I wanted to live blog tonight’s game but I had a cable fail which, unfortunately, prevented me from watching it live and then, when my DVR recorded a later game, the shootout was cut off because it went over the scheduled time.  Okay, I am finished venting…

Just like last year, the best in the East beat out the best in the West (much to my chagrin) with a final score of 12-11.  There are a lot of videos available on the NHL site but here is the scoring summary followed by the video of the shootout.

ASW: Tkachuk, K. (01:16 in 1st), Marleau, P. (19:48 in 1st), Souray, S. (03:29 in 2nd), Boyle, D. (05:14 in 2nd), Nash, R. (08:27 in 2nd), Hejduk, M. (09:02 in 2nd), Souray, S. (10:34 in 2nd), Iginla, J. (16:46 in 2nd), Doan, S. (00:32 in 3rd), Toews, J. (02:32 in 3rd), Kane, P. (15:19 in 3rd)

ASE: Ovechkin, A. (06:26 in 1st), Staal, E. (09:30 in 1st), Kovalev, A. (16:34 in 1st), Markov, A. (19:23 in 1st), St. Louis, M. (01:21 in 2nd), Parise, Z. (02:11 in 2nd), Malkin, E. (07:45 in 2nd), Kovalev, A. (13:35 in 2nd), Heatley, D. (02:17 in 3rd), St. Louis, M. (13:19 in 3rd), Bouwmeester, J. (16:21 in 3rd), Kovalev, A. (00:00 in 2nd OT)

GOALIES

• ASW: J. Giguere, N. Backstrom, R. Luongo
• ASE: T. Thomas, H. Lundqvist, C. Price

image: TSN

Did you watch the 2009 NHL YoungStars game last night?  I really preferred the new format with the rookies facing off against the sophomores.  Here are the rosters:

The rookies destroyed the sophomores winning the game (comprised of three, six-minute periods) with a final score of 9-5. 

WATCH THE 2nd and 3rd video after the jump!

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Wow… as if the opening singing/show wasn’t bad enough (sorry) I can’t believe Roberto Luongo is truly participating in the events tonight.  He missed so much time with a groin injury and just got reactivated from the injured reserve to play with the Vancouver Canucks.  He’s probably fine but I just think it’s taking a big risk when your team is depending on you to help make the playoffs.  He could have taken this extra time to rest like Sidney Crosby did. 

Anyway, back to the event.  Tonight, the 2009 NHL All-Star SuperSkills Challenge is taking place.  I will be updating this post as video becomes available. 

Fastest Skater – It’s pretty self-explanatory.  This challenge will attempt to find the fastest skater (they go around the rink once).  Here are the participants and results:

• Zach Parise (NJ Devils) – 14.59 seconds
• Jeff Carter (Philadelphia Flyers) – 14.43
• Brian Campbell (Chicago Blackhawks) – 14.50
• Jay Bouwmeester (Florida Panthers) – ??
• Mason Raymond (Vancouver Canucks) – ??
• Andrew Cogliano (Edmonton Oilers) – 14.31

Cogliano wins!!!  Watch the video:

Breakaway Challenge – in this event, the players try to show off some skill while being inventive.  They asked an unknown goaltender to be between the pipes during the challenge (they supposedly asked him to just let the players score but it looks like he didn’t follow that request, ha ha).

Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) started the event and was followed by Ryann Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks) and Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay Lightning).

Steve Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning) was the first to show a little a little speed but Alexander Ovechkin was the most interesting.  At the end of his turn, he put on a touristy hat and sunglasses, had Evgeni Malkin give him something to drink and then he tried to score using two sticks.  Too funny!

Accuracy Challenge:  The players compete to see who can shoot the most targets in a short amount of time.

• Jonathan Toews
• Ilya Kovalchuk
• Mike Modano
• Jarome Iginla
• Evgeni Malkin
• Dany Heatley
• Marc Savard
• Tomas Kaberle

Passers:

• Keith Tkachuk
• Joe Thornton
• Patrick Marleau
• Scott Niedermayer

Hardest Shot Featuring:  Again, this is self-explanatory.  The players compete to see who has the hardest shot. 

• Mark Streit
• Shea Weber
• Mike Komisarek
• Vincent Lecavalier
• Sheldon Souray
• Zdeno Chara

image used with permission

This week, I was fortunate enough to participate in a conference call, through Versus, with NHL All-Star, Marc Savard of the Boston Bruins. 

He answered questions about the All-Star game but also about playing for the Bruins (who, with 73 points, are currently tied with the San Jose Sharks for most points in the league).  Marc is having a great season so far.  He has a plus-minus of 28 and has notched 40 assists (fourth in the league) and 16 goals for a combined total of 56 points (sixth in the league). 

