ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, April 7, 1997 TAG: 9704080022
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: PITTSBURGH
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mario Lemieux will retire from the Pittsburgh Penguins after the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Mario Lemieux, a five-time NHL scoring champion whose career with the Pittsburgh Penguins has been hampered by a bad back and a bout with cancer, says he definitely will retire after the playoffs.
The 31-year-old center could go out in style by winning the Art Ross Trophy for the sixth time. He leads the league with 117 points on 49 goals and 68 assists.
After hinting strongly for months that this would be his final season, Lemieux formally announced his retirement for the first time Saturday night at the annual Dapper Dan banquet at a downtown hotel.
Lemieux, 31, who led the Penguins to Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992, currently has 612 goals and 1,489 points to stand sixth on the NHL career list in both categories. He is 11th with 877 assists.
LENGTH: Short : 32 lines KEYWORDS: HOCKEYby CNB