LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Kings have brought back the harmonica-playing senior citizens whose rendition of the U.S. national anthem caused a sensation before their playoff opener.
The Kings welcomed back the Harmonica Class from the Koreatown Senior and Community Center for a second performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” before Game 2 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night.
The harmonica players became a viral sensation two days earlier when they played the anthem before Game 1. Fans in the Kings' downtown arena loved the surprising performance and loudly sang along to the plaintive harmonica rendition, which was viewed millions of times on social media.
After wearing traditional Korean garb for Game 1, the harmonica players sported black Kings jerseys for Game 2. They received huge cheers before and after their performance.
The Harmonica Class could become a good luck charm for the Kings, who won 6-5 in a thriller in Game 1.
The Los Angeles area has the nation's largest Korean American population by a significant margin. The Koreatown neighborhood is only a few miles northwest of downtown LA.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL
The Associated Press
