All-Star Game Liveblog

Yup, we're going to give this a try, see how it goes - after all we have to make this "meaningless charade of a game" a little more interesting, right? Special thanks to roomie for her input ;)

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- And there you have it! Amazingly that wasn't so bad - there were a few (mild) hits, a little bit of defense, some good goaltending, and some beautiful goals. All in all, what more could you ask for from an All Star Game?

...okay, don't answer that. It was still fun.

- Mike Ribeiro just looked like a total groupie. "Um, Mr. Pronger? Could you sign my cleavage?"

- And the MVP is...Eric Staal. Huh. Okay. Nash with the hat trick or Savard with the game-winner sounds a little better to me, but whatever floats the NHL's boat. Roomie: It's a conspiracy...she doesn't know how, exactly, and neither do I. I wholeheartedly agree, though.

- Some things never change, even in the deep south - Bettman is announced and everyone boos.

- 0:00 Indeed it is, even with Ovechkin on the ice. Handshakes and smiles all around - and DiPietro tries to pounce on Ovie, which makes us laugh...

- 0:20 Marc Savard makes his presence known and puts the East up in the final seconds...could it be? Is that the game winner?

- 1:00 We have a hit! Kovalchuk on Jovanovski, you have to love that.

- 2:37 Is it me or is this game actually kind of exciting now? Not that I didn't enjoy the East being up by a huge margin but you have to admit this is more action than we've seen in awhile.

- 6:55ish Phaneuf just pens in St. Louis against the boards. Without breaking a sweat. I'd guess defense is a little easier when you have four feet and a hundred pounds on the forward, right?

- 7:25 Staal again, 7-7. I choose not to respond when Staal scores.

- 9:03 The West takes the lead off, what else, a gorgeous play on which the goaltender has no chance. Give that one to Gaborik, 7-6.

- We get a bench interview with Anze Kopitar, which is great...except the little picture they put up next to his name is definitely Scott Niedermayer. Yes, we're all excited that Nieds hasn't retired, but Kopitar is right there. One of these things is not like the other, Versus!

- MAN does Ovie want the hat trick. You can feel it, can't you? Maybe if we use our collective powers of kinetic energy to move the puck from his stick into the net...

- 14:53 Whew! And Phaneuf ties it up at 6. Anyone surprised that Gonchar was standing right there? Anyone?

- 15:52 End to end action, kids, if you can believe it - on one end we have Thomas making a stunning save, on the other Hossa bringing a rise to the lovable Atlanta crowd with a goal to break the tie.

- 18:04 Rick Nash is trying to steal Ovie's truck! 5-5, this is getting interesting now.

- Manny Legace is a funny, funny dude. Add him to the goalies I would like to keep mic'd up all the time.

- 19:19 Getzlaf pops one over Tim Thomas...looks like the Eastern dominance was a single period fluke, no? I think it might be time for a certain #8 to get a certain #3.

- Ooh, add Gary Bettman to that list.

- Ne-Yo, a marching band, and unnecessary dancing girls. What are...three things I would love to see slip and fall on the ice?

- Good idea #234984: A marching band on ice.

- An interview with Pronger? Really? Correct me if I'm wrong but I didn't see him do anything in that period...or at all. Give me Nash or Niedermayer or Nabokov! (Or someone who knows how to shave. Ew, Chris. Ew.)

- Smiles all around in the dying seconds as Nabokov once more outduels Kovalchuk - and this is why I love the All Star Game. The smiles, the fun, the appreciation of the talent...okay. I'm done being cheesy.

- 1:03 Kovalchuk shows a little personality and falls to the ice in disbelief after Nabokov absolutely robs him. Nabby gets a little head rub from Kovalchuk in appreciation. (Roomie: Ovie would have scored that.)

- It's awfully hard to take this station seriously sometimes - no matter how well they do at times with the hockey, there is always a bullriding commercial to remind me that Versus is still very much a channel for which I am not the target demographic.

- 4:...something Clearly Niedermayer heard me snarking that he shouldn't be an All Star after playing about three games this season. 5-3 and we have got ourselves a game.

- 7:28 I'm sorry, was there just backchecking and defense by Mike Ribeiro? I must be hallucinating. I'm not sure which is more bizarre, that it happened in the ASG...or that it was Ribeiro doing it. Huh.

- 9:30 The West is buzzing this period, as they move in to try and make it closer. Vokoun says...NO.