He also was just a lot of fun and seems like a nice guy.  I’m really grateful that I was able to participate in the call, which you can listen to here:

• Listen to part 1 of the call
• Listen to part 2 of the call

image: Newscom

Pittsburgh Penguins captain, Sidney Crosby, has officially withdrawn from the 2009 NHL All-Star game for the second year in a row after getting a record-breaking number of votes.

People had been speculating over whether Sid would be in the lineup and I know he doesn’t want to disappoint his fans but, ultimately, his team has to come first and this is a sign that he is mature enough to be the captain.  He needs to take the All-Star break, rest that sore left knee and get ready to try to lead his team into the playoffs.

He will be replaced by Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay).

image: TSN

The 2009 NHL All-Star game is this weekend.  Are you all geared up?

There’s a pretty great selection of items on the NHL Shop website.  If you buy something today, it probably won’t arrive in time for the All-Star game this weekend but it’s still nice to have something to commemorate the event.  I’m totally checking out one of those hooded sweatshirts.

image: shop.nhl.com

The lineups for the 2009 NHL All-Star game have changed with several big stars dropping out.  In the Western Conference lost Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit), Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit), Erik Ersberg (Los Angeles Kings) and Steve Mason (Columbus).  They have been replaced by Patrick Marleau (San Jose), Stephane Robidas (Dallas) and Pekka Rinne (Nashville).

In the Eastern Conference, Nicklas Backstrom (Washington) and Milan Lucic (Boston) have also backed out.

It’s also looking like Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh) may have to drop out since his team doctors are saying he should rest so that he can be in a better position to help his team make the playoffs.  I think they are right.

image: TSN

Awww!  I love this new commercial for the 2009 NHL All-Star game.  The game will be taking place at Montréal’s Bell Centre so it’s only fitting that the ad should have some French in it. 

Not sure if you get it if you don’t understand what’s being said but the words/phrases in the commercial are “au revoir” (goodbye), “excusez-moi” (excuse me), “non” (no), “magnifique” (magnificent/beautiful) and “bienvenue à Montréal” (welcome to Montreal).

The Montréal Bell Centre and the old Forum were the places where I saw all of my early hockey games so I have a real attachment to it.  I live outside of Calgary now so it will be nice to see the All-Star game being broadcast from one of my own haunts.

The starting lineup for the 2009 NHL All-Star Game has been announced and I’m relatively happy with the list.  I would have liked to see more Calgary Flames there but I can understand these choices.  I also wish Alex Tanguay (Montreal Canadiens) would be playing but, after getting injured, he was forced to bow out.  I’m crushed.  At least four other Habs will be in the lineup to represent!

Anyway, I love the All-Star Game because it’s just a lot of good fun and it’s a nice way to get to know players that you don’t get to see too often. The game will take place on January 25, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Eastern Conference

• Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)– No big surprise here.   He is the single-season leader in All-Star votes and I’m looking forward to seeing him play since he missed last year’s game with an ankle injury.  
• Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins)
• Alexei Kovalev (Montreal Canadiens) – he’s one of the few healthy Habs left so I hope he stays that way.  Since Saku Koivu got injured, Kovalev has been acting as captain.
• Andrei Markov (Montreal Canadiens)
• Mike Komisarek  (Montreal Canadiens)
• Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens) – he’s been out a while with injury so I’m hoping he doesn’t play if he doesn’t feel healthy enough.  The All-Star Game is great but not worth messing up your chances of helping your team make the playoffs.

Western Conference

• Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) – he’s doing great in his second season (16 goals, 41 points in 35 games!) in the NHL and I’m really looking forward to seeing him in action!
• Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks) – again, I can’t wait to see him and Kane play together since there aren’t many Chicago games broadcast in my area.
• Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks)
• Brian Campbell (Chicago Blackhawks)
• Scott Niedermayer (Anaheim Ducks) – can you believe this?  Almost retires and then ends up in the starting lineup of the All-Star Game!
• Jean-Sebastien Giguere (Anaheim Ducks) – good choice, I think.  Should be interesting to see him face off against Price. 

image: TSN

I had seen the Jonathan Toews/Patrick Kane commercials in passing the other day but I decided to dig them up on YouTube this morning so that I could see the whole thing.  I was almost crying I was laughing so hard.  The commercials spoof those U.S. election campaign ads in an effort to increase their votes to get on the 2009 NHL All Star roster. 

Just when I had recovered, I discovered Brian Campbell’s ad campaign.  I was doubled over laughing again.  Too funny!

Toews/Kane

Brian Campbell