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NHL All Star Game: Big Food for the Big Event

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Seriously, these things are crazy.

The Blue Jackets' chefs, along with Delaware North, have come together to create three massive, crazy, ridiculous limited edition menu options for the All Star Game.

From Delaware North:

  • "Hat Trick Sausage" - which is 3 separate 2 foot sausages which together take up the entire width of the net!
  • "The Ivory Puck" - a decadent dessert which features makeshift teeth to signify what hockey is all about.
  • "Penalty Box Pretzel" - a 24-oz pretzel with three dipping sauces (served in a medium pizza box.)

THE "HAT TRICK" SAUSAGE

  • There is 6 feet of house made Italian Sausage
  • 2 cups of julienne onions
  • 2 cups of Julienne assorted fresh peppers
  • 4 oz. of marinara sauce
  • 3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
  • All on fresh bake 3-2 foot Italian sub buns
  • 3 sausages for $60.

THE "IVORY PUCK"

  • 2 layers of Chocolate cake
  • White icing
  • Chocolate ganache
  • White chocolate disk
  • Cost: $8

THE "PENALTY BOX" PRETZEL

  • 24 oz. Bavarian Pretzel dough
  • Jalapeno cheese sauce
  • Marinara sauce
  • Spicy brown mustard
  • Cost: $18

Here are some predictions of how many of the various menu items are expected to be eaten at the All Star Game:

Hot Dog: 2300

Chicken Tender Basket: 1000

Hamburger: 900

Skyline Chili Cheese Dog: 2000

Nacho: 1100

Jumbo Pretzel: 1400

Peanuts: 1800

Bottled Water: 4000

Fountain Soda: 3500

Wow, that's a lot of chili cheese dogs!

Thanks to Travis at Broad St, Hockey for passing this along.


NHL All-Star Game: Parents Beware

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Unfortunately, before we get to celebrating the All-Star weekend, there's some bad news for parents of young children hoping to attend the festivities.

In today's Cannon Blasts, Eric mentioned a little wrinkle for this weekend's ticket policy:

The team also sent out this update yesterday as well. If you have children, regardless of age, they will need a ticket for entrance. This is a deviation from the norm for kids under 3 at Nationwide Arena.

Normally, children under 3 are free. The thinking goes - they'll be in mom or dad's (or aunt/uncle/grandma/grandpa's) lap the entire game. As a parent of a one year old, I can confirm that they cannot sit in their own arena seat without it folding up on them. Seems fairly obvious, right?

I can also see the other side (if I squint really hard) - the All-Star Game is run by the National Hockey League (not the CBJ), with the Blue Jackets and Nationwide Arena playing hosts. There will likely be tighter security, and not all the normal rules will fly. But here's the problem.

The Blue Jackets sent out info on these policies yesterday.

And they only sent them to season-ticket holders.

You can see the full notice here, but this is the relevant stuff:

With only a few days left until the 2015 NHL All-Star Weekend Festivities begin, we wanted to send you a few important reminders. Both the Skills Competition and All-Star Game are run by the National Hockey League so there are a few differences as compared to a normal Blue Jackets game.

  • Every person (including infants) requires a ticket.

So, they sent out this notice on Tuesday, to a select group of people. If you purchased tickets from a reseller site, or friend or family member that's a ticket holder, unless they forwarded this email to you... right now, you have no idea Little Timmy will be turned away at the door.

What appears to make this situation worse is that traveling families (we have reports so far from Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.) are now under the gun to either 1) Find childcare in a city they don't live in or 2) Cancel their plans and incur any cancelation fees of non-refundable tickets and reservations. That seems to be anything but fan friendly. You sure can bet Gary Bettman will talk about how great the fans are, and how this event is really celebrating them. Is it asking too much for the league's actions to support those words?

This was originally brought to my attention by Lauren Brodt, who gave me her permission to republish her letter to the National Hockey League:

Dear NHL,


I am very disappointed that the infant ticket policies for this weekend's All Star events at Nationwide Arena ere only just yesterday communicated to ticket holders that everyone, including infants, need a ticket. I had previously contacted the venue, who told me venue policies were still in place, but now here I am 4 days before the event, with no options for my 1 year old, who isn't even big enough to hold down a seat.


I am a half season ticket holder with the Pittsburgh Penguins, my sister, Ashley Wright with the Columbus Blue Jackets, have attended multiple NHL Winter Classic games, away games, and the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. We've been strong supporters of NHL events.


The NHL is always touted as a family friendly spectator sport, and for me, it has been, until now. My daughter's have been attending games since they were 4 and 6 months old. We've celebrated birthdays and anniversaries at NHL games. My sister even had her wedding and reception at a Blue Jackets game last year. My 3.5 year old has been to at least 40 NHL games, my 1 year old at least 15. Hockey is a family event for us. My older daughter confirms every game that Sidney Crosby is playing, and my younger daughter's eyes light up and starts clapping every time she hears a goal horn go off.


Now, you not only want me to spend a minimum of $75 on a ticket for my 1 year (single tickets are currently $120 on Stub Hub), but this policy was not communicated to the venue or fans until 4 days before the game. I am now forced to scramble to either find arrangements for my 1 year old that can't even sit in a seat by herself, or pay an outrageous amount of a money for a seat that won't even be used. Many families that are now in the same situation probably saved just to attend the event and can't afford the extra ticket.


The Blue Jackets and Nationwide Arena tell me there is nothing they can do, that the NHL just updated the policy. Four days before the event. How family friendly is that?


Lauren Brodt
Penguins Season Ticket Holder

This is so disappointing. Sadly, it's also in line with what the NHL did at the Winter Classic, but with one key difference - they notified attendees months in advance of the event, giving more than enough time to find other arrangements.

From Erick Pfleiderer, a Washington Capitals season-ticket holder:

Saying that I'm disappointed is an understatement as we just went through something very similar with the Winter Classic here in DC. However, it was handled much better, because we knew for months in advance that lap infants were not allowed, and we were able to make childcare arrangements. Since that event was in the city we live, it was a little bit easier to make arrangements. In this case, at this time, we have no options available to us.

Right now, we likely have families en route to Columbus with no idea of this league policy. It's especially concerning considering it appears as if the team only found out about this recently as well, yet they aren't in a position to make more tickets available.

This is a mess, to say the least, and not at all how I want to see the All-Star weekend get started.

A request to a team official asking for clarification was unreturned as of publishing, but we'll update this post if more details come to light. If you or someone you know is affected by this, please share in the comments.

GDT: Jets vs Blue Jackets

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Trouba is back. Trouba, you guys. Jacob Trouba. Lil' Jakey Jakey Troubs Troubs. He's back.

The Blue Jackets are in town tonight to take on the Jets at the MTS Centre. This little conversation happened on twitter earlier about the game and it was pretty fun. Nice to see the Jets twitter have some personality for once. I hope it continues.

The game can be viewed on Sportsnet1 tonight.

Line Ups

Winnipeg Jets

Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Blake Wheeler

Evander Kane - Mark Scheifele - Michael Frolik

Chris Thorburn - Adam Lowry - Matt Halischuk

T.J. Galiardi - Jim Slater - Anthony Peluso

Ben Chiarot - Dustin Byfuglien

Tobias Enstrom - Zach Bogosian

Jacob Trouba - Jay Harrison

Michael Hutchinson

Ondrej Pavelec

Columbus Blue Jackets

Scott HartnellBrandon Dubinsky - Josh Anderson

Nick Foligno - Ryan Johansen - Jeremy Morin

Matt Calvert - Alexander Wennberg - Cam Atkinson

Corey Tropp - Mark Letestu - Jack Skille

Jack Johnson - David Savard

Kevin Connauton - James Wisniewski

Fedor Tyutin - Dalton Prout

Sergei Bobrovsky

Curtis McElhinney

Player to Watch

Yep. He's back. I am full of whimsy and happy thoughts. I am elated. I have probably driven a lot of people positively bonkers with my ramblings on Jacob Trouba. I just like the kid and want good things for him and if that is wrong I don't want to be right.

For my further feelings on Trouba being back tonight, please reference the following gif:

And So It Begins: The NHL All Star Experience in Columbus -- Part I

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The hockey world descend on Columbus for three days celebrating the game, the players, the skill and the passion. All of it wrapped in a bunch of fun. We'll follow it from beginning to end.

8:15 AM -- It All Begins

Early on a Friday morning, and the Arena District is all about the 60th incarnation of the NHL All Star Game.  Media are wandering the streets, in search of  a vital caffeine infusion.  Players and families roam the lobby of the Hyatt, which is the nerve center of the event away from the Arena.  The hotel staff don ASG jackets, the shuttles are decorated with the All Star Game logo.   The Media Credential Office is buzzing, while the Winter Park attractions sit idle, waiting for the throngs that will appear in due course.

No question, this is an event that will put Columbus solidly on the map -- both in hockey circles and beyond.  Any lingering doubts about Columbus as a hockey market should be quickly dispelled after these three days are concluded.  Meanwhile, the image and economic benefits to the community are difficult to overstate.

While the impact of the event is significant, the proceedings themselves are all about fun, entertainment and celebration.  Over the next three days, we'll be covering it all, from the NHL Mascot Showdown, to the NHL Fan Fair, the Winter Partk and the NHL Fantasy Draft.  All of these, of course, lead up to the main events -- the NHL Skills Competition and the NHL All Star Game itself.

