Alexei Kovalev of the host Canadiens scored twice in regulation and netted the decisive shootout goal to lift the Eastern Conference to a 12-11 triumph over the West in the National Hockey League All-Star game on Sunday.
Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals also scored in the shootout after recording a goal and two assists in regulation.
Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas denied both shooters he faced following a 19-save performance over 25 minutes for the East, which won by one goal for the second straight year after losing two of the previous three editions of the mid-season exhibition.
PHOTO: AFP
Kovalev and his three fellow Canadiens in the Eastern Conference starting lineup — Carey Price, Mike Komisarek and Andrei Markov — received boisterous support from the crowd.
“I think they’ve been like that since I got to Montreal,” Kovalev said. “I don’t remember one day that they wouldn’t be so passionate and so excited.
“Just to come to this building and see open practice, whatever it is, or just regular practice, like I said, it’s always been so exciting to be on the ice, surrounded by all these fans,” he said.
The Canadiens mark their 100th anniversary this season, and the All-Star festivities were another chance for fans to celebrate the milestone.
“Obviously, having this event here in Montreal, it’s just a great weekend for everybody,” said Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau. “You know, the fans have been here every game and cheering on the players every game. You know, I knew this was not going to be different tonight.”
Martin St Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers Jay Bouwmeester each scored a pair of goals and set up another while Boston’s Marc Savard collected three assists.
Oilers defenseman Sheldon Souray recorded two goals and an assist for the West.
Milan Hejduk of Colorado and captains Patrick Marleau of San Jose and Rick Nash of Columbus registered a goal and two assists apiece and Joe Thornton of the Sharks set up three tallies.
Thomas picked up the win for the second straight year, while Kovalev was named Most Valuable Player of the second-highest scoring All-Star Game in history.
In 2001, the North America and World teams combined for 26 goals in Colorado.
While Kovalev emerged as the hero, another Canadien played the role of the villain.
Montreal defenseman Komisarek was whistled for hooking Ryan Getzlaf of Anaheim during a breakaway in overtime.
It was the first penalty called in an All-Star Game since 2000.
But the East successfully killed the ensuing power play, with Thomas making two of his three saves in the extra session while shorthanded.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
After fleeing Sudan when civil war erupted, Al-Hilal captain Mohamed Abdelrahman and his teammates have defied the odds to reach the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. They are today to face title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt in Cairo, with the return match in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday next week. Al-Hilal and biggest domestic rivals Al-Merrikh relocated to Mauritania after a power struggle broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary force. The civil war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 12 million people, according to the UN. The Democratic Republic of the Congo-born Al-Hilal
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
RSS