Murray said of an effort in which the Kings outshot the Wild, 46-23. “I had no justification for taking any player out of the lineup after that game.”

The explanation did not fly with Robitaille.

“I was told [Wednesday] I was resting for one night,” Robitaille said. “It’s wrong. It’s just wrong. If you say something in life, you’ve got to stick by your guns.”

Robitaille, 37, was a healthy scratch once last season with the Detroit Red Wings, a team that was loaded at forward with Brett Hull, Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan and Pavel Datsyuk.

Robitaille scored a career-low 11 goals last season. He has nine goals and 19 assists this season.

“I kind of understood it in Detroit with the way things were going. Things were not going good [for me].

“I don’t think anybody can say I’m playing [poorly], or I’m not producing now. I’m still helping the team win. I’m the second-leading scorer. What else do you want me to do?”

After the morning skate, Robitaille called Taylor, his former teammate on the Kings from 1987 to 1994.

“Dave and I have a very good relationship,” Robitaille said. “It’s hard for him. He’s got to stick with his coach. But I told him I was disappointed.”

Robitaille signed a one-year, $1.2-million deal as a free agent during the off-season, taking a substantial pay cut to play with the Kings for the third time in his career.

“Everybody knows I’ve come in here to be a leader,” he said. “I’m not the kind of guy that wants to attack [Murray], but it’s not helping me to be a leader if I’m sitting.”

The Kings, stuck in a 14-game winless streak (0-3-9-2), are a mixed bunch of youth and inexperience because of injuries that keep compounding. The Kings, however, have remained in the playoff hunt despite losing 348 man-games to injury.

“It’s real important he remains staying a team player, which I’m sure he will,” Murray said. “That’s the kind of professional he is.”

Robitaille has 640 career goals and is second in career points for a left wing with 1,347, 22 points behind John Bucyk.

“I think I’ve shown Andy all the respect he deserves as a coach,” he said.

“I’m just really disappointed with the way things have turned out.”