Author: smallforce

~ Photo: LM Otero, AP

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ In Dallas’ biggest margin of victory in a game this season, the Stars asserted themselves over the Sharks 6-1 Friday.

Kari Lehtonen, playing in the second of back-to-back games, only gave up one goal while he made 20 saves.

It was Adam Cracknell’s first NHL hat trick and he spread the goals out over each period, the last one coming shorthanded.

San Jose now has a season-high five game losing streak. It was the most goals Aaron Dell has given up this year, his season-high previously three.

The season series came full circle, the Sharks 5-1 first game win ending in this third game finale.

San Jose’s Captain Joe Pavelski said after the game, “There’s a commitment that needs to be there…and we’re searching for that.”

For Dallas, Jason Spezza had three assists and Remi Elie had two assists.

The game got worse for the Sharks through the game in different ways. Four shots again in the first period with one power play was nothing compared to the second..

Brett Ritchie made it 2-0 1:58 into the second period and later scored two more goals in less than two minutes.

Tyler Seguin and Cracknell led with two shots apiece in the first. Dell stopped shots by Seguin and a Jamie Benn breakaway initially with his pads.

In the second, San Jose’s Patrick Marleau hit the crossbar. A wide open Jamie Benn and Cracknell’s second goal made it 4-0.

The Sharks then took advantage of the power play this time, scoring less than a minute after the Stars’ fourth goal. Joe Thornton saw Brent Burns’ shot bounce and tracked it into the net.

San Jose had almost two straight penalties later in the second, too many men at 11:45 and interference from Justin Braun at 14:10.  

Shots were 12-11 Dallas at the end of the middle frame.

The Sharks’ third period power play was the worst. Pavelski nearly had a goal when his shot up front hit the post. Then Dell accidentally sent the puck directly to Cracknell, resulting in his hat trick goal. 21 seconds later, John Klingberg made it 6-1.

Game notes: San Jose’s Jannik Hansen returned to the lineup but Melker Karlsson remained out. Teammate Marc-Edouard Vlasic had to leave the game in the third. There is yet to be an update on his status. The Sharks play another back-to-back, Saturday at 5pm versus the Nashville Predators.

~ Photo: LM Otero, AP

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ The Dallas Stars got their first shutout since December 14, as San Jose was shut out for the first time since January 3 in a 1-0 loss Monday.

Goalie Kari Lehtonen stopped all 30 shots he faced.

Curtis McKenzie’s first goal since February 11 broke the deadlock at 14:54 of the second. McKenzie, who mirrored the movements of goalie Aaron Dell right behind him, quickly deflected the shot from Adam Cracknell.

Like the Stars’ second meeting against the Sharks, Dallas had only one goal, but this time it was enough, in a less lopsided affair. San Jose won the first matchup 5-1 and Lehtonen was pulled after giving up three goals.

Dell, who was also in net that game, was just as stellar this time. He made two especially spectacular saves in the first and second to keep the game close.

The Sharks had the man advantage in terms of opportunities with the extra attacker as the game wound down.

They outshot the Stars in each period, but could not translate those shots to goals, offensive struggles and giving up the first goal marking their three game losing streak.

Dallas outhit San Jose 13-2 in the first and 25-9 overall. Each team killed off two power plays apiece.

Game notes: The Sharks had multiple personnel changes. Chris Tierney missed his first game this season with the flu and Jannik Hansen, hurt Saturday, was absent. Instead, Danny O’Regan and Timo Meier were recalled Sunday and David Schlemko played his first game since March 2. The Stars’ Jamie Benn returned to the lineup, with three shots on goal, one block and one takeaway. San Jose hopes to right their ship. With no time to dwell, they go back at it versus the Minnesota Wild Tuesday at 5:30pm.

~ Photo: JohnTlumacki / The Boston Globe

~ Story by Pearl Allison Lo

~ With a blizzard blowing outside, Boston added their own flurry with a 6-3 win over San Jose under their new interim coach Thursday.

The game leading goal occurred in the first period as the Bruins eventually had an answer every time the Sharks scored.

Boston’s David Pastrnak had two power play goals (first time – Darin Stephens), Patrice Bergeron had one goal and three assists, David Backes had one goal and two assists (seven shots) and Tuukaa Rask made 23 saves.

