All-Stars take the ice today
ATLANTA – Nicklas Lidstrom’s 10th All-Star appearance brought out a smile that belied what has become routine for the topflight Detroit defenseman.
Joe Thornton is back for his fifth, and seemed miffed that anyone would pass up the chance to show off their talent in the ultimate hockey exhibition.
Sidney Crosby and Lidstrom’s Red Wings teammate Henrik Zetterberg were in line to start tonight in the NHL All-Star game, but injuries made that impossible. The elected goalies: New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur for the Eastern Conference, and Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo out West turned down invitations due to family commitments.
A four-day break in the hectic 82-game schedule is a luxury that comes about just once a season, and the chance to spend it away from the rink is sometimes too much to give up.
“I don’t really think it’s too big of a problem,” Thornton, a San Jose Sharks forward, said of the absences. “Most of the All-Stars are here and we enjoy the weekend. If there are a couple of guys who don’t want to enjoy the weekend, it’s purely up to them.”
“It’s still fun going to the weekend,” said the 37-year-old Lidstrom, a five-time Norris Trophy winner. “I’ve got my two little kids here. They’ve had a chance to meet some of the newer, younger players coming into the league. So I still enjoy coming to these games.”
Whether many people will watch is still in question. Crosby was a drawing card that no longer exists.
“I don’t think it’ll impact the ratings,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “I think All-Star games are entitled to be fun and entertaining and an opportunity to see a cross-section of our stars.”
Washington’s Alex Ovechkin is back for his second All-Star game in three NHL seasons. It sometimes gets lost in the shuffle that he beat out Crosby for rookie of the year honors in 2006. He is now third in the league with 65 points – two more than Crosby, the defending scoring champion and MVP.
East tops West
Alex Ovechkin won the breakaway challenge in the NHL’s SuperSkills competition, leading the Eastern Conference to a 9-6 victory over the West.
Ovechkin wasn’t the only East player taking individual honors in the skills competition. Toronto’s Tomas Kaberle was the most accurate shooter and Boston’s Zdeno Chara fired the hardest shot at 103.1 mph.
Fancy shooting by New York Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro helped the East win the obstacle course.
Edmonton’s Shawn Horcuff answered by winning the fastest skater competition for the West.