It's going to be a busy weekend, so we'll be providing continuous coverage through a Live Blog type of concept.  We'll update this article as the day progresses, incorporating the sights and sounds of the 2015 All Star Experience.  First up -- the unveiling of the NHL All-Star Legacy Treehouse.   Stay tuned, lots more to come.

9:30 AM -- The NHL All Star Legacy Treehouse

One of the better kept secrets may be the fact that Columbus is home to the largest Ronald McDonald House on the planet.  This house, serving Children's Hospital directly across the street, provides a safe haven for children struggling with a host of significant medical issues, as well as their families.  The Columbus Blue Jackets, the Blue Jackets Foundation and the NHL combined to create the Treehouse, which ingeniously converts a three-story staircase into a magical, twisting, hockey-themed fun house that provides necessary diversion and sneaky exercise for the children residing there.  It's features include a frozen "pond", an electronic scoreboard, a wall-mounted "Plinko" game, played with pucks, an interior tube slide and plenty of nooks and crannies for the kids to explore.

The treehouse celebrated its Grand Opening this morning, in an event hosted by Blue Jackets' broadcaster and former player Jody Shelley.  Among the guests of honor were NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Blue Jackets Foundation President Cathy Lyttle, the Blue Jackets' Nick Foligno, Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins and Jonathan Drouin from the Tampa Bay Lightning.  NHL Alumni representatives Andrew Cassels and Jamie Allison also made an appearance.  Here is a portion of Gary Bettman's remarks:

Though this event seems unconnected from the sport, it served as a poignant reminder of the power that professional sports have to do good, and how much good the NHL and its franchises actually do. The sight of so many courageous kids, decked out in All Star gear of all sizes and descriptions, was inspiring. At one point, just as Cathy Lyttle was starting to speak, a boy of about 7, wearing an All Star jersey that hung well below knee level, excused himself, saying "I have to go to surgery." Wow. Not a dry eye in the house. That really says it all.

10:30 AM -- Catching Up With A Former Favorite

Former Blue Jackets center Andrew Cassels was an interested observer at the morning's events, as his wife was very active in the volunteer efforts surrounding Children's Hospital and the Ronal McDonald House.  Cassels looks like he could step back on the ice today.  He was kind enough to provide a bit of insight on the changes he has seen and what he is up to today:

As with many of the former Blue Jackets we spoke with today, it seemed that there was a touch of envy in Cassel's voice, seeing Columbus as the center of the hockey universe, if only for a weekend.

11:30 AM -- The Players Enter The Arena

As mid-day approached, the official NHL Media Day kicked off.  "Media Day" is a bit of a misnomer, actually, as it really amounts to approximately 2.5 hours, during which an assortment of players are trotted out to one of 10 different interview stations, and subjected to the packs of media and quasi-media types for as long as they could tolerate it.  There are only so many ways to ask the same question, and the media found all of them.  Still, the players we spoke with were unfailingly cordial and responsive.  To be sure, there were no real "scoops" obtained today. If you reach All Star status in the NHL, you know what to say -- and more importantly, what not to say.  The All Star Game is not the venue for deep, probing questions, as each of the players is accompanied by a phalanx of PR people, assigned to insure that no unwarranted disclosures are made.  Bear this in mind as we move forward.

Vladimir Tarasenko, appearing in his first All Star Game, was polite to the point of appearing shy.  His mastery of the English language is limited, so he seemed a bit overwhelmed by the proceedings. Still, he was clearly pleased to be part of the festivities, feels "lucky" to be in the hunt for the Rocket RIchard Trophy, and was sorely disappointed that neither Sergei Bobrovsky or Evgeni Malkin were able to participate.  Besides providing an oasis in language familiarity, Tarasenko played in junior level hockey with Bobrovsky, and clearly had an affinity with the Blue Jackets' netminder.

In stark contrast to Tarasenko was his countryman, Alexander Ovechkin, who breezed into the room, looking a bit mussed, but wearing  big smile and carrying a confident stride.  A veteran of such affairs, he quickly responded to the questions posed with sincerity, but little novelty.  Still, his sense of humor kept the assembled throng entertained.  As quickly as he appeared, he was gone.

Former Blue Jacket Jake Voracek shared his podium with linemate Claude Giroux, prompting a series of remarks as to how much they look alike.  On television, the similarity shows, but in person, it becomes striking.  Also striking is the degree to which Voracek has matured over the years, a fact he readily acknowledges.  Here's a bit of what Jake had to say:

Blue Jackets fans are undoubtedly bemoaning the fact that Jake no longer skates Nationwide ice, particularly given his stunning performance this season. But the mature, hardworking Voracek of today is not the same guy that was traded in the forgettable Jeff Carter deal. When asked, even Rick Nash acknowledged that he could understand why Voracek was traded at the time. And that, ladies & gentlemen, is your controversial comment of the day.

In all seriousness, Nash drew a massive crowd at his station, to no one's surprise.  He was soft-spoken and polite, acknowledging the great things in Columbus, and even allowing that he was "over" the fact that he gets booed in Nationwide Arena.  His tone and mannerisms, however, suggested that just maybe he isn't really over it, and may harbor just the teeniest resentment that the community appears ungrateful for what he did.  Still, Nash appears entirely comfortable in his new surroundings in New York,  and with the numbers he is posting this season.

Ryan Johansen was predictably quiet and modest in his remarks, showing appropriate gratitude for the opportunity, and responding to the inevitable jokes about bribing Captain Nick Foligno to get on his team.  Johansen is slowly growing more comfortable in his own skin, and it is starting to show.

One standout among the interviewees was rookie Filip Forsberg of Nashville.  He seemed remarkably at ease for a rookie who was catpulted from the traditional rookie appearance in the Skills Competition to the Main Event this week.  Judge for yourself:

It's clear that Peter Laviolette has put in a system that enables Forsberg -- and the rest of the offense -- to thrive.  Forsberg clearly gets that fact and enjoys the opportunity.  He is quick to praise teammates Pekka Rinne and Shea Weber, and is almost alarmingly mature for his posture in the league.

We saved the best for last with Nick Foligno.  Here's a guy who has had a personl year that is off the charts.  His daughter has returned to health, his play on the ice has been the best of his career, he inked a long term contract that makes him set for life, gets named to the All Star Team in his home city, and is awarded the "C" to boot.  He is the face of the franchise for this All Star Weekend, and his likeness is everywhere you look.  He has had zero time to himself, and one suspects that he would be happy to enter the Witness Protection Program when this is all over.  No matter, he kept the smile, the self-effacing humor and that direct gaze going the entire time.  Enjoy this:

I ask you, can it be long before this guy wears the "C" on his Blue Jackets' sweater?

6:45 PM -- Transition to the Draft

After spending the afternoon communing with the other media, editing video (for which I apologize), writing this piece and planning the logistics of the next two days, it's time to turn full attention to the Fantasy Draft, featuring Foligno vs. Toews.  That will be the subject of a separate post.  Stay tuned.

NHL All-Star Draft 2015: Time, TV schedule, rules and live stream

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Both teams for the 2015 NHL All-Star Game will be selected on Friday night by team captains Nick Foligno and Jonathan Toews in the All-Star Game Fantasy Draft at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio.

Foligno, left wing for the hometown Columbus Blue Jackets, is captain for the home team, coached by Los Angeles Kings head coach Darryl Suter and his staff. Toews, center for the Chicago Blackhawks, is captain of the road team, coached by Peter Laviolette and staff from the Nashville Predators.

Foligno and Toews were two of six players voted into the All-Star game by fans. Foligno is joined by assistant captains Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks and Drew Doughty of the Kings, while Toews will team with assistant captains Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks and Rick Nash of the New York Rangers.

The two captains will pick the remainder of the teams from a list of 36 invited players.

"I was looking at the lineup. I don't think I can go wrong with anyone I'm drafting," Foligno told NHL.com. "I just hope I pick a good team to try and win this thing."

The 60th NHL All-Star Game is Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. Here is how to follow along the selection of teams:

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Location: Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio

TV: NBC Sports Network in the U.S.; Sportsnet, TVA Sports in Canada

Online: NBC Sports Live Extra

2015 NHL All-Star Draft live stream: Time, TV schedule, players and how to watch online

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The NHL All-Star Game is this Sunday, January 25th and 42 All-Stars and 6 rookies will descend upon Columbus, Ohio for the festivities. Much like the last All-Star Game, way back in 2011-12, two captains are selected after the fan voting has been completed. The two captains, this year the Blue Jackets' Nick Foligno, and the BlackhawksJonathan Toews, will conduct a fantasy draft of all the players. This format was implemented back in the 2011 ASG, changing from the conventional East vs. West conference match-ups format to this new captains format.

The Minnesota Wild's only representative will be star defenseman Ryan Suter. Will it be Team Toews or Team Foligno? Stay tuned to find out which team he lands on.

Tonight's draft will take place at 7 PM CT on NBCSN, SportsNet, and TVA Sports across the United States and Canada.