San Jose starting goalie Martin Jones was removed early (second time this year) after the first as the Bruins scored two and half power play goals in the game (one after momentum)

The Sharks added a regulation loss to their three game losing streak (shootout, overtime, regulations).

Backes started the scoring on the game’s first shot, 52 seconds in.

At 7:51, San Jose tied the game. Tomas Hertl prevented a clear and Joe Thornton changed directions as he circled around after the pass, to score from the right faceoff circle. It was his first goal this year against a goalie in net as Thornton continued his success against his former team and Rask. This was as close scorewise as the Sharks would get though.

Patrick Marleau missed on a 2-on-1 before Bergeron gave Boston its clinching lead at 15:52.

Pastrnak scored his first power play at 17:31 after a too many men on the ice call.

Both Jones and backup Aaron Dell ended up giving up three goals apiece. Dell faced 15 shots his first period.

San Jose shook off the first and started strong with Justin Braun scoring from the point (his 100th NHL point) just 1:08 in. It cut the score to 3-2.

However, the Bruins responded like the first, with Tim Schaller and Pastrnak on the power play scoring at 13:04 and 19:11.

The Sharks had a solid penalty kill before the two goals.

5-2 was the score until San Jose’s Timo Meier scored 10 seconds after they had a power play at 17:23. San Jose pulled Dell before the two minute mark.

The Bruins’ sixth goal came from Brad Marchand on an empty net with 29.3 seconds left.

Game notes: The last time the Sharks gave up 6 goals was October 17. Boston’s Zdeno Chara remained out with the flu. The Bruins now have 30+ shots in their last 16. San Jose will get Friday off to recover before two early morning games, Saturday at 10am and Sunday at 9:30am.

~ AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ Evander Kane chose the perfect moment to score twice, completing a third period comeback in overtime, as the Buffalo Sabres defeated San Jose 5-4 Tuesday.

Kane scored off a 2-on-1 against Marc-Edouard Vlasic with teammate Jack Eichel just 1:05 into the extra frame.

San Jose is now 2-15-2 in Buffalo. Joe Pavelski said, “One of those games, for them to come back, everything worked out just perfect.” Head coach Pete DeBoer remarked, “I felt like Dan Quinn on Super Bowl Sunday…Thank God it wasn’t the finals.”

Kane had two goals and led with seven shots on goal. Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and assist and Eichel, Brian Gionta and the Sharks’ Brent Burns had two assists each.

After San Jose went down 1-0 in the first, they scored two more in the period and created a 4-1 lead during the third.

Matt Moulson gave the Sabres their only lead until overtime at 7:24 of the first.

Joel Ward and Logan Couture made it 2-1 in just over three minutes at 17:13. It was Couture’s second goal and third point in two games.

Melker Karlsson scored at 11:23 of the second. Marcus Sorensen, who was recalled Thursday got his first NHL assist and point.

In the first two periods, the Sharks outshot Buffalo 31 to 18. In the third period, the Sabres outshot San Jose 17-9. It was also their turn to score three unanswered.

At 6:07, the Sharks scored on the power play. Burns in the high shot gave the puck to Pavelski in the right faceoff circle.

The tide turned when O’Reilly, Kane and Kyle Okposo scored in three and a half minutes. O’Reilly’s power play was the second man advantage goal for Buffalo in the game.

Game notes: San Jose had 40 shots for the second game in a row. The Sharks will face the Boston Bruins next Thursday at 4pm.

~ Photo credit: Comcast Sports Net’s Brodie Brazil’s Twitter photo

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ In a 4-1 win, the San Jose Sharks’ Patrick Marleau reached what many were eager to observe, illustrious Goal #500, against the Vancouver Canucks Thursday.

It started October 19, 1997 and on February 2, 2017, with his left hand holding his stick in the air, followed by a right hand fist pump, Marleau celebrated his 500th goal that culminated with congratulations on the ice by teammates.

Logan Couture scooped up the puck for Marleau, and thanks to his mic, relayed on the bench, “…watch the replay, when you got the puck, I had my hands up already.” Mikkel Boedker joked, “Hey, now we can stop looking for you?”

After the game, Marleau reminisced, “When you hit a mark like this, you start thinking about everybody who’s kind of helped you along the way” and commented on “even getting congratulated from some of the other guys on the other team.”