- 10:26 Damn you, Rick Nash, stop being so awesome. We like our lopsided Eastern lead, even if two of the five goals were scored by pure evil. 5-2.

- 11:40 We spend about two minutes making fun of Olli Jokinen's name, just because we can. Try saying it without adding a fake accent, I dare you. Roomie says he sounds like a yodeller. "Ya, I am Ollie Jokinen...I do the yodel." See? A laugh a minute here in the Cheap Seats.

- 14:30 I'm a little confused how Kovalchuk scores so many goals when every single one of his shots has gone right into the goalie's pads and/or crest. Maybe he's just lulling them into a false sense of security...

- 18:00 Ovechkin goes for the hat trick. The only problem? He shoots it on his own net. Ovie, my dear, they switched sides during intermission. Remember?

- Oops, hold that thought. I guess we're having another Willie O'Ree ceremony, which is a nice inclusion (although it really takes away the flow to the...oh, who am I kidding, there is no flow).

- Everyone ready for period two? Any bets on how many goals Ovie will get this period? I'm going to be conservative and say two.

- Oh, HockeyCentral, how I...tolerate you. By the way, whoever is feeding Engblom's hair needs to stop, because it looks like it could reach out and eat Jonesy. They gush about Ovechkin again and then we tune them out - what could they say after an Ovie-gush that would possibly hold our attention as well? Nothing. Exactly.

- 2:11 As if on cue, that's 2. Ovechkin finishes off a slick pass by mighty mite (aka St. Louis) to put the East up five to one. Little smile by Ovie on the bench - he's having too much fun out there, seriously.

- Aw, a player profile on Ovie! And since the Caps have yet to be in the playoffs, Versus gets to roll out all the old classics - mother was a basketball player, etc, etc.

- 4:50 When you're taking feeds from Alfredsson you're going to get chances, and Campbell cashes in. 4-1 East and Phaneuf is threatening to throw a hit. Oh, Dion...if wishing made it so.

- 6:25 And Ovechkin is on the board!! A pretty pass from Spezza and the puck is behind Osgood. Then of course we get Ovie's "Woooo!" face on the bench, always welcome, followed by Doc and Olczyk simply gushing about Ovechkin, also always welcome. And countdown to insertion of Sidney Crosby's name in 3, 2, 1...there we go. Like clockwork.

- 8:10 DiPietro does his best impression of Hasek and turns the puck over behind the net...then gets taken down. He wants a call, there will be none, game continues.

- Gomez has a hard time keeping a straight face during Mike Richards' bench interview. We have a hard time keeping a straight face looking at Scott Gomez.

- 10:12 Andrei Markov makes it 2-1 for the East. Did Kolzig make it to the Western Conference All-Stars and not tell us? That was a dribbler through the five-hole...oh, I kid, I kid.

- 11:21 Ah, the ever-classy Atlanta fans, chanting "Os-good...Os-good...Os-good...YOU SUCK!". Nice, right?

- Just in case you've forgotten we're in the South, here's Garth Brooks.

- 12:13 After a quick scoring start we've now settled into some pretty sloppy play on both sides, punctuated by DiPietro's constant commentary to make it at least a little more entertaining.

- 17:06 Shocking. DiPietro puts a little leash on the puck and takes it for a little walk around the defensive zone.

- 18:40 1-1 thanks to Eric Staal, ringing it around the pipes after a couple of nice passes from...whoever his linemates are.

- 19:48 and we've already got our first goal! Rick Nash kicks off the scoring while the Versus announcers distract Rick DiPietro. Yeah, that's why it went in. Regardless, I don't think this is going to be a low-scoring game.

- Let's get ready to...............play some non-confrontational hockey!

- Kathleen Edwards presents her version of the Canadian National Anthem. Good folksy Canadian singer, yes. Anthem singer? Not so much. And now onto the Atlanta Boys Choir. Says roomie, "these boys so get beat up in school". (By the way, a question if anyone is out there - why do they shout "Nights!" during the anthem?)

- Starters...or should I say "starters"?

- On to the Eastern Conference...Ovie tries to look all tough but he can't fool us, there's a smile hiding in there - especially when the crowd gives him a loud ovation. Think he's won over the crowd?

- Starting with the West - Duncan Keith always kind of looks like he's going to vomit. That would make this more entertaining for sure. Huh, so does Corey Perry. And there's Jason "Twitchy" Arnott...

- Player intros...