In the Twin Cities area, you can find NBC Sports network on:

  • Comcast channels 68 in SD; 877 HD
  • Charter channels 64, 434 in SD; 806 HD
  • Mediacom channels 170 SD; 827 HD
  • DirecTV channel 220
  • DISH Network channel 159

You can also stream NBCSN broadcasts with the NBC Sports LiveExtra mobile app. You can download it for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Or you can stream it live on your computer. NBC Sports LiveExtra is free and is gated by your TV package with your television provider.

Your 2015 All-Stars are:

Forwards



Jonathan ToewsRick NashTyler Johnson



Corey CrawfordBobby RyanFilip Forsberg



Duncan KeithClaude GirouxPhil Kessel



Brent SeabrookJakub VoracekPatrik Elias



Patrick KaneVladimir TarasenkoRadim Vrbata



Zemgus GirgensonsTyler SeguinJohn Tavares



Nick FolignoRyan Nugent-HopkinsAlex Ovechkin



Ryan JohansenSteven StamkosRyan Getzlaf



Anze Kopitar




Defensemen






Oliver Ekman-LarssonRyan Suter



Mark GiordanoShea Weber



Justin FaulkBrent Burns



Erik JohnsonKevin Shattenkirk



Drew DoughtyDustin Byfuglien



Goalies






Roberto LuongoMarc-Andre Fleury



Carey PriceBrian Elliot



Jaroslav Halak




Rookies






Johnny GaudreauJiri Sekac



Jonathan DrouinMike Hoffman



Aaron Ekblad

Oliver Ekman-Larsson joins Team Foligno in the 2015 NHL All-Star Game

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The young Swede will have plenty of firepower with him on the blueline.

The Arizona Coyotes are only represented at the 2015 NHL All-Star Game by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but he will get a chance to showcase his skills alongside some very talented teammates.

OEL was selected by Blue Jackets forward Nick Foligno as the sixth and final defenseman on the team. He joins Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Burns, and Kevin Shattenkirk, who make up four of the league's Top 10 point producers among defensemen this season.

(To see the full team rosters, click here)

Additionally, OEL was reunited with another teammate who earned a fond place in the hearts of many a Coyotes fan, as current Vancouver Canucks forward Radim Vrbata was selected by Team Foligno as well. It's possible the Ekman-Larsson to Vrbata connection that worked for many power play goals will be reunited in a couple days.

This year's All-Star Fantasy Draft was certainly odd, and definitely entertaining. Hopefully the rest of the weekend will live up to tonight's fun.

Saturday's Dump and Chase: Friggin All Star Weekend Baby!

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Boy is it fun to a Preds fan this weekend or what? Smashville's team is capping off its best start in franchise history with its best showing in the All Star weekend festivities. Don't miss any of the action with exclusive OTF coverage live from Columbus all weekend. Enjoy Folks!

Nashville Predators News

All-Star Media Day: Weber Hardest Shot Favorite, Forsberg Turning Heads - Nashville Predators

This is just so dang awesome to have these guys there.

Reasons why Nashville Predators will make postseason run  - SI.com

I mean, duh.

Filip Forsberg and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins both win cars as final All-Star picks | theScore

Yay for Filip! He no longer has to bum rides from Ekholm.

Capitals GM says he'd like a "do-over" of Filip Forsberg trade - Puck Drunk Love

Nope nada, nein, no.

Predators intriguing national media-The Tennessean

FINALLY.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

NHL -- Columbus Blue Jackets' Nick Foligno finds purpose in daughter's illness - ESPN

This is a good read.

WATCH: NHL stars dazzle with GoPro cameras - CBSSports.com

This will be really cool!!

B/R Experts' NHL Awards for the 1st Half of the 2014-15 Season | Bleacher Report

#PREDSPOWER

Steven Stamkos says plan is to re-sign with Tampa Bay Lightning - ESPN

I honestly can't say I'm surprised...with the state of Tampa's organization, especially versus Toronto? Why go anywhere?

Jonathan Quick as elite NHL goalie Eye Test - NHL - SI.com

I'll say it again: He.Is.Overrated.

Ranking the Best NHL All-Star Game Performances from the Last Decade | Bleacher Report

Slide show, I apologize.

2015 NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft has laughs, first-ever trade - 2015 NHL All-Star Weekend

Fun time all around!

Gotta See It: Domi flips and bats a beauty shorthander - Sportsnet.ca

Daaaaang.

Five things to watch at the All-Star Skills Competition | The Hockey News

#PrinceFilip #Cal9er

Kessel traded for Seguin again: The inside story | The Hockey News

Hmmmm?

Penguins captain Crosby has injection to treat lower-body injury - TSN

Imagine if he never missed a game.

Hottest coldest NHL players and teams - SI.com

Tomas Hertl has been demoted...trade talks?

Alex Ovechkin Campaigned to be Picked Last in the All-Star Fantasy Draft so He Could Win a New Car-RNMB

Greedy, greedy

Video: ‘Coachable’ Kessel goes from last pick to 2nd overall | ProHockeyTalk

Again, hmmm.

Here are your 2015 NHL All-Star teams | Puck Daddy - Yahoo Sports

For your perusal.

UNOFFICIAL CAT VIDEO OF THE WEEKEND

Because why not.


Ryan Johansen reveals his Ohio State jersey during All-Star breakaway event

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Top-notch pandering to the home crowd by the Blue Jackets star.

Just when you thought Columbus Blue Jackets fans couldn't love Ryan Johansen more, the Canadian forward decided to pull a Clark Kent with an Ohio State Buckeyes jersey during the breakaway competition.

And he scored! What a month for Ohio State.

That No. 5 Ohio State jersey happens to be the same one current Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller wears. Miller also took notice of Johansen's move.

2015 Skills Competition Recap: Weber's a Monster, Forsberg's a Witch

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The stars came out to show off tonight.

A Saturday night prelude to the 2015 All-Star Game was a competition between the two teams on which team was more skilled. Sometimes pegged as the best part of the weekend, the event had its moments here and there. Seeing the array of different jerseys all over the ice is something we love seeing. But what do we love seeing even more? Shea Weber and Filip Forsberg.

Both Weber and Forsberg partook in the Gatorade NHL Skills Challenge Relay, but Weber was only shooting one-timers from above the faceoff circle. Yawn. How long do you think it took him to pot two? Exactly. Forsberg, on the other hand, was a gem. With the second team in the relay, he was tasked with the stick handling challenge, in which he had to maneuver the puck around several stationary pucks. Words can't describe how silky smooth those hands of his are. Check it out:

Not a single player was that accurate. Unfortunately, that was pretty much it for the Prince, except for one attempt in the Discover NHL Shootout. We've said it plenty of times before, but Preds fans are incredibly lucky to be able to watch this kid every night, because they know he can do stuff like this:

Of course, the big thing that Nashvillians (and plenty of others) were waiting for was the AMP Hardest Shot Competition. Without Zdeno Chara in attendance, Weber had all the room in the world to not only win, but try and break Chara's record. The only shooter that came close was Alex Ovechkin, who hit 101.4 on both of his attempts.

Weber missed his first attempt, a 101.8 mph slapper launched wide of the net, which meant it didn't count. (Is that net regulation size, or what?!) He had one more shot to put the event to bed, and he made it count.

Whoa, doggy. A final shot of 108.5 mph to win the contest, and as you can see even the pros are impressed. Poor Alex Ovechkin. He misses out on the car in the last moments of the fantasy draft, and he's knocked off the leaderboard by The Captain. We just hope that Weber replaced his divot.

That's a wrap from the Skills Competition, folks. Overall, a little bit of a slow start for the All-Stars, but the second half was tons o fun, with a bit of help from the boys on Gold. Join us tomorrow for coverage of the final event of the weekend, the 2015 All-Star Game!

OTF Tweets of the Competition:

NHL Skills Competition 2015: Team Foligno Prevails 25 - 19

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Many of the best hockey players in the world gathered on the ice at Nationwide Arena to display their skills and have some fun. Plenty of both was in evidence, as the capacity crowd was appreciative of the talent. . .and humor displayed by the league's stars.

There is no home field advantage at stake in the NHL All Star Game -- it is simply and unabashedly a celebration of the game of hockey, the skill of the best in the game, and an expression of appreciation to the fans around the world who enjoy the fastest and best game on the planet.

Thus, it is appropriate that the NHL All Star Skills Competition has become a bit of an iconic event, akin to baseball's Home Run Derby, but far more multi-dimensional in terms of the skills displayed.  While it justifiably boasts of the athletic prowess required for Zdeno Chara to fire a puck at over 108 mph, it takes equal pride in the silliness and creativity that Patrick "Superman" Kane can produce in the shootout competition.  In the eyes of many, the Skills ticket is the most coveted commodity of the weekend -- a position not without merit.

So. it was against this backdrop that the All Stars gathered to show once again why they have a colorable claim to the most talented athletes around.  Earlier in the day, captains Jonathan Toews and Nick Foligno had announced their selection of participants for each event.  The Blue Jackets'  Ryan Johansen had won an on-line balloting initiative to secure an automatic berth in the Breakaway Challenge, but otherwise the participants where largely at the whim of the team captains, subject to the amoun of cajoling and bribery that could be brought to bear upon the situation.  Without further ado, let's see how they did.

Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater

Carl Hagelin set the record in this event for the New York Rangers, being the only player to date to break the 13 second barrier.  This one consisted of four heats, with a player from each squad facing off in a match race with a point at stake.  In addition, the player with the fastest time for the competition earns a bonus point for his team.

