After two lopsided games in round one, the Atlantic and Pacific Divisions combined for a close All-Star Game final. Ultimately, Connor McDavid set up Tomas Hertl for the winner as the Pacific squeezed by the Atlantic 5-4.
David Pastrnak received the All-Star Game MVP (and car) despite the Atlantic falling short. The Pacific shared that $1 million winning check. (So they’re probably not sweating Pastrnak getting MVP.)
Again, the game was competitive and (gasp) there were even some ... saves?
Freddy goes HARD in the #NHLAllStar Game! pic.twitter.com/7JjhCy1pnN
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) January 26, 2020
Matthew Tkachuk bested his brother Brady Tkachuk, although the two antagonized us all by not fighting. They didn’t even give each other noogies. The most memorable exchange between the two came when Matthew muscled the puck away from Brady to set up an Elias Pettersson goal.
Matthew Tkachuk also shook off questions about teaming up with Leon Draisaitl and McDavid. Despite Tkachuk’s comments, the buzz builds as the Flames will soon meet the Oilers in games with billboard-based bulletin board material.
Personally, I think Hertl might deserve the MVP as a weekend award of sorts. He scored four goals in round one, the final game-winner, and donned the Bieber mask. Regardless, it was a fun weekend of All-Star hockey.
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) January 26, 2020
A FIVE GOAL NIGHT FOR @TomasHertl48.
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/JptxthSLGr pic.twitter.com/aTUs5rcUW9
Read up on the two first-round games:
• Atlantic 9 - Metropolitan 5
• Pacific 10 - Central 5
• Oh, and Laila Anderson introduced the Blues
Get caught up on All-Star Skills
- Fun moments, from Ryan O’Reilly in a Chiefs helmet to Hertl as Bieber.
- Players comment on the events.
- Canada beats U.S. in first Elite Women’s 3-on-3 event.
- Mathew Barzal upsets Connor McDavid in fastest skater.
Recent All-Star Game winners, MVPs
Winners:
2019: Metropolitan 10 - Central 5
2018: Pacific 5 - Atlantic 2
2017: Metropolitan 4 - Pacific 3
2016: Pacific 1 - Atlantic 0
2015: Team Toews 17 - Team Foligno 12
2012: Team Chara 12 - Team Alfredsson 9
2011: Team Lidstrom 11 - Team Staal 10
2009: East 12 - West 11 (OT)
2008: East 8 - West 7
2007: West 12 - East 9
MVPs:
2019: Sidney Crosby
2018: Brock Boeser (quite memorably)
2017: Wayne Simmonds
2016: John Scott (also very memorably)
2015: Ryan Johansen
2012: Marian Gaborik
2011: Patrick Sharp
2009: Alex Kovalev
2008: Eric Staal
2007: Daniel Briere
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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.