2024 NHL All Star Game: Team Matthews Defeats Team McDavid 7-4 in Final

Team McDavid forward Nick Suzuki (14), of the Montreal Canadiens, celebrates his goal against Team MacKinnon with teammates Boone Jenner (38), of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Tomas Hertl (48), of the San Jose Sharks, during the NHL All-Star Game 3-on-3 hockey tournament in Toronto, Ontario, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) 

By Mary Walsh

Team Matthews prevailed 7-4 in the 2024 NHL All Star Game at Scotiabank in Toronto against Team McDavid on Saturday. Clayton Keller (ARI), Mitch Marner (TOR), Auston Matthews (TOR) (2 goals), Filip Forsberg (NSH), Alex DeBrincat (DET), and Matthew Barzal (NYI) scored for Team Matthews. Jake Oettinger (DAL) and Igor Shesterkin (NYR) shared the net in the win.

Boone Jenner (CBJ), David Pastrnak (BOS), Leon Draisaitl (EDM), and Tomas Hertl (SJS) scored for Team McDavid. Connor Hellebuyck (WPG) and Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA) shared the net in the loss. As they have done since 2016, teams played 3-on-3 for two ten-minute periods. Goaltenders each played one period. Winners of the semi-final games moved on to the final.

Jim Montgomery (BOS) coached Team Matthews, Peter Laviolette (NYR) coached Team McDavid, Rick Bowness (WPG) coached Team MacKinnon and Rick Tocchet (VAN) coached Team Hughes. The teams also had celebrity captains: Justin Bieber for Matthews, Will Arnett for McDavid, Tate McRae for MacKinnon and Michael Bublé for Hughes.

Team McDavid won the first semi-final 4-3 in a shoot-out against Team McKinnon. Boone Jenner (CBJ), David Pastrnak (BOS) and Connor McDavid (EDM) scored for Team McDavid. Connor Hellebuyck (WPG) and Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA) shared the net in the win. Nathan McKinnon (COL) scored twice and Oliver Bjorkstrand (SEA) scored for Team McKinnon. Jeremy Swayman (BOS) and Alexander Georgiev (COL) shared the net in the loss.

Team McDavid was down 3-1 with less than a minute left in the game. They pulled their second period goaltender, Bobrovsky, for a fourth skater. Pastrnak started the comeback with 31.5 seconds left and McDavid tied it 3-3 with 5.4 seconds left.

McDavid and Pastrnak went on to scored in the shoot-out against Jeremy Swayman. Swayman stopped a shot from Leon Draisaitl (EDM). Sergei Bobrovsky stopped shots from Sidney Crosby (PIT) and Nathan MacKinnon.

In the second semi-final, Team Matthews defeated Team Hughes 6-5, also in a shoot-out. Alex DeBrincat (DET) and Filip Forsberg each scored twice and Mitch Marner added a fifth for Team Matthews. Jake Oettinger (DAL) and Igor Shesterkin (NYR) shared the net in the win. Frank Vatrano (ANA) scored twice and Nikita Kutcherov (TBL), Elias Petterson (VAN), and Brady Tkachuk (OTT) scored for Team Hughes. Thatcher Demko (VAN) and Cam Talbot (LAK) shared the net in the loss.

Alex DeBrincat scored the only goal in the shootout, against Thatcher Demko (VAN). Igor Shesterkin (NYR) stopped shots from Kyle Connor (WPG), Nikita Kutcherov (TBL), Elias Petterson (VAN) and J. T. Miller (VAN). Thatcher Demko (VAN) stopped shots from Filip Forsberg, Auston Matthews and William Nylander (TOR).

Mary Walsh is a San Jose Sharks beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL podcast with Matt Harrington: Kuznetsov and Eller help Caps get past Canes 4-3; Pavelski scores in his 1,000 NHL game for Stars; plus more

nbcsports.com photo: The Washington Capitals celebrate their victory on Friday night in Carolina with a one goal win over the Carolina Hurricanes

On the NHL podcast with Matt:

#1 The Washington Capitals Evgeny Kuznetsov and Lars Eller each scored a goal and had an assist that was just good enough to get by the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night 4-3. The Caps Richard Panik and Jakob Vrana both scored a goal each for Washington in the 4-3 win.

#2 Washington goalie Ilya Samonov stopped 38 out 41 the Hurricanes tried throwing everything at him in the third period as they scored three times to come up one goal short in the Canes loss.

#3 Former San Jose Shark Joe Pavelski scored a goal and had an assist on Friday night as the Dallas Stars defeated the struggling Detroit Red Wings 4-1. Pavelski was honored by the Stars before the game for playing in his 1000th NHL game last month.

#4 The Montreal Canadiens signed Ilya Kovalchuk for $700,000 after he was bought out by the Los Angeles Kings, Kovalchuk scored 36 goals, nine points in 17 games for the Kings.

#5 Former Dallas Stars head coach Jim Montgomery has admitted that the decision to fire him was “appropriate” and that he’s had entered alcohol rehab. He called the firing a “wake up call” and said that the termination on Dec 10th.

Matt Harrington does the NHL podcast each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com