In an obviously premeditated matchup, Phil Kessel was pitted against Tyler Seguin in the opening pair.  To the surprise of some, Kessel earned a narrow victory with a time of 13.596, edging Seguin by just 35/1000's of a second.  In the second matchup, Jonathan Drouin of Team Foligno faced Mike Hoffman of Team Toews.  This proved to be the runaway fastest heat of the night, with Drouin winning by .05 seconds, 13.103 to 13.163.  In Heat 3, Jiri Sekac (Foligno) won relatively easilly over Aaron Ekblad, 13.683 to 14.048.   In the final pair, neither Zemgus Giregnson nor Vladimir Tarasenko could get the trailer unhitched, with Girgenson prevailing at a leisurely 14.101, setting of immediate celebrations across Latvia.

With a sweep of the heats, and the fastest overall time, Team Foligno broke out to an early 5 - 0 lead, much to the delight of the partisan crowd.

Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge

On to the silliness portion of the evening -- the Breakaway Challenge.  Since adopting this format, Alexander Ovechkin has won the event three times, with Patrick Kane nabbing the title in 2012.  Each team fields three players, who each have three breakaway attempts.  Results -- i.e. a goal -- do not matter.  It is all about creativity and style.  To insure that the event bears no semblance of an objectively measured test of skill, the winner was judged by the online votes of those attending the event and watching around the world.  At least it was only worth a single point . .  .

Any attempt to recount all 18 attempts would be an exercise in futility, so highlights will have to suffice.  Starting with the three-time winner, Ovechkin decided early that bouncing the puck off his stick would be the theme for the evening.  After notching a nice goal in the first round this way, he had an ordinary effort in Round 2.  However, not one to go down without a fight, Ovechkin attempted to convert a baseball swing on a puck flipped in the air by a teammate, from about the top of the circle.  Three attempts, three swings and misses.  A noble effort, but no dice.  He earned only 6.4% of the fan vote, dead last.  No car for this last place finish, I'm afraid.

Vladimir Tarasenko and Brian Elliott had an apparent team effort going.  In Round 1, Tarasenko posed for a slap shot, only to have Elliott turn sideways and mimic the pose.  Think about a cross between a slap shot and a Heisman Trophy pose.  Elliott then took a selfie to finish the attempt, while the puck trickled in to the net.  In Round 2, Tarasenko simply drifted a lazy puck along the ice from the blue line, which went past Elliott . . . who was blindfolded.  The final effort involved Tarasenko hitting a styrofoam target held in Elliott's glove.  Silly, yes, but I warned you.  It was good enough for 12.2% of the vote and 3rd place.

Claude Giroux showed dexterity in all three attempts, but his masterpiece came in the final attempt, when he carried two pucks on his blade,  dropped one on the crease, circled the net, and deposited the other one in the goal.  I wouldn't lie about this.  The fans were impressed to the tune of 18.6% of the vote, placing him in the #2 slot.

Ryan Johansen had some memorable efforts.  In Round 1, he started to take the puck toward the net, then returned, pulled his sweater off, revealing a red Ohio State football jersey (specifically that of QB Braxton Miller), in blatant pandering to the home crowd.  He then drove toward the right post, did the hockey version of a Moon Walk, reversing direction and putting a wrister in the net.   In the next round, he similarly started his approach, stopped, discarded gloves and stick, and went back to his bench to retrieve . . . Cole Vogt, the young son of Blue Jackets' trainer Mike Vogt.  Carrying Cole like a puppy desperately needing to go out, Cole put stick on puck and found the back of the net.  (Jake Voracek later imitated the move, but instead grabbed Johnny Gaudreau).  Johansen did not even need his final "flying wedge" attempt (don't ask).  He earned a whopping 44.3% of the vote, gaining another point for Team Foligno, and a 6- 0 lead after two events.

Sure, this was a case of home cooking, but in an event premised upon silliness, the ultimate in silliness prevailed, home team or not.

DraftKings NHL Accuracy Shooting

Returning to skill, the third event was my personal favorite -- the shooting accuracy competition.  Again, four competitors from each team competed in separate matchups, trying to break targets situated at the four corners of the goal in the fastest time possible.  A point was up for grabs in each heat, plus a bonus point for the overall fastest time.

Bobby Ryan started for Team Foligno, and struggled.  He finally notched all four targets in just over 30 seconds.  His opponent -- former teammate Ryan Getzlaf -- required only 14.105 , earning Team Toews its first point.  In Round 2, Captain Foligno took matters into his own hands, blistering the targets in just 13.674 seconds, easily beating Patrice Bergeron's 17.308.  Radim Vrbata was next for Team Foligno, and posted a shaky 22.141.  However, his opponent, John Tavares, ran into post and crossbar difficulty, lagging behind at 26.122.   In the final pair, Patrick Kane -- an alternate captain for Team Foligno -- beat his captain with a 13.529 time, which was good enough to beat opposing captain and Chicago teammate Jonathan Toews, who registered a 16.307 time after hitting three consecutive posts.

When the smoke cleared, it was another four points for Team Foligno, who now led 10 - 1.

Gatorade NHL Skills Challenge Relay

This is a complex and skilled event, involving three players required to make 2 one-time shots each, from different distances, another player passing the puck over a beam and into four narrow targets --again at different distances.  Two other players are tasked with completing intricate puck handling drills.  The final task requires the goalie to elevate the puck over a barrier at the blue line, and into the net at the opposite end . . . twice.  All of this is done in sequential, relay fashion.  Two heats, with the fastest time in each heat winning a point, and another bonus point for the lowest overall time.

In Heat 1, Team Toews was going well, but John Tavares again ran into post trouble in the passing drill, and Johnny Gaudreau lost the puck in one of the puck handling drills.  Their time of 2:06 was easily bettered by the 1:37 posted by Team Foligno.  A measure of revenge was obtained in Heat 2, when Nick Foligno could not find the net on his one-timers, and was effectively "mercy ruled."  It went downhill from there, and Team Toews took that heat with ease.  However, the 1:38 time was not enough to earn the bonus point, so Team Foligno extended the lead to 12 - 2.

AMP NHL Hardest Shot

No mystery to this one.  Four players from each team in four heats.  Two chances for each player.  Blast the puck as hard as you can into the net from right in front. Highest speed in each heat wins the point, plus a bonus point for the highest overall speed.

Ovechkin redeemed himself in the opening heat, turning in identical 101.4 mph efforts, defeating Brent Seabrook with a best of 98.6 mph.  In Heat 2, Brent Burns came up with a 97.6 mph effort in his second chance to better Aaron Ekblad from Team Toews, who notched a best of 95.3.   Round 3 went to Steven Stamkos (Foligno), whose 98.8 speed bettered Justin Faulk's mark of 95.0.  In the premiere pairing, Team Foligno's Dustin Byfuglien managed only a best of 97.3 mph, while the favorite -- in the absence of Zdeno Chara -- Shea Weber, created some additional drama by missing the net with his first attempt.   There was no missing the net on the final attempt, however, as he blistered one at 108.5 mph, just .3 short of Chara's record.  That made it 3 - 2 for Team Foligno for the event, and an overall score of 15 - 4 heading into the final event.

Discover NHL Shootout

Apparently figuring that a lopsided score was possible, the engineers of this event created a new format for the shootout competition, designed to enable a team to make up points in a hurry.  It involved three heats, with each team fielding seven players, who took shootout shots on a rotating basis for a fixed period of two minutes.  Each goal scored earned a point, except that every third shot was worth two points.   At this juncture, the event begins to sound like a poker game with one-eyed jacks and the sucide king being wild . . .

Team Toews dominated the event overall, winning 16 points to just 7 for Team Foligno, and winning two of the three heats.  In the end, however, it wasn't enought, and Team Foligno took the title and the bragging rights, such as they are.

All in all, the event served precisely the purpose for which it was intended.  It displayed some skill, allowed some silliness, and provided fun and entertainment for all concerned.   That 's what counts.  Team Toews will look for its revenge on Sunday, in the 60th NHL All Star Game.  Stay tuned.

NHL Skills Competition 2015: Team Foligno Defeats Team Toews 25-19

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Despite a furious comeback in the shootout by Team Toews, it could not overcome its large deficit, ultimately losing 25-19 to Team Foligno.

The home crowd in Columbus, Ohio went home happy as Team Foligno defeated Team Toews 25-19 in the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition. Team Toews stormed back in the last round--the shootout--but ultimately could not overcome its insurmountable 15-4 deficit.

Let's break down exactly how Team Foligno won the Skills Competition.

Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater Competition™

Team Foligno swept this competition, earning all five points available.

To start off the entire Skills Competition, Tyler Seguin and Phil Kessel raced each other.

I knew Kessel was fast, but I honestly didn't know he was that fast. Kessel is deceptively fast.

I guess you can say Team Foligno won that trade.

Jonathan Drouin led all skaters with a time of 13.1 seconds around his half of the rink, giving Team Foligno the bonus point. Although, Mike Hoffman gave Drouin a run for his money with a time of 13.16 seconds.

Here is the fastest skater competition in its entirety.

Score: 5-0 Team Foligno.

Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge™

The Breakaway Challenge was enjoyable to watch.