It was his seventh goal and eighth point during his five game point streak, as Marleau became the 45th NHL player to accomplish the 500 goal feat. If you narrow it down to players who stayed with just one team, he becomes just the 10th player, according to Sportsnet.

Boedker drew the penalty at 9:15 of the first. 15 seconds later, it paid off.

The two recent NHL All-Stars who helped Marleau get Goal 499 added their magic. Brent Burns made the longer pass, as he went behind the net on the other end of the ice and passed it to Joe Pavelski before the far blue line. Just before Pavelski reached the far left faceoff circle, he made the shorter pass passed to Marleau in the right faceoff circle.

The call this time from Randy Hahn was, “Patrick Marleau, Mr. San Jose Shark, scores his 500th National Hockey League goal!”

Not to be forgotten, Pavelski was involved with his fourth goal since returning from the All-Star break. If you include the All-Star games, he has three goals, four assists and seven points during his four game point streak.

San Jose started the game with a 3-0 shot advantage until Vancouver got their first shot with 15:25 left to go in the first frame.

Marleau’s goal came on the team’s fifth shot.

Chris Tierney had his first two goal game, scoring his first of a rebound from David Schlemko’s shot from the point. It came at 15:59 of the first.

Period two featured the Sharks’ Martin Jones versus the Canucks, as Vancouver more than doubled their shot total from the first, with a total of 16 shots. The Canucks had three shots and a block when they were shorthanded during an Alexander Edler penalty. Making 32 saves, Martin Jones’ .970 save percentage tonight was his best since November 23rd.

Burns scored his eighth straight goal on the road 53 seconds into the third period, when he was fed by Tomas Hertl and Joe Thornton.

Philip Larsen broke Jones’ shutout bid with the 3-1 goal at 6:35.

Tierney sealed the win at 14:41 on another power play. It was challenged first but then overruled. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Joel Ward earned the assists.

Game notes: Boedker and Tierney led with five shots. Teammate Justin Braun led with five blocks. Vancouver’s Ryan Miller has given up at least two goals in each of his last three starts (all losses), facing at least 30 shots apiece. With this just the first of five matches versus the Canucks and two more of them in Vancouver, the fact that San Jose had their ninth straight win in Vancouver, the most by any opponent (EliasSports), bodes well if things continue. Next up is Arizona on Saturday at 7:30pm.

 

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 29: Metropolitan All-Stars stand across from members of the 100 greatest NHL players of all time for puck drop ceremony before the start of the 2017 NHL All-Star Game played on January 29, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ LOS ANGELES– The Pacific cruised in the first semifinal and were technically in the game until the end of the final, but Ryan McDonagh and the Metropolitan team earned a 4-3 win for the cold, hard $1 million Sunday.

The two Ryan’s made an impact as Kesler scored after hitting McDonagh’s skates twice and the post before going into the net, but it was taken back for Connor McDavid being offsides. Coach Wayne Gretzky made the challenge.

It was crucial because later Cam Atkinson and Wayne Simmonds tied and scored the game winning goal five seconds apart. Seth Jones and Taylor Hall also scored five seconds apart in the semifinal.

Mike Smith was pulled with 53.1 seconds left for the extra skater. Afterwards, McDonagh made two saves to preserve the game.

Simmonds won a new truck as he overall scored three goals and had eight shots. He took the pass from Hall and hit the crossbar as the puck went into the net midway into the second.

Sidney Crosby got his first All-Star goal ever at 6:26 of the second half of the second semifinal.

Joe Pavelski finished with two goals and an assist and Brent Burns finished with a goal and an assist. Martin Jones made 12 out of 16 saves.

The ice was a bit more crowded pregame, as the NHL100 was present, taking fist bumps from the 2017 All-Stars in what was surely the longest line ever. For the puck drop, the NHL100 also each dropped one as the All-Stars faced them with their sticks.

An 18,665 sellout crowd was present for the afternoon.

Semifinal #1

First up was Team Black (Pacific) versus Purple (Central). The Pacific got one step closer to successfully defending their win last year with a resounding 10-3 semifinal score.

It was a California fest with every single player scoring minus goalie Jones.

Every time the Central tried to cut the lead, the Pacific responded in less than a minute with multiple goals before the Central scored again. The Pacific outshot the Central 22-12.

Johnny Gaudreau was the only player to score multiple goals in the game. He led with five shots on goal and Cam Fowler led with three assists and four points.

