With both Zdeno Chara and Shea Weber out of the All-Star mix this season, who would take the torch during the hardest shot competition?
Alex Ovechkin took the crown for the first time in his career, and he was the only shooter to exceed 100 mph in the process. He actually won with his first, sub-100 mph attempt, but exceeded the century mark in his second try.
Here’s a fun fact: Ovechkin is the first forward to win this competition since 2002, when former teammate* Sergei Fedorov did so. Here’s the results, with Ovechkin leading the pack at 101.3 mph.
* - Yes, Fedorov was briefly a member of the Washington Capitals, in case you forgot.
In winning the competition, Ovechkin acknowledged the competition that wasn’t there this time around.
“Of course it’s special,” Ovechkin said. “It’s nice to get that kind of win because obviously [Zdeno] Chara’s not here, [Shea] Weber’s not here. Those guys probably don’t have to try.”
Save streak
The latest iteration of a shootout/breakaway-style goalie versus forward event was “save streak.” Pekka Rinne put together a great effort with 13 consecutive stops, but Marc-Andre Fleury managed to win it with 14.
Marc-Andre Fleury of the @GoldenKnights made sure Atlantic Division shooters were "Frozen" on his way to capturing the GEICO NHL Save Streak with 14 consecutive stops. #NHLAllStar #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/NrWgqNA9NH
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 28, 2018
More on the Skills Challenge
Brock Boeser wins accuracy competition; Alex Pietrangelo shows off his great passing.
Connor McDavid shocks no one in winning fastest skater; Johnny Gaudreau shows off puck control.
—
James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.