Brian Elliott took a selfie during Vladimir Tarasenko's first shot to begin the Breakaway Challenge.

Later in the first round, Ryan Johansen unveiled an Ohio State Buckeyes football jersey under his Blue Jackets sweater.

That's one heck of a way to sway the fans' opinions. Given that Johansen was the player voted into the Breakaway Challenge by the fans--the other five were picked by the captains--you could safely bet Johansen winning was as close to a sure thing as you could get.

If you thought Johansen was done, you were wrong. In his second attempt, he stopped skating at the slot, grabbed a kid on the ice, and let the kid shoot it past Corey Crawford.

That kid is never going to forget that. Kudos to Johansen.

Jakub Voracek's response to Johansen's second attempt was priceless.

It was great to see Gaudreau play along, and it was definitely the funniest moment of the entire Skills Competition.

Speaking of Gaudreau, apparently he had a pyrotechnic-y plan for his breakaway challenge idea, but he wasn't allowed to go through with it.

I think that would have been awesome to see. But, I guess it makes sense to not potentially set people, or the building, on fire.

For his final trick, Johansen tapped into hockey fans' nostalgia and formed a Flying V, but he missed the shot so it lost some of its luster.

By the way, the fans voted for Johansen, so Team Foligno got the point in this round.

You can watch the whole Breakaway Challenge below.

Score: 6-0 Team Foligno.

DraftKings NHL Accuracy Shooting™

Team Toews finally got on the board when Ryan Getzlaf defeated Bobby Ryan in the first round of the Accuracy Shooting competition. However, it was the only point Team Toews would earn in this round.

Patrick Kane led the way by shooting all four targets in 13.59 seconds, although Nick Foligno came close to Kane with a time of 13.67 seconds.

Jonathan Toews couldn't beat Kane, hitting three posts in a row on his last target--the top right target--and Team Foligno won this round 4-1. Since Kane's time was the fastest, Team Foligno earned the bonus point available in this round.

Clearly, Team Toews needed Jamie Benn.

You can watch the entire Accuracy Competition below.

Score: Team Foligno 10-1.

Gatorade NHL Skills Challenge Relay™

Team Toews lost Heat 1 to Team Foligno 2:06 10 1:37. Anze Kopitar put on quite the show with his passing, shooting pucks in all four targets in roughly 20 seconds.

Team Toews won the second heat in 1:38. Ryan Getzlaf also put on a clinic with his passing, shooting pucks into all four nets in under 14 seconds.

Also extremely impressive in that heat was Vladimir Tarasenko's flawless puck control and Filip Forsberg's absolutely flawless stickhandling. What is really unfortunate is that they're both in the Central Division.

Team Foligno struggled in its second heat, finishing with a time of 2:19.

Since Team Foligno recorded the fastest relay time, it earned the bonus point.

Here is the Skills Challenge Relay.

Score: Team Foligno 12-2.

AMP NHL Hardest Shot™

I asked in the preview thread, "Who can shoot harder than Shea Weber?"

It turns out, only 2012 Zdeno Chara can.

There was speculation that perhaps Dustin Byfuglien could rival Weber's shot, but Byfuglien's hardest shot went 97.6 miles per hour.

In his second attempt, and the last shot of the competition, Weber unleashed a 108.5 mile-per-hour bomb of a slap shot. Even Captain Hammer wouldn't want to be in that shot's way.

It left everybody in awe.

(Side note: If Team Toews wants to win the All-Star Game tomorrow, the team should just have Weber shoot one-timers the entire game. Nobody is going to want to risk injury in an exhibition game standing in front of that.)

Alex Ovechkin came in second place when he registered a 101.4 mile-per-hour slap shot. Team Foligno won the overall contest 3-2, losing both the last round and the bonus point when Weber unleashed his second shot.

The Amp NHL Hardest Shot Competition can be viewed below.

Score: Team Foligno 15-4.

Discover NHL Shootout™

This is contest Team Toews excelled at, but it was too little too late.

Team Toews won the first round 5-2. Tyler Seguin scored with the Discover Card puck so he earned his team two points in the process with that goal. Mike Hoffman also pulled off a really nice move in his shootout goal.

After Round 1, Team Foligno led 17-9 over Team Toews.

Team Foligno won Round Two 6-3. The highlight of the round was not a goal, but a spectacular save by Roberto Luongo on Jiri Sekac.

After Round Two, the score was 23-13 in favor of Team Foligno.

In Round Three, Team Toews outscored Team Foligno 6-2, but it was not enough to come back in the overall contest. Filip Forsberg pulled off an amazing move on Carey Price. Scroll to 7:44 of the video below to watch it.

Here are all three rounds of the shootout.

Final score: Team Foligno 25, Team Toews 19.

That concludes this breakdown of the 2015 NHL Skills Competition. I enjoyed watching it. I'm sure many hockey fans did as well.

The All-Star Game will take place at 4:00 PM CST. NBCSN will carry it in the USA. CBC and TVA Sports will air it in Canada.

Go Stars.

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NHL Skills Competition 2015: Team Toews falls short to Team Foligno, 25-19

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The majestic power of Jonathan Toews couldn't lead his group to a victory at the Skills Competition.

The NHL All-Star Weekend continued Saturday night with Team Foligno topping Team Toews, 25-19, in the Skills Competition. The former had a big lead early in the event and never relented, holding on for a relatively easy win in front of an excited Columbus crowd.

Some of the highlights of the night included Ryan Johansen participating in an Ohio State jersey during the breakaway section, much to the pleasure of the Buckeye-obsessed audience, then seeing the Blue Jackets star help a little kid get involved in the event. Jakub Voracek and Johnny Gaudreau got in on the fun later, too, mimicking Johansen and the kid with a fairly hilarious routine.

It wasn't all good, of course -- Team Toews was losing 6-0 after two events, 10-1 after three events, 12-2 after four events and 15-4 after five events. A bit of a rally came during the big shootout section, with Toews winning that event, 15-10, but it was too late to get the win.

Here are the full results from Saturday night in Columbus:

Fastest Skater

TEAM FOLIGNO
SkaterTime
1. P. Kessel13.596
2. J. Drouin13.103
3. J. Sekac13.683
4. Z. Girgensons14.101
TEAM TOEWS
SkaterTime
1. T. Seguin13.631
2. M. Hoffman13.163
3. A. Ekblad14.048
4. V. Tarasenko14.386

Score after event: Foligno 5, Toews 0.

Breakaway Challenge

TEAM FOLIGNO
ShooterFan vote %
1. A. Ovechkinn/a
2. C. Girouxn/a
3. R. Johansenn/a
Goalie: B. Elliott
TEAM TOEWS
1. V. Tarasenkon/a
2. J. Voracekn/a
3. J. Gaudreaun/a
Goalie: C. Crawford
Winner: R. Johansen

Score after event: Foligno 6, Toews 0.

Accuracy Shooting

TEAM FOLIGNOTEAM TOEWS
ShooterTotal TimeShooterTotal Time
1. B. Ryan30.9141. R. Getzlaf14.105
2. N. Foligno13.6742. P. Bergeron17.038
3. R. Vrbata22.1413. J. Tavares26.122
4. P. Kane13.5294. J. Toews16.307
PasserPasser
1. R. Nugent-Hopkins---1. R. Nash---
2. A. Kopitar---2. P. Elias---
Winner: Patrick Kane

Score after event: Foligno 10, Toews 1.

Skills Challenge Relay

TEAM FOLIGNOTEAM TOEWS
RELAY 1
RELAY 1
SkaterSkill/PositionSkater
D. DoughtyOne-timer (RH)S. Weber
R. JohansenOne-timer (RH)J. Faulk
S. StamkosOne-timer (RH)T. Seguin
B. BurnsOne-timer (Pass)R. Getzlaf
A. KopitarMini net passerJ. Tavares
K. ShattenkirkPuck controlJ. Gaudreau
P. KaneStick handlingM. Hoffman
C. PriceGoalie goalsJ. Halak
Total time: 1:37.979Total time: 2:06.262
TEAM FOLIGNOTEAM TOEWS
RELAY 2
RELAY 2
SkaterSkill/PositionSkater
Z. GirgensonsOne-timer (LH)M. Giordano
D. KeithOne-timer (LH)R. Suter
N. FolignoOne-timer (LH)J. Voracek
J. SekacOne-timer (Pass)P. Bergeron
R. Nugent-HopkinsMini net passerT. Johnson *
D. DoughtyPuck controlV. Tarasenko
O. Ekman-LarssonStick handlingF. Forsberg
M. FleuryGoalie GoalsR. Luongo


Total time: 2:19.793
Total time: 1:38.789

Score after event: Foligno 12, Toews 2.

Hardest Shot

TEAM FOLIGNOTEAM TOEWS
ShooterMPHShooterMPH
1. A. Ovechkin101.41. B. Seabrook98.6
2. B. Burns97.62. A. Ekblad95.3
3. S. Stamkos98.83. J. Faulk95
4. D. Byfuglien97.34. S. Weber108.5

Winner: Shea Weber

Score after event: Foligno 15, Toews 4.