The Pacific’s 2-0 lead came from two Southern California first-time All Stars.

Fowler got the first All-Star game goal as he took a pass across ice in front from” Gaudreau at 2:57.

Then less than a minute later, hometown fans got a treat as Jeff Carter doubled the lead. The play was created by a turnover from fellow Los Angeles Kings teammate Drew Doughty.

Jonathan Toews scored the first goal for the Central. On a 2-on-1, he went high on Corey Crawford.

Just six seconds later though, Connor McDavid took a Kesler pass from the right to score

Less than a minute later, Burns completed the California team circle with the 4-1 goal on a breakaway.

Hometown Doughty had to get in on the action and did so at 9:49. Pavelski must have felt like a King as the two #8’s connected with Pavelski getting the pass from Carter and going cross ice to Doughty.

In the second half, P.K.Subban got another goal on the board for the Central, as he made moves on Kesler to score versus Jones.

Just like before though, the Pacific answered as Gaudreau scored less than half a minute later, positioning the puck perfectly.

Carter dropped the puck back to Pavelski at 4:15 to make it 7-2.

Tarasenko traded passes with Tyler Seguin and from the right faceoff circle, hit top shelf shortside.

With just under a minute later apeice for both goals, Kesler and Horvat made it 9-3

13 seconds later, Gaudreau became the first player to score multiple goals in the game as he connected his diagonal shot.

 

Semifinal #2

In the second game, Team Gold (Atlantic) beat Team White (Metropolitan) by a score of 10-6. This was more of a back and forth affair until the Atlantic pulled away in the second half, thanks to three goals in 19 seconds. The Metropolitan pulled goalie Tuuka Rask for an extra skater.  

A number of players in this game scored multiple goals, two each, with Atkinson, Simmonds and Tavares scoring for the Atlantic and Nikita Kucherov for the Metropolitan. Each side got three assists apiece with Vincent Trocheck and Justin Faulk.

Kucherov scored amidst a Simmonds sandwich. The Atlantic became the first to string two goals together when Victor Hedman and then Erik Karlsson scored. Tavares gave the game its third tie at 8:45.

Rookie Auston Matthews scored from the slot and Metropolitan finally scored consecutive goals with the start of three goals in 19 seconds. After Tavares, this was when Jones and Hall scored five seconds apart. Coach Gretzky was having a blast on the bench. On Crosby, Gretzky said, “When you coach the best player in the game, it makes it a lot of fun and a lot easier.”

Braden Holtby moved from one side to the other, saving Brad Marchand’s hard shot up front with his left glove after Hall’s shot.

Kucherov stopped Metropolitan’s scoring with his second goal of the afternoon.

Crosby’s goal came by way of assists from Faulk and Alex Ovechkin. It made the score 7-5.

Atkinson strung two together as he moved his way in front of Rask and scored far side for the first. On the second, he scored on an empty net.

Trocheck scored his first goal, with none other than Kucherov to make it 9-6.

Crosby set up Ovechkin in the final second of the game.

Final

Both winning teams from the first two games each scored 10 goals. No one had multiple goals this came. Hall led with two assists.

Pavelski had the fastest time to open a period, 22 seconds in, scoring with the help of Doughty.

Like a final game though, Jones tied it just over a minute later.

Holtby clapped on the bench as fellow goalie Sergei Bobrovsky blocked Burns’ shot with the backhand of his glove.

Faulk gave Metropolitan the lead but McDavid cut another lead short, scoring on a breakaway against a sprawled out Bobrovsky.

The Pacific regained the lead as Gaudreau went around the net and fed Horvat.

Atkinson tied the game at three apiece when his puck hit Smith and Atkinson put in his rebound, as Smith rolled over in an attempt to save the puck.

Game notes: Coach Pete DeBoer, Pavelski, Burns and Jones will reunite with Toews, Kane, Crawford and Keith when they face each other in the season’s second half to close out January Tuesday at 7:30pm.

 

~ (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ LOS ANGELES– It was a jam packed day with the last day of the NHL Fan Fair, the only day it fell on a day with no work, Media Day, the Celebrity Shootout, Skills Competition and more.

The Pacific Division made it all the way to the Discover shootout, Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski welcomed the crowd’s boos, Arizona Coyotes’ Mike Smith scored 20 points for the Pacific, Burns scored from center ice, Justin Bieber made headlines and Anaheim Ducks’ Ryan Kesler’s son, Ryker, scored against the Montreal Canadiens’ Carey Price.

