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Regehr wins first Stanley Cup, Sutter found it hard to not play him

Robyn Regehr

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Robyn Regehr, of Brazil, carries the Stanley Cup after beating the New York Rangers in double in Game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final series Friday, June 13, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

AP

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Robyn Regehr hadn’t played in the playoffs since Game 1 against the Anaheim Ducks. When the Stanley Cup was handed to captain Dustin Brown following the 3-2 double-overtime victory in Game 5 against the New York Rangers, Regehr was next in line to raise the Cup after him.

For Regehr, 34, it was his first time winning the Stanley Cup and while he was healthy enough to play after being injured against the Ducks, Kings coach Darryl Sutter said it was one of his hardest decisions to not play him in Game 5.

“I told Robyn that last night,” Sutter said. “Again, it goes back to last year, we got beat in the Conference Finals. Robyn got out of the hospital, played games, had to go back to the hospital, played games.

“He’d been out so long, that’s your biggest concern. Quite honestly I thought about it again this morning, about how much trust you have in everybody.

“By Browny doing that, it tells you how they feel about each other.”

As for finally getting to lift the Stanley Cup, Regehr didn’t know for sure he’d be second in line as ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun shared.

“I had a little bit of an idea. Matt [Greene] and some of the other veteran guys were talking about it before, and [maybe they] just said [to Brown], ‘If you wanted to give it to Marian [Gaborik] first,’ but I guess they thought I was older than him, so I have a little more seniority. It’s an amazing feeling. It’s taken me 15 years. I got within a goal about 10 years ago. Just to get back here again was just awesome.”

Regehr said he had a hard time putting his skates on and just getting dressed to be on the ice for the ceremony is something he’ll never forget. After coming so close to winning it all in 2004 with Calgary, he’ll never have to worry about missing out on glory again.

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