- This is a nice touch - the Hives kicking things off on a stage that Doc informs us will be lifted to the rafters following their performance. Whew, good, because I was worried it would stay there...do you think they'll let the band get off before lifting it up?

- Mark it down at 6:03 - the first of what I'm sure will be many commercials for male, er...enhancement drugs? Can I say that in a family-friendly blog?

- It feels like every year the opening montage is exactly the same, inserting requisite shot of city skyline along with locker room footage of the boys getting ready. My word, I think there may be a hockey game happening tonight!

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All-Star Photos

Special Cheap Seats correspondent Geneen is at the All-Star Festivities this weekend and sent back some great shots from last night's red carpet event:

Tobias Enstrom, Atlanta Thrashers

Kimmo Timonen, Philadelphia Flyers

Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders

Tomas Vokoun, Florida Panthers

Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning

Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta Thrashers

Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning

Alex Ovechkin

More to come!

All photos courtesy of Geneen Boyd

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Skills Out the Wazoo

Frozen Moment courtesy of NHL.com

I know I'm supposed to be all serious and say that I hate the All-Star Game and I snooze through the Superskills...but that would be a lie. A big one.

I adore it. Every single overhyped, overdone moment of it. Can't get enough.

I love seeing if anyone can hit four targets in four shots. I love watching the YoungStars. I love the hardest shot. I love seeing which player will step up to get the MVP, expected or unexpected, of the game itself. I love hearing players mic'd up, a la Marty Turco last year.

It seems like we've gotten too cynical as hockey fans - we snark at anything bordering on frivolous entertainment, saying that it's "ruining the game" or that it's "not real hockey". But I'm not sure exactly what is wrong with taking a weekend away from the game before the real serious business of playoffs starts. I'm not sure why we decided that a showcase of skill and talent and personality is anti-hockey, something to be avoided at all costs. It is central to what hockey is and to me, there's nothing wrong with that.

Anyways.

Tonight we kicked off the festivities with the new, improved Superskills competition, and yes, there were some misses. The camera work for one was enough to give a fan vertigo and made it hard to follow sometimes. The obstacle course had entertainment potential but fizzled a bit. And technical difficulties abounded to kick it all off, which always puts a damper on things.

But if people were willing to just sit back and enjoy, they saw a lot to like. The three on three YoungStars game was more exciting than I thought it would be, with Backstrom getting two goals (yay Nicky!). The accuracy competition was actually a good one, with Kaberle joining the four for four club and winning the head to head with Arnott on one single shot. Lecavalier stunned everyone by shooting 101.9 in the hardest shot competition...and then Chara demolished that mark by breaking 103.

And Ovechkin? He was having more fun than anyone out there, just loving the crowd and the atmosphere and breaking out the most creative shot of any of the participants in the breakaway challenge. Twice.

It's all just...fun. The players are clearly having fun, the fans there are having fun, and the game tomorrow, while it won't be anywhere near an actual hockey game, has the potential to be fun as well. Forget the rest, leave the attitude at home, and give in to the fact that every once in a while a little frivolity is fun.

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All-Stars: The Future

Any surprises in the starting lineups for the All-Star Game? Probably not.

We'll get the full rosters the 10th and 11th, which will include the Young Stars as well, we assume. Traditionally the Young Stars' roster is limited, with one goalie, four defensemen and six or seven forwards per team. As usual there are more players who could make the cut - here's who should at least be considered:

East
Carey Price, G Montreal Canadiens
Tobias Enstrom, D Atlanta Thrashers
Marc Staal, D New York Rangers
Kris Letang, D Pittsburgh Penguins
Jeff Schultz, D Washington Capitals (only because there's a lack of young defensemen in the East)
Milan Lucic, L Boston Bruins
Andrei Kostitsyn, L Montreal Canadiens
Travis Zajac, C New Jersey Devils
Nicklas Backstrom, C Washington Capitals
Ryan Callahan, R New York Rangers

West
Jonathan Bernier, G Los Angeles Kings
Matt Niskanen, D Dallas Stars
Jack Johnson, D Los Angeles Kings
Marc-Edouard Vlasic, D San Jose Sharks
Erik Johnson, D St. Louis Blues
Gilbert Brule, C Columbus Blue Jackets
Jiri Hudler, C Detroit Red Wings
Sam Gagner, C Edmonton Oilers
Peter Mueller, C Phoenix Coyotes
Andrew Cogliano, C Edmonton Oilers
Devin Setoguchi, R San Jose Sharks

Feel free to discuss, call me an idiot, etc.