Media Day consisted of Eastern and Western Conference broken up by head coaches and the NHL/NHLPA Learn to Play Press Conference. Learn to Play is an effort to introduce first-time participants to hockey and will be in effect next season (LearntoPlay.NHL.com).

When Coach Pete DeBoer was asked about his staff, he said, “I wish they could be here. They belong here. I think the three players that are here and for sure myself would say that this is a team accomplishment and while they’re not here with us, they’re here in spirit, because we all know that we’re here because of the people that aren’t here.”

Asked the best and worst thing about playing in the NHL, Martin Jones said “hockey, because it’s my job” and for “worst thing is probably travel and the time away from home.”

On his first All-Star selection, Jones replied, “It’s great. It’s pretty exciting to be in the mix here. It’s going to be a lot of fun getting on the ice with all these guys.”

Regarding the Breakaway Challenge from last year, which was taken out this year, Pavelski and Burns’ kids were still eager.

Pavelski said, “Yeah, I think it’s pretty cool. It was a fun event, having J or Nate out there, for him to experience it. We were leaving the house today, and he was like, ‘Well Dad, do I got to bring my gear with? He has high expectations I guess, but these weekends are fun, obviously it’s a lot of fun, the whole experience with your family and a couple teammates, it’s really nice.”

Burns – “He keeps asking me if he gets to shoot on a goalie this year and I said, ‘Sorry buddy, you broke his ankle last couple weeks ago so’…he doesn’t get to shoot on a goalie, but those are special things for him to be a part of and he doesn’t really realize who he’s getting to meet, but as he gets older, those are things you can look back on and remember.”

On talking with favorite players

Pavelski – “Growing up, my favorite player was Brett Hull. I met him, talked to him a little bit. I always loved the way he could shoot the puck and score goals.”

Burns – “I haven’t seen those two (Steve Yzerman and Mark Messier). Those are two of the guys that were my heroes growing up and I mean, there was lots of them last night. I got to see Fedorov today, just stumbling out of the elevator. This is a guy that’s such an incredible player that I always looked up on growing up. I always wanted the white skates because he was wearing them. I saw Borak yesterday and it’s just incredible to see a guy like that. I think when you randomly see these guys in the hotel, it’s kind of embarrassing, because you don’t even know what to say, and they meant so much to you as a kid growing up and it’s a really special weekend for those guys and I think the weekend belongs to those guys. We’re all here because of them and it’s a cool honor to be here and a part of that.”

A little bit of football

Pavelski – “It’s tough to bet against the Patriots. I have a feeling Atlanta could do it, but I’m going with the Patriots.”

Jones – “I’m a pretty casual football fan, but it’s hard to bet against Brady and the Pats, but I think I’m gonna take the Falcons.”

On Burns in the hardest shot competition –

Pavelski – “Good. I think so. Have to look at everybody. Got Weber out there. Everyone knows how hard he can shoot it, so he’s probably the front-runner, but as far as competition goes, we’ll see where it goes.”

Jones joked, “I don’t like him. He’s got nothing.”

Burns – I think I’m a space taker for Webs. It’s crazy to see his shot everyday and see what he does. I just don’t think there’s a guy who can compete with his shot. I don’t get to see Hedman that much, so I don’t know how hard his shot is, so maybe he can, I don’t know, but Webs’ is ridiculous, so I know I’m not going to be able to compete with that. I just get to go and take…two or three shots, so hopefully my stick doesn’t break and I fall and…the game plan is, but maybe I’ll try a wrister and just see what it is.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman made himself available to the media.

The All-Star Celebrity Shootout was next. The charity game benefiting Echoes of Hope also honored Alan Thicke with special patches Team (Wayne) Gretzky and Team (Mario) Lemieux wore. During the game, Bobby Orr was announced as another assistant coach.

It was an understandably slower paced game as music played throughout. All penalties automatically led to penalty shots. The game featured two 21 minutes halves with a two minute intermission.

Team Gretzky won 5-3, which included goals from Teemu Selanne, Eric Lindros, Ron MacLean from a helmet-less Peter Stastny, Joe Sakic, Scott Niedermayer, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Bieber.