Shootout

ROUND 1
Team FolignoTeam Toews
SkaterGoal/Save/MissSkaterGoal/Save/Miss
A. OvechkinSave, GoalP. BergeronSave, Save
K. ShattenkirkSave, MissM. HoffmanGoal, Save
P. KaneSaveT. SeguinGoal
D. ByfuglienGoalA. EkbladGoal
Z. GirgensonsSaveS. WeberGoal
N. FolignoSaveV. TarasenkoSave
R. Nugent-HopkinsSaveR. SuterSave
Goalie: B. Elliott---Goalie: J. Halak---
ROUND 2
SkaterGoal/Save/MissSkaterGoal/Save/Miss
J. DrouinSave, GoalJ. FaulkSave, Save
O. Ekman-LarssonGoal, GoalJ. GaudreauSave, Save
B. BurnsSave, GoalJ. TavaresSave, Save
J. SekacSaveB. SeabrookGoal
D. KeithSaveP. EliasMiss
A. KopitarSaveR. NashGoal
R. VrbataSaveM. GiordanoSave
Goalie: M. Fleury---Goalie: R. Luongo---
ROUND 3
SkaterGoal/Save/MissSkaterGoal/Save/Miss
B. RyanSave, MissR. GetzlafSave, Goal
P. KesselGoal, SaveJ. TavaresGoal, Save
R. JohansenSaveJ. ToewsSave, Goal
D. DoughtySaveF. ForsbergGoal
S. StamkosGoalT. SeguinGoal
C. GirouxSaveJ. VoracekSave
N. FolignoSaveR. NashSave
Goalie: C. Price---Goalie: C. Crawford---

Score after round: Foligno 25, Toews 19.

2015 NHL All-Star Game final score: Team Toews defeats Team Foligno 17-12.

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This was the highest scoring All-Star Game in NHL history.

So many goals were scored tonight that the Jackets' cannon finally ran out of gunpowder.

Well, until Brent Burns scored Team Foligno's 12th of the evening, that is.

Tonight's score of 17-12 took out the record previously set in 2001. Vladimir Tarasenko wound up finishing with four assists, and Kevin Shattenkirk finished with a goal and an assist. Brian Elliott allowed six goals while he was thinking of how ticked off his wife probably was that he left vacation early.

Here's Tarasenko's first assist, which was just something special.

There is not an ounce of selfishness in that kid.

Shatty's goal on Roberto Luongo was made possible by the fact that no one plays defense in these games ever. Luongo then tossed the puck to a fan, ruining Shattenkirk's weekend if you believe that he's the kind of guy who gets angry over ASG stuff (he's probably not).

John Tavares potted four goals, Jakub Vorachek had three, and Ryan Johansen won MVP. I'm sensing this thing was rigged somehow.

All in all, this weekend was a success for Columbus and for the NHL, and I'm sure that Nashville will top it next year. Let's start planning #EpicAllStarGame soon, gang, shall we?

2015 NHL All-Star Game final score: Team Toews 17 Team Foligno 12

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The 60th NHL All Star Game displayed all of the glitz, spectacle, skill and comic relief that you have come to expect of the event. With Team Toews ultimately prevailing by five, gaining revenge for the Skills Competition loss.

It has been a multi-year odyssey for the Columbus Blue Jackets to host an NHL All Star Game.  They overcame issues over hotel space and competition from other franchises to finally land the game for 2013, only to have the game taken away by the work stoppage.  There was no 2014 game, due to the Sochi Olympics, so when the 60th edition was again awarded to Columbus, the exhilaration -- and relief -- was palpable.  The focus turned to putting on the best show possible, and tonight the curtain rose, with the entire hockey world watching.

The pre-game festivities went off without  hitch, with Locksley performing "The Whip", Blue Jackets' anthem singer Leo Welsh --  accompanied by two RCMP mounties -- singing the Canadian anthem, and Jo Dee Messina belted a spirited version of the Star Spangled Banner.  All were supported by an impressive array of on-ice lights and graphics.  Full marks.  Time to play hockey.

Period One -- Gentlemanly Demeanor

From the outset, this one followed the unwritten rules of All Star Game hockey:

  • All skating will be done at a moderate pace
  • Thou shall not hit
  • No blistering point shots
  • If a shot is too close/too open, the player must either pass the puck or attempt some goofy between the legs move or similar
  • The stretch pass or impossible pass will always be chose over the more obvious route.
Team Foligno started with Carey Price in goal, Drew Doughty and Duncan Keith on the blue line, and Ryan Johansen, Nick Foligno and Alex Ovechkin up front. (Columbus fans:  how would you like that line every night?) Team Toews countered with Roberto Luongo in net, Shea Weber and Ryan Suter re-creating their Nashville days on the blue line, and Rick Nash, Jonathan Toews and Ryan Getzlaf as the forwards.  Game on.

Team Foligno broke through first, 3:09 into the game, when Radim Vrbata converted a nice feed from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who gained the only assist.  A minute later, the fans cheered as Rick Nash missed the net on a partial breakaway.  Tough crowd.  However, Team Toews drew even at the 13:27 mark, when Ryan Getzlaf took the puck just to Price's right, and beat him top shelf.  (Another unwritten rule -- no low shots).  Vladimir Tarasenko and Justin Faulk notched the assists.  THey drew ahead at the 10:07 mark, when Jonathan Toews drifted across the middle, making a nifty pass to himself, then finding Jakub Voracek back on the weak side.  Voracek converted, with Aaron Ekblad earning the second helper.

At 8:55, Team Foligno drew even, with the local boys doing the damage.  Ryan Johansen notched the goal, with Foligno and Kevin Shattenkirk garnering the assists.  Of course, that did not last long. as Patrice Bergeron added a goal a minute later, with Tyler Seguin and Patrik Elias getting assists. Kevin Shattenkirk then knotted things up with his own goal, with Nugent-Hopkins and Vrbata helping him this time.,

Team Foligno took a 4 - 3 lead with 3:36 left, with Ryan Johansen notching his second of the night on a wicked wrister.  Ovechkin and Dustin Byfuglien had assists.  The lead seemed safe, until John Tavares snuck one past Carey Price with just 56.8 left in the frame, thanks to assists from Patrice Bergeron and Aaron Ekblad.  Thus the period ended with the score knotted at 4-4, significantly under the over/under pace most were predicting.

For what it's worth, Team Foligno edged Team Toews in shots on goal, 17-16.  The whistle blew only twice in anger, both times for offsides calls against Team Foligno. It seemed likely that the pace might escalate in the second.

Period Two:  Less Stately, More Scoring

As  predicted, the pace escalated in the middle frame,  Just 24 seconds in, Ryan Suter put one past Marc Andre-Fleury, who had come on to replace Price in net.  Taresenko and Tavares assisted.  Not to be outdone, Claude Giroux evened things up eight seconds later, with Patrick Kane assisting.  More scoring?  Got it.

50 seconds later Tyler Seguin beat Fleury, who had apparently decided that the All Star Game more closely resembled post-season play than regular season games, rendering stopping the puck optional.  Getzlaf and Tarasenko assisted.  No matter, Steven Stamkos got on the board a minute later on a breakaway, with Keith getting the helper. Not three minutes into the frame, and four goals had been scored. Good even by All Star standards.

The ire of the crowd was raised when Rick Nash scored at the 15:33 mark (Toews, Voracek), and by this point the crowd was cheering in derision any time Fleury touched the puck without retrieving it from the back of the net.  (I told you -- tough crowd).  Of course, they recalled him surrendering some late goals that worked in the Blue Jackets favor in Games 3 & 4 of last year's playoffs.  At 14:04, Filip Forsberg victimized Fleury, and in the process scored the first All Star Game goal for a Nashville Predator.  Johnny Gaudreau and Elias hd the assists. The lead extended for Team Toews at 11:44, when Tavares found the net (Bergeron, Faulk), and widened further at 10:38 with a goal by Voracek, from Toews and Ekblad.

Unlike its opponent, Team Toews was getting stellar netminding from Corey Crawford.  He stuffed Radim Vrbata with an arobatic save at the 9:35 mark, and denied Johansen on a breakaway just a minute later.  However, Foligno took matters into his own hands, scoring with 8:01 left on a nice cross-crease stuff shot. (Johansen, Ovechkin).  A scoring drought of five minutes ensued, ended by Steven Stamkos, with the assistance of Bobby Ryan.  Tavares reprised his late period magic, scoring his hat trick goal with just a minute remaining. Bergeron had the lone helper, and Team Toews had a handy 11 - 8 lead after two, despite being outshot 18 - 16.  Again, only two whistles were heard -- one offside call for each squad.

There was a well-orchestrated "scrum" in  front of Crawford at the end of the period, after Johansen poked him back into the net after a stop on Johansen's shot.  No blood, no fighting majors were imposed.

Eleven goals found the net in the second -- the most in NHL All Star Game history.  What would the third hold?

Period Three:  Skill and Silliness

The third period of this one was served the middle ground -- more active than the first, not as crazy as the second. Nash extended the Team Toews lead to four at the 18:31 mark, with assists to Mark Giordano and Voracek.  It took just 45 seconds, however, for Team Foligno to answer, in the person of Patrick Kane, with Giroux and Drew Doughty on the board with helpers.

Team Toews extended the lead to five with consecutive goals in the span of just over a minute.  Tavares got his fourth goal of the game at 13:47 (Bergeron, Brent Seabrook) and Voracek put one home at 12:30, with Toews and Ekblad assisting. By this point, Team Foligno was trying anything to narrow the gap, including all varieties of goofy plays to spring players on breakaways.  More than one stick appeared from the bench in an effort to stop the puck from entering dangerous territory- but none made contact.