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All-Stars: Beasts of the East

On to the East, where goaltenders rule the day - hey, at least there's something good about the teams in the Eastern Conference...

Atlanta Thrashers - Ilya Kovalchuk has this one locked up. In an up and down season for Atlanta, Kovalchuk has found consistency since Bob Hartley was shown the door and leads the league in goals. He may not be our favorite guy in the world here in DC but it's hard to deny that he's an electric player...as much as we may want to.

Boston Bruins - The B's have found a weirdly balanced attack among their scorers, with five in double-digits and a handful close behind, but the pick will probably be Marc Savard, who is averaging about a point a game and leads the team in scoring. Goaltender Tim Thomas is arguably the team's MVP to this point with a .931 save percentage on his resume and could get a look as well.

Buffalo Sabres - If there's any god Brian Campbell won't make it into the starting lineup, because despite decent numbers he hasn't played anywhere near his ability. Maxim Afinogenov's 7 goals also have to be kind of a disappointment. In fact it seems like Ryan Miller continues to be the glue that holds the team together (such as it is) and should get some recognition, although it would be nice to see someone like Derek Roy or Ales Kotalik get in there.

Carolina Hurricanes - Just give it to Cam Ward and be done with it. The kid has bounced back from a disappointing post-Cup slump and is looking more like the Conn Smythe winner he was in the 2006 postseason. Honorable mention goes to the ageless Cory Stillman, who is very quietly teetering on the edge of 20 goals - to put that into perspective, his career high for an entire season is 27.

Florida Panthers - Hard to argue with the fact that, despite a shaky start and some ups and downs along the way, Tomas Vokoun has been the best player in Sunrise, Florida. He's kept them in a lot of games they shouldn't be in (much like Luongo did in days past) and stolen at least one from the Caps this year. Want to throw in a shocker for a second choice? How about Richard Zednik? He's having a pretty good year - it could happen...

Montreal Canadiens - Andrei Markov's rise to the top of the Eastern vote-getters may surprise some, but anyone who has watched him this year and really over the past few years knows it's recognition that is long overdue. Joining him for the East, though, should be either Alexei Kovalev (who picked up 60,000+ write-in votes), Saku Koivu, or both. If Cristobal Huet hadn't missed a good chunk of the first half with injuries I'd say he deserves it as well - he's better than most people realize.

New Jersey Devils - Some guys like Martin Brodeur will always, always be on the ballot and will always, always get in to the All-Star Game. This year Brodeur has been very un-Brodeur-like for long stretches, though, so one could question his almost assured return as a starter. Nevertheless, Brodeur on his worst day is still usually better than a lot of the jokers in net nowadays, so Marty goes and may the Schwartz be with him. As for who will sit with him on the plane, it's hard to pick one standout on a team of "interchangeable parts" - let's go with Zach Parise, just because I like him.

New York Islanders - On a team that started out hot and quickly fell to the middle of the pack, picking one "All-Star" caliber player isn't easy. Taking the coward's way out I guess you could pick Rick DiPietro, although it could be said that Mike Comrie hasn't been that bad for the Isles. He's got 12 goals on a team that has about 20 total (okay, that's an exaggeration), so that's something.

New York Rangers - As insanely clueless as voters were picking Cheechoo 100,00+ times, they made up for it by keeping Jagr, Drury and Gomez out of the top ten vote-getters - not one of them deserves it after the first half they've had collectively. Henrik Lundqvist has been the savior for this team to this point and even he's been in a bit of a slump lately. If someone has to go it should be Michal Rozsival getting the nod for the blueshirts. The 29 year old is having a career year and is among the league-leaders for scoring by defensemen.

Ottawa Senators - Like the Red Wings, the Sens have a good deal of talent to choose from and they'll probably have quite a few reps at the All-Star Game. Alfredsson is almost definitely in as a starter and he should be joined by linemates Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley. Wade Redden and Chris Phillips have both been strong on the blueline and Martin Gerber has been steady for the Sens (recent meetings with the Caps aside, of course).

Philadelphia Flyers - We're probably stuck with the magical spearing midget, but don't overlook the contributions of Mike Richards. He's leading the team in scoring and has already shattered his career numbers in goals, assists and power play points. One of their young prospects, he's taken on a leadership role for this Flyers team and deserves to get some recognition.

