Players from the AHL’s Pacific Division celebrate their 3-2 win over the Atlantic Division in the championship game of the 2024 AHL All-Star Challenge at Tech CU Arena on Monday FEB, 5, 2024. (Titus Wilkinson-Sports Radio Service)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The night belonged to the host division in the host city.

Arshdeep Bains scored the game winning goal with 12.9 seconds remaining in the first period to give the Pacific Division a 3-2 victory over the Atlantic Division in the championship game of the 2024 AHL All-Star Challenge on Monday evening at Tech CU Arena.

Bains, the Abbotsford Canucks forward, came loose on a breakaway down the right boards and beat Hersey Bears goalie Clay Stevenson with a wrist shot to the near corner for the game winning goal to send the pro-Pacific Division sold out crowd into a frenzy.

“It was fun,” said Bains regarding his first AHL All-Star experience. “When you have guys that are of this caliber and they’re competing, it gets really special. I know it a privilege to be here, so it was awesome that I was able to do it.”

Bains finished the night with two goals and three assists and earned All-Star Challenge Most Valuable Player honors, a day after travel delays had caused him to miss the Skills Competition on Sunday evening. The Surrey, BC native led all scorers with five points (two goals, three assists) in the round-robin tournament, a series of 3-on-3 games played among the AHL’s four divisions.

“You never forget your first one and to do it here (in San Jose) was special. (There were) a lot of guys I kind of knew so just being able to spend time with guys that I play against and play against guys I don’t get to play against on the other side was really nice and it’s a great city,” Bains said.

Calgary Wranglers goalie and Gilroy, Calif. native Dustin Wolf earned the victory for the Pacific Division as he recorded one saves on two shots in the final 3:04 as he subbed in for Tucson Roadrunners goalie Matt Villalta who started the championship game.

“Yeah, it was awesome,” said Wolf who had close to 10 family members and friends who watched him perform from the stands. “These are events that you look forward to coming to. It worked out, it was a Cinderella ending to give the Pacific (Division) the win on the West coast.”

San Jose Barracuda defenseman and lone representative for the All-Star Challenge Shakir Mukhamadullin had quite the night. The Russian rookie scored the tying goal against the Atlantic Division in one of the round robin games with seven seconds forcing the second shootout for the Pacific Division. He then set up Wrangler forward Matt Coronado with a spinning highlight reel back pass for the equalizer goal at the 3:38 mark of the first period in the championship game.

“It’s really good the fans love hockey; they love the players. They come to every game and get loud. It’s really nice the reaction they gave me,” Mukhamadullin said.

Other highlights of the night included, Adam Gaudette of the Springfield Thunderbirds, the AHL’s co-leader with 24 goals this season, scored three times for the Atlantic Division. The Chicago Wolves’ Rocco Grimaldi and the Manitoba Moose’s Brad Lambert recorded two goals and two assists each for the Central Division, and Angus Crookshank of the Belleville Senators led the North Division with a pair of goals.

The Iowa Wild’s Jesper Wallstedt led all goaltenders with an .833 save percentage on the evening, stopping 15 of 18 shots.

The 2024 AHL All-Star Challenge featured 24 former first- or second-round NHL draft picks, and 28 players who have skated in the National Hockey League already this season.

2024 AHL All-Star Challenge Results
Game 1 – North Division 1, Pacific Division 1 (SO, tie)
Game 2 – Central Division 4, Atlantic Division 1
Game 3 – North Division 3, Central Division 2 (SO)
Game 4 – Atlantic Division 2, Pacific Division 2 (SO, tie)
Game 5 – Atlantic Division 6, North Division 1
Game 6 – Pacific Division 4, Central Division 3 (SO)
Championship – Pacific Division 3, Atlantic Division 2

UP NEXT: The San Jose Barracuda return to action on Friday 2/9 against the Bakersfield Condors at 7:00pm at Mechanics Bank Arena.