Bieber had an empty net goal, an assist and two penalty shots. Before the second penalty shot though, he was smashed against the glass by Chris Pronger, an image that went viral on social media.

The pop stars’ determination throughout the game did not go unnoticed though. Gooding Jr., who had the game winning goal, exclaimed, ““Twenty-five shots later, he finally made it. I was shocked how well he could play!”

Celebrities and retired players both were interviewed at the benches.

E! News’ Ken Burns stated he had “an upper and lower body injury, a hangover.”

Selanne said, “I don’t know who’s the goalie there. He’s like a wall.“ before later scoring against him on a penalty shot that he paused before making.

Regarding the game, Gretzky replied, “It’s nice that so many people love the game of hockey.”

Gooding Jr. who was the most colorful player on the ice with a blue helmet and pads, later revealed by stripping, that “these are my Wayne Gretzky pants given to me by him during his tournament in Vegas that I skated in.”

The final round of events for the night was the All-Star Skills Competition. Beforehand, Snoop Dogg, spun the beats for the introductions. After almost the players were on the ice, the captains were introduced. Six events occurred. Players who were not participating at the moment knelt or sat on the ice on two white benches.

In the Gatorade NHL Skills Challenge Relay, Heat 1 went to the Central, Pavelski, who was a one-timer, did exactly that with his first shot. Heat 2 went to the Metropolitan and they also got another point, for being the fastest with 1:21 seconds.

During the Four Line Challenge, which was the new event, there was embellishment from the Sharks regarding the crowd’s boos. Pavelski cupped his hand to his ear as if he could not hear them. He went 0-2 from the first line. Burns traced his Sharks logo before hitting the top corner on his second attempt, earning the Pacific 3 points. He “Felt the love from the LA crowd, it was great.” Only the Atlantic did not earn points. Smith’s 20 points and won the event for the Pacific as he hit the 5-hole from the other goal line. He still said though, there’s “less pressure in a game than it is here tonight.”

Normally, Los Angeles Kings games are known for the Kiss Cam, but Kraft Heinz featured a Kids Cam.

The Atlantic division got their first point in Match 1 of Accuracy Shooting. Match 2 saw Connor McDavid win one for the Pacific. In Match 3, Auston Mathews from the Atlantic posted the fastest speed so far with 12.28 seconds but then Sidney Crosby knocked down the targets faster even faster, in 10.73 seconds. In Match 4, Pavelski was one of the passers to Jeff Carter who earned the Pacific another point.

For the group fastest skater competition, Race 1 and 3 went to the Atlantic. Race 2 initially went to the Pacific according to the timer, but was reversed upon review and given to the Central. Bo Horvat loss narrowly,13.43 seconds to Patrik Laine’s 13.42. McDavid won Race 4 for the Pacific and got them the bonus point as the fastest skater with 13.02, putting them in the lead. Then he did the individual fastest skater competition by lapping around the ice in 13.31 seconds, just a little shy of Dylan Larkin’s record.

Weber once again won the hardest shot competition, making it 12 of the past 13 events where the winner was 100+mph. He recorded 102.8. In Match 1, Laine got Central the point against Burns, whose two shots were 96.1 and 97.7. Match 2 went to Metropolitan, Match 3 to the Pacific and Match 4 Weber’s Atlantic, who also got a bonus point.

By the time of the final event, the Pacific had won for the Western Conference. The Atlantic and Metropolitan were in a tie for the Eastern, which was broken by the fastest shot. Therefore, the Discover Shootout pitted the Atlantic versus Pacific. Crosby and Kane were Discover Picks, meaning if they scored, their team would earn 2 points. With 10 players apiece, the Pacific faced goalies Carey Price and Tuukka Rask. The Atlantic faced Smith and Jones. Kesler, the younger one, was the only one to score for the Pacific, scoring against Price. The elder Kesler had also substituted Ryker for one of his shots in the Four Line challenge. The only goal Jones gave up was to Crosby. Pavelski shot second and Burns shot second to last. He made a stylistic shot that hit the post.

The 4-1 win for the Atlantic meant they got to choose who they played in the All-Star Game and when. They chose Metropolitan and to go second, which means at 12:30pm we will see the Pacific versus Central.

Notes: Gretzky got a second coaching job when he was chosen to replace John Tortorella’s Metropolitan Division spot in the All-Star game.