Pittsburgh Penguins - You can leave your Ovechkin vs. Crosby crap at home, because no one will argue with Crosby getting in as a starter - not even this perpetual Crosby-basher. The kid is an amazing talent and I can say that without gagging. Evgeni Malkin should also get some consideration, though, for overcoming a slow start to get right back in the mix where he belongs. And how about Ty Conklin rounding out the trio? (I kid, I kid...)

Tampa Bay Lightning - Vincent Lecavalier...and no one else. Period.

Toronto Maple Leafs - Give Mats Sundin a lot of credit - he's taken this Leafs team on his shoulders year after year with little reward, little playoff glory, and the collective Toronto media breathing down his neck. Criticized by some for being an aging star on his way out, he's picked up 20 goals and 28 assists to lead his team in scoring and keep them in the mix for the playoffs. Not an easy thing to do, and certainly deserving of a trip to Atlanta.

Washington Capitals - Unless there was a spike in the last few days Alex Ovechkin will probably not be going as a starter...but I don't think there's a question that he's going. He should definitely be joined by Mike Green, though, who is starting to make noise and get some national attention. Greenie is perfectly suited to the All-Star Game; he's flashy, powerful, and exciting to watch. He's still got some work to do in his own zone, but let's face it - no one watches these things for defensive positioning and blocked shots. (And if they do they need to be in therapy...)

Next up...the Young Stars

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All-Stars: Best of the West

A little break in the schedule gives us some time to discuss the REAL Winter Classic, aka the NHL All-Star Game. It may not be real hockey or anything close, but it's one of my favorite parts of the season. Love it or hate it, it's an event that takes up the collective attention of the league for just one weekend and pits the biggest stars against one another.

The votes are tallied and although the results aren't announced until tomorrow you don't have to be Kreskin to see who will definitely be among the starting line-up. Crosby will absolutely be there; Markov seems a shoo-in as well, as do Lidstrom and Luongo. Deserving candidates, all, although the fact that Ovechkin probably didn't crack the starters is worrisome on a lot of levels.

Beyond the fan-selected starting line-up, the rest of the all-stars will be made up of representatives from each team, to be selected by the league in all their traditional wisdom. So who gets the nod? I've got my votes...we'll start with the West.

Anaheim Ducks - Easy money would be on Ryan Getzlaf being selected, but Corey Perry may sneak in there in place of or as well as Getzy. Perry's 21 goals lead a team with a rather anemic offense (think Washington production only worse) and he seems to be a clutch performer when they need him to be. Stalwart defenseman Francois Beauchemin could also be a dark horse candidate.

Calgary Flames - Jarome Iginla and Dion Phaneuf have both been high on the balloting since day one and should get into the starting line-up for the West, no problem. But if anyone else is selected from the Flames it should be Daymond Langkow or Kristian Huselius, both of whom have had hot hands this year.

Chicago Blackhawks - With all the buzz around Patrick Kane, it's easy to overlook the other Patrick in the Windy City - but Patrick Sharp is having a breakout year in his third season, with 21 goals already (one more than his career high). Even more special is the way he's scored the goals, coming through big in all situations; he has 6 power play markers, 7 shorthanded, and 5 game winners. Of course Kane wouldn't be a bad choice, either.

Colorado Avalanche - Usually this would be an easy one - put Sakic in and he'll do the rest. Sadly he's facing a potentially career-ending injury and the torch has to be passed to someone else. In that case, you really can't go wrong picking any one of the three youngsters lurking around Denver these days. Marek Svatos, Wojtek Wolski and Paul Stastny are all potential candidates for the show, although Stastny might be relegated to the Young Stars Game despite being Colorado's leading scorer.

Columbus Blue Jackets - It didn't look like he was getting the respect he deserved from All-Star voters, but Pascal Leclaire is having a dream season for the Blue Jackets and should definitely be in. His seven shutouts lead the league and his performance is a big reason why the Blue Jackets are eyeing the playoffs for the first time in their young history.

Dallas Stars - Mike Ribeiro is undergoing some sort of rebirth in Dallas and is the Stars' leading scorer, besting his career high in goals with every tally. He'd fit the bill perfectly, as would Dallas captain Brenden Morrow.

Detroit Red Wings - It's comforting to see that Chris Chelios didn't even make the ballot this year, but it's less comforting to see that Dominik Hasek did. Disregarding the geriatrics (and the sure bets in future hall of famer Lidstrom and the Eurotwins, Zetterberg and Datsyuk), Detroit has tons of talent - you don't get to be the best team in the league without it. Tomas Holmstrom and Chris Osgood should be in the discussion for sure, though.