Bobby Ryan narrowed the lead at 11:30 with a beautiful shot, helped by Stamkos and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but was answered less than a minute later by Seguin (Tarasenko, Weber).  After a brief scoring respite, Kane scored at 6:51 (Giroux) which was negated at 5:39 by Toews himself, with Suter helping.   Filip Forsberg scored the second All Star goal in Predators' history to end the scoring for Team Toews (Gaudreau, Voracek).  Brent Burns found the last slot on the scoresheet at 1:40, helped by Ovechkin and Johansen, making the final margin of 17 - 12.  It thus became the highest scoring All Star Game in history, beating the 2001 total of 26 goals scored in a 14-12 win by the North American side over the World team.  The 17 goals scored by Team Toews was also the highest team total, beating out the 16 scored by the Wales Conference team in 1993.

The MVP voting was left up to the fans, via Twitter, and the inevitable happened.  Ryan Johansen won the award for his 2 goal, 2 assist performance.  The fans apparently felt that John Tavares' four goal performance was somehow sub-par.  To his credit, Johansen seemed to be the most shocked guy in the arena to receive the Honda Accord awarded to him.  Post game, he had no idea what he was going to do with the car.  Hey Ryan -- Ovechkin was begging for a car on Friday night, and the Caps do come to town on Tuesday.    Just a thought . . .

Other performances of note include Jonathan Toews, with a goal and four assists, which was matched by Patrice Bergeron.  Jakub Voracek had three of each for six points, and Mark Giordano was +6 on the night.  For Team Foligno, not much to crow about, other than Johansen's four points.  Ekman-Larsson and Byfuglien were each minus-5, while Kessel and Kane were minus-4. That can happen when you don't play defense and there are no power plays.

Wrapping It Up

Of course, the All Star Game is not about numbers.  It's a celebration of the game, and the manner of play actually highlights the skill that these guys possess.  Yes, there is a lot of goofiness, and the wrong guy won the MVP, but such is the price of not taking yourself too seriously.

At the end of the day, the winner was the game of hockey.  The sport was celebrated appropriately by the best the game has to offer.  The Blue Jackets, the City of Columbus can be justly proud of a job well done.  Media and visitors were uniform in their praise of the entire operation.  Now, it's back to the real world of NHL hockey, and we wait for the 61st All Star Game in Nashville.  The bar has been set high, Predators.  We're all looking forward to see what you can do  In the meantime, we have plenty of time to enjoy the memories from this one.



Devils in the Details - 1/26/2015: All-Star Weekend Edition

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New Jersey Devils & Related Hockey Links for 1/26/15

Your links for today:

All-Star Weekend wrapped up Sunday evening, and boy, was it a weekend. Yours truly was in Columbus for his day job:

Not bad, #Lumbus.

A photo posted by Nathan Pilling (@natepilling) on


Overall, Columbus did a nice job with the event. Everything went well, BUT GOODNESS, THAT CANNON HAS GOT TO GO. I had a chance to chat with Patrik Elias briefly, and as you might expect, he's a pretty nice guy. What did you think about the weekend?

Devils Links

A former Prudential Center executive is suing Lou Lamoriello for lost wages when he was fired when the new ownership took over. [NorthJersey.com]

Hockey Links

The actual All-Star Game produced 29 goals. Yep. That's a lot of goals. [Puck Daddy] [PHT]

The Blue Jackets were proud of Columbus on a pretty nice weekend overall. [PHT]

John Tavares and Jake Voracek scored four and three goals respectively in the game. [Puck Daddy]

Voracek, you genius. Highlights from the Breakaway Challenge: [PHT]

Shea Weber is ... good at slap shots:

[via PHT]

During the All-Star Draft, it became ... apparent that Alex Ovechkin wanted to win the car awarded (?) to the player who is picked last. Why? Here's the reason: [Puck Daddy]

A piece written by Tyler Seguin on being traded by the Bruins: [The Players Tribune]

The NHL and NHLPA have announced the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. It will feature an ... interesting array of teams. [PHT]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Monday's Coyotes Tracks - goalfest 2015

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The All-Star Game was yesterday, and there were a lot of goals scored. I mean, A LOT. More on that in today's Tracks.

Coyotes News

Hockey is for everyone - Five For Howling
The hockey community may have its problems, but it is united by one common passion.

Arizona Coyotes' Oliver Ekman-Larsson notches assist in NHL All-Star game - Arizona Sports
He assisted on a third period goal by Bobby Ryan.

Stanley Cup Odds for All 30 NHL Teams After the 2015 All-Star Game - Bleacher Report
As you can probably imagine, Arizona's odds are pretty slim.

News From Around the Hockey World

2015 NHL All-Star Game final score: Team Toews 17 Team Foligno 12 - The Cannon
The scoring came early and often in Columbus, as Team Toews defeated Team Foligno 17 -12 in a record-setting scoring bonanza.

Alex Ovechkin starts fake scrum at NHL All-Star Game - SBNation.com
Leave it to Ovi to make everyone laugh.

Supercut: Every goal from the highest-scoring period in All-Star Game history | ProHockeyTalk
11 in total, eclipsing the old mark by one.

Columbus cannon causes havoc during 2015 NHL All-Star Game | Puck Daddy - Yahoo Sports
Even the players in the game seemed to be getting annoyed at the cannon. Team Toews/Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo tweeted mid-game that he wanted the cannon to stop.

Radim Vrbata opens NHL All-Star Game scoring with breakaway goal - SBNation.com
Vrbata opened the scoring in the 2015 All-Star game with a sweet breakaway goal.

Blue Jackets proud as Columbus shows it’s a hockey town | ProHockeyTalk
"We're so proud of our city for showing that hockey is such a big deal here."

Todd Nelson's Start as a Head Coach - The Copper & Blue
Todd Nelson is off to a great start, isn't he?

The business of the NHL demonstrates a culture clash - Raw Charge
Market competition isn't a problem in Canada. The Canadian perception that capacity crowds are needed for every game or a market is a failure, is.

Six 2015 Draft Eligible Centers Not Named Eichel or McDavid - Hockey Wilderness
There will be a lot of speed and skill available at this summer's draft. Centers Mitch Marner, Dylan Strome, Travis Konecny, Pavel Zacha, Mathew Barzal and Nick Merkley will all improve the teams that draft them.

Mark Giordano's journey from Russia to Norris Trophy contender | Puck Daddy - Yahoo Sports
Giordano's risk to go to Russia has paid off for him in the end.

WATCH: College goalie intentionally dislodges net to stop play - CBSSports.com
A college goalie for Minnesota State University wanted to get a stoppage in play with an injured teammate down on the ice. So he turned around and intentionally dislodged the net.

The Final Howl

Carey Price trolls Phil Kessel, Leafs fans, on bus to All-Star Game - Eyes On The Prize

The NHL's All-Star weekend is perfect the way it is

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Maybe you complained about the NHL's All-Star events this weekend, or thought the game was bad or that it was all a big money grab. Maybe you're missing the point?

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It took me about five hours after Sunday's All-Star Game ended to realize which team won the thing.

I have spent four days in here tasked with the sole job of chronicling the happenings surrounding this game and its ancillary events. I sat inside Nationwide Arena for about six hours Sunday night, listening to cannon blast after cannon blast and goal horn after goal horn. I wandered around the locker rooms of Team Toews and Team Foligno after the game, and even talked to a few players.

And yet, throughout all of it, I really had no idea which team won the hockey game.

Maybe I'm a little stupid, but the fact of the matter is it didn't matter and I just didn't care. The score of the All-Star Game, and which players scored any of its 29 goals, just does not matter in any actual way. Those who do remember the score will quickly forget it no more than 24 hours from now. None of this matters on paper.

Yet if you were to believe the refrain of a huge collection of hockey writers, you'd think this game and its 29 goals -- an All-Star Game record, by the way -- were the most egregious affront to the sport you've ever seen.

There's no reason anybody should be putting so much stock in an All-Star Game. Not the hockey part, at least.

You don't watch the MLB All-Star Game "because it counts" -- in fact, everybody hates that. If you watch anything during baseball's event, it's the Home Run Derby, because it's lighthearted and fun and good lord, did you see how far that ball went? You don't watch the NBA's version for quality basketball. Those teams scored 318 points in their game last year. You watch the Dunk Contest because you get to see creativity and personality.  And you don't watch the Pro Bowl because -- OK, nobody watches the Pro Bowl for any real reason. It's just on because it's the NFL.

The NHL's All-Star Weekend actually does work, but it's not something that's measurable in television ratings or revenue. It's something you see all around you at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, where this week the NHL's FanFair was held.

It's about the long lines of awe-struck kids and their smiling parents, waiting 10 and 20 and 30 and 60 and 100 minutes just for a 20-second interaction with Blue Jackets star Ryan Johansen, or any of the other All-Star players. It's about the lines of adults and kids alike waiting even longer just for a quick picture with the Stanley Cup. It's about the wrestling match I saw between the Ducks and Lightning mascots on the Nationwide Arena concourse Sunday, and the little kid who begged Stinger, the local hero and mascot of the Blue Jackets, to jump in there and show 'em who's boss.