Edmonton Oilers - Edmonton perpetually seems like the Capitals of the West - overlooked, underappreciated and ignored, scrappy, feisty bottom-dwellers...if it wasn't for all those Stanley Cups in the 80s they could be twins. So it's no wonder that their stars don't get any respect, and Ales Hemsky is the biggest star you're not watching right now. Shootout prowess aside, just sit down and watch this kid skate sometime. Poetry.

Los Angeles Kings - There's not a lot going right for the Kings right now, but they've got a good young crop of players that in the coming years are going to be turning heads on a more regular basis. It's hard to see beyond superstar Slovenian Anze Kopitar (who should definitely be a candidate) but Mike Cammalleri should get a look as well.

Minnesota Wild - You don't score five goals in a game and fade into the backdrop; Marian Gaborik should be the hands-down favorite to represent the Wild, although goalie Niklas Backstrom continues to put up big numbers and could fight off the other goalies in the West to crack the lineup as well.

Nashville Predators - Nashville gets really tricky because after last year a lot of their big names left town like rats deserting a sinking ship. The jokes on them because the Preds don't appear to be moving anywhere after all, but that still leaves the team with a lack of starpower. Jason Arnott should probably get the nod for being consistently good and for being a +10 on a team that lets in quite a few goals.

Phoenix Coyotes - Ed Jovanovski is one of those players who every few year seems to reemerge despite his "veteran" status and he's doing it again this year, with 25 points - 22 of them assists. That -9 isn't so pretty but it's the all-star game. No one cares about defense. If he's not in it could also be Ilya Bryzgalov who seems to be enjoying his role as the lone starting goalie for a change...

San Jose Sharks - At the last vote update from the NHL, Joe Thornton was leading his SJ teammate Jonathan Cheechoo by just about 6,000 votes - there is no clearer sign that sometimes the voters are a little bit insane, since the difference between the two this year is great. Thornton continues to be an elite playmaker while Cheechoo has slumped immensely; his measly 11 points are nowhere near what he put up last year and he's even trailing two defensemen in team scoring. Even Jeremy Roenick (who also leads Cheech in the points department) deserves it more than him.

St. Louis Blues - After a rookie season that put him among the ranks of "the next big thing", Brad Boyes saw his production decline and eventually ended up on his way out of Boston. He's on pace for a career year this season, though, and should definitely be on the list alongside the likes of Paul Kariya.

Vancouver Canucks - Good ol' Bobby Lou is in for sure, but it's a toss-up as to whether anyone else will get the nod from the Canucks. One or both of the Sedin twins would probably be considered, as they're sitting one and two atop the Vancouver scoring race (Henrik is #1 with two more points, Daniel has more goals). Markus Naslund could be another dark horse, although admittedly this season and the few before this have been disappointing for the captain.

Next up...the East

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Star-Studded Night Comes to a Close

Before I get into tonight's festivities, I thought I should mention an interesting story from Le Journal de Montreal, courtesy of Eyes on the Prize...

So apparently Ovechkin, Malkin and Phaneuf went out on the town on Monday night, the night before the SuperSkills competition. Upon arriving at a swanky Dallas bar, they were recognized and invited to partake in a little shooting contest...no, not this kind or even this one (although it is Texas, so who knows), but THIS. If it's true, it certainly explains why Ovechkin was so "slow" and why Malkin looked almost human in the YoungStars game!

But on to tonight - another All Star Game is in the books, and I have to say this was probably one of the more entertaining ones in recent years, at least from where I was sitting.

Just a few thoughts...

- Ovechkin gets his first career ASG goal, and not only was it not pretty, but it comes off an assist from none other than Daniel Briere. Wow.

- Aside from Ovie's lone tally, the much hyped duo of Ovechkin and Crosby was fairly ineffective. I thought that both he and Crosby looked a little overwhelmed and outmatched for most of the game; each of them had some nice plays but also fell victim to bad turnovers, missed passes and shanked shots. Oh, well. With experience comes comfort, and these two will have plenty of experience in the coming years. You know the NHL is probably pissed off that Ovie scored instead of Crosby, though.

- Briere got the MVP and the truck, which is so big compared to him that he'll probably need a couple of phone books to sit on. He played well, though, so I'm going to avoid any further snarkiness towards Mr. Briere...at least for now.