It's about this picture, and the story this kid will tell people for the rest of his life:

foligno

It's about hockey fans making the pilgrimage to the event year after year, because they've made it tradition. It's about seeing fans of all 30 NHL teams, decked out in their team's colors, all in the same place for one of just two events on the calendar each year. It's about going to a bar after Friday night's All-Star Draft and seeing your favorite player drinking a Miller Lite, because that can and does happen at every single All-Star weekend in the NHL.

It's about hockey players getting to let loose for a damn minute, because we never get to see who these guys actually are.

We've always looked down on flashiness and personality in this sport. We're told, or it's at least implied, that flamboyance and outspokenness are detrimental to the game. There's a reason Don Cherry still has a platform. It's why boring personalities like Sidney Crosby are propped up as the face of the sport, when in reality hockey and the NHL would be much better served by P.K. Subban -- who wasn't even invited to All-Star Weekend -- or Alex Ovechkin showcased a bit more often. Ovechkin had a chance Friday night at the Draft and he absolutely killed it, simply because he was allowed to let loose -- OK, fine, get hammered --  for a bit.

All-Star Weekend is the only time we have a chance to see this side of the players, and the NHL has done a lot to foster that. There's still a ton of work to do, but they're getting there. The All-Star Draft is a brilliant idea, as are some of the more fun elements to the Skills Competition that have been added in recent years, like the Breakaway Challenge. I mean, the Flying V made an appearance Saturday. Come on.

Coming into the weekend, there was some frustration that the NHL was only going half the distance with these things, picking bland voices to captain the teams and not giving the players enough freedom to take ownership of the event. But Jonathan Toews and Nick Foligno turned out to be hilarious, engaging captains of their teams during the All-Star Draft and throughout the weekend. Maybe the truth is just that we never had a chance to see that side of them before.

The All-Star Game and its co-events will never be a ratings bonanza, nor, frankly, will it be a revenue bonanza. That's not to say it loses money, because I saw enough Honda ads this weekend to pay Gary Bettman's salary, but to expect that of the All-Star Game is missing the point.

Think of the lifelong hockey fans who were made at the FanFair this week. Think of how this event will put hockey on the map for people in Columbus who might not have thought much of the Blue Jackets before, or how it put Columbus on the map for people all around the sport. Think of how much differently we can look at a guy like Toews -- nicknamed Captain Serious in Chicago -- because of what we saw from him this weekend.

Maybe it's all one big "vaudeville" show, as one writer put it. Sure, it'll be nice when we get back to watching real NHL hockey Tuesday. But for a weekend each year, I'm happy with loosening my collar and enjoying the other side of what the game has to offer. I'm looking forward to forgetting the score of next year's All-Star Game already.

Tuesday Caps Clips: Capitals @ Blue Jackets Game Day

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Daily Washington Capitals news and notes: Previews of Caps/Jackets, some All-Star leftovers, Barry Trotz's new mission and much more.

Your savory breakfast links:

  • As the unofficial second half begins, how'd the unofficial first half look for each Cap? [Rink]
  • Novel concept: play your best players at the most critical times. [Rink]
  • Oh, and also play more of the game at five-on-four and less at four-on-five. [Rink]
  • Previews of tonight's game in C'bus (where the cannon will hopefully remain silent after a workout Sunday afternoon) from VogsNHL.comBlue Jackets and Peerless, and be sure to check out our SB Nation pals over at The Cannon (hopefully they'll remain silent, too) for the other side of tonight's matchup.
    • What about Bob? He's a no-go - out 4-6 weeks with a groin injury. [Jackets]
    • As they resume play, the Caps are in a pretty good position... but they haven't accomplished anything quite yet. [Rink]
  • News and notes from yesterday's practice out in snowy 'Lumbus:
    • In general. [Monumental video (TrotzHoltby), WaPo]
    • Look for the Caps to recall Cameron Schilling today... weather permitting. [@alex_prewitt]
    • The team doesn't want to play "safe" with a lead, but they do want to "secure" games with better "puck management" and "patience." Buzzwords! [WaPo]
  • The Caps have gotten better just the way they'd planned - by upgrading the back end. [Dump 'N Chase]
  • John Carlson is having a big year sans Karl Alzner, but that's cool. [CSNW]
  • Alex Ovechkin has been and continues to be pretty great at scoring goals. [RMNB]
  • Some All-Star weekend leftovers:
    • On player tracking. [WaPo]
    • Y'know, if you're hating on the event, maybe you should realize that you're not the target audience for it. (Surely there must be some clouds you can go yell at.) [SB Nation]
    • Ovi had a pretty great weekend... [Stars & Sticks]
    • ... which included giving away a car... [Monumental (video)]
    • ... and calling up a random fan because why not? [D.C. Sports Bog]
  • Coach Trotz is on a mission to save a tiger. Alrighty then. [D.C. Sports BogDeadspin]
  • Bold second-half predictions, they haz 'em. [Stars & Sticks]
  • Interesting look at teams, shots and scoring chances. [TSN]
  • Connor Carrick can bring it. Who knew? [RMNB]
  • Oh, hey, they scored a ton of goals in the AHL All-Star Game, too. [Patriot-News]
  • Former Cap and Hershey Bears great Frederic Cassivi was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame on Monday, and Bruce Boudreau and Eric Fehr paid tribute. [Patriot-News]
  • Finally, happy 60th birthday to Brian Engblom.

Game Preview #46 - Back In Action. Sorta.

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The Blue Jackets--minus one big piece--are back after the All Star Break. Something tells me Alex Ovechkin won't be going out of his way to set up Johansen and Foligno tonight.

Washington Capitals at Columbus Blue Jackets

January 27, 2015 - 7:00 PM EST
Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio
Radio - WBNS 97.1 - TV - Fox Sports Ohio
Opponent's Blog: Japers' Rink

Man, what a difference one game can make. If the Jackets had won in Winnipeg going into the break, they're at .500, and still with an outside chance at making the playoffs. Not only did they lose, but they got smoked. AND they lost Sergei Bobrovsky for four to six weeks. Never before has the 45th game of a season felt so much like the death blow to any and all playoff hopes, however outside they may have been.

It just feels like it's all over.

In that respect, the All Star Break came at the best time. Time off to clear that out of their heads. For us fans, a break in the gnashing of teeth to celebrate our city and show it off to the hockey world. For my part, playing hockey on the outdoor rink first thing Saturday morning as the sun slowly came up... couldn't have been any cooler.

But now, we're back. It's tough to get ramped back up, with the feeling of complete dread hanging over the team now that Bob is out for essentially the rest of the (meaningful part of the) season. I know some other guys are nearing a return from injury, but I find myself wondering: what's the point? Shut 'em down, make sure everyone's 100% for next season, and try to explode on everyone like the Isles did this season.

As for this game? I don't know what to expect. I thought the first minute in Winnipeg was dominated by the Jackets... until a completely boneheaded turnover led to a soft goal. Then another easy goal for Winnipeg after another sloppy zone clear. Then Bob gets hurt. Then the sound of many liquor bottles breaking open in Columbus was heard round the world.

I don't know. The Caps were riding a solid stretch into the break, and are looking to make their playoff push. The Jackets? Who knows? Guess we'll find out tonight.

Projected Lineups

Columbus Blue Jackets
(20-22-3, 43 Points; 6th division, 13th conference)

Nick FolignoRyan JohansenCam Atkinson
Scott HartnellBrandon DubinskyJosh Anderson
Matt CalvertAlexander WennbergJeremy Morin
Corey TroppMark LetestuJared Boll
Jack JohnsonDavid Savard
Kevin ConnautonJames Wisniewski
Fedor TyutinDalton Prout
Curtis McElhinney
Anton Forsberg

Washington Capitals
(24-13-9, 57 Points; 4th Division, 7th Conference)

Alex OvechkinNicklas BackstromAndre Burakovsky
Marcus JohanssonEvgeny KuznetsovTroy Brouwer
Brooks LaichEric FehrJoel Ward
Jason ChimeraJay BeagleTom Wilson
Brooks OrpikJohn Carlson
Karl AlznerMatt Niskanen
Jack HillenMike Green
Braden Holtby
Justin Peters

Season Series

WSH - 2-0-1
CBJ - 1-1-1

11/11/14 - Columbus 2 at Washington 4
12/11/14 - Columbus 3 at Washington 2 (OT)
12/18/14 - Washington 5 at Columbus 4 (OT)
01/27/15 - Washington at Columbus
03/03/15 - Washington at Columbus

Head to Head Stats

WashingtonColumbus
2.96 (8)GPG2.42 (24)
2.52 (12)GAPG3.13 (26)
24.4% (3)PP%24.3% (4)
79.5% (21)PK%79.5% (19)
Alexander Ovechkin, 27G leaderNick Foligno, 18
Nicklas Backstrom, 32A leaderRyan Johansen, 26
Nicklas Backstrom, 47Pts leaderRyan Johansen, 43
Tom Wilson, 79PIM leaderJared Boll / Scott Hartnell, 63
12-8-4Road/Home9-12-2
6-2-2Last 104-6-0
1/20 vs. Edmonton, L 5-4 (OT)Last Game1/21 @ Winnipeg, L 4-0
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