- Marty Turco mic'ed up. Priceless.

- Rick Nash was flying out there - now, he's a pretty good player in his own right, but you have to figure that playing on a line with Sakic and Havlat is going to do that for you. Still, two very pretty goals for the youngster.

- Dion Phaneuf has clearly been watching tapes of John Erskine. What a way to get your first ASG goal!

All in all, just a fun evening. I love watching the guys laughing on the bench, on the ice, after the game - old and young, they all seemed to be having a great time out there. It may not mean anything in the grand scheme of things, but it's a fun little break for both players and fans.

Friday night marks a return to reality and rivalries, though, as the Caps travel to Raleigh for the first of a home and home against the Canes. I'm holding my breath that we'll see the team that played the 'Canes right before the break, and not the team that showed up against the Panthers. Jekyll and Hyde, this team - so frustrating. Hopefully golf and Disney have done their job and gotten the boys ready for the playoff fight to come...

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Celebrity in the HLOG

- If you're in the mood for some hockey and can't stand this week's festivities, or just want a little bit of fun to make that long Wednesday go by faster, be sure to stop by Hockey's Ladies of Greatness today. We are proud to present our first guest blogger, Deirdre Martin, who will be dropping in to the HLOG for a Q&A session.

(And when I say 'we', I mean Finny...I'm just along for the ride on this one!)

Martin is the bestselling author of a series of hockey-themed romance novels (come on, how do you not love that?) that center around the exploits of a fictional hockey team, the New York Blades. Her sixth book, Chasing Stanley, will be in stores next month and she has graciously agreed to field our questions on life, love, and of course, hockey.

So ladies (and gentlemen...hey, I'm not judging) be sure to stop by and check it out!

- For those of you who do like the All Star Game, how great was Greenie in the Young Stars game? Three assists, baby, not bad. Of course, the score was 9-8 so I'm guessing most guys had at least a point, but at least two of those assists were very nice passes from Mike. Now if he could only learn to stop turning over the puck so much...

That was a fun one to watch, though. I love any game where every person on the ice has a big grin on his face. And 17 goals in 30 minutes isn't too shabby as entertainment goes, either!

- As for our Ovie, it was a bit of a rough night for #8. I'm not even going to talk about how he was robbed in the fastest skater race...he certainly looked like he was flying, but what do I know. Then he's forced to go up against Luongo, the one goalie who seems to own Ovechkin - not once but twice!

I did like his new visor, though, and he seemed to be having a good time. I guess that's all that matters. Bah.

Don't worry, we'll see the real Ovechkin tomorrow night when he gets his game face on. You know he'll want to play well, and I'm going to predict that he'll get at least two goals - and throw the first body check of the night! (Would it be wrong if it was on Briere? Yeah...probably. But a girl can dream.)

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All-Star Rundown

- Mea Culpa: I said some not-nice things about USA Today recently, but I may have to take some of them back...and that’s not just because I got called out by USAT’s resident sports blogger, Beau Dure (ummm, oops). Just to clarify, I consider Beau to be one of the better bloggers around, subtle butt-kissing aside. I hope my comments were taken with the humor with which they were intended.

(Please don't hurt me, USA Today. )

Anyways, aside from the coverage of the new uniforms, they published an interesting and balanced look at the MVP race this season and managed to not wet themselves in excitement over Sid the Kid, choosing instead to merely throw his name in there with many other candidates, including our very own Ovechkin. They also gave us a ‘B’ for our overall performance, which is higher praise than most media outlets seem to want to bestow on the Caps and better than the grades given to Toronto, Tampa and the Rangers.

Hey, I guess I really do like pretty colors and shapes...

- Then there’s the Associated Press, who are in fact wetting themselves over Crosby. Blech. Okay, Gary, we get it – Sid the Kid good, crazy Russian kid bad. And not for nothing, but if the NHL and the NHLPA hadn’t blown it with the lockout Ovechkin probably would have been an all-star at 19 as well...

- How do you not get excited about this All Star Game?

I know, it’s not real hockey, and I know, it’s a silly exhibition that takes time out of the busy schedules of all the players and interrupts the hockey season for no good reason and there's no hitting or passion, blah blah blah.

I love every second of it, and although I’m no fan of Briere or Crosby, I’m looking forward to seeing that trio together on Wednesday night. Whether you love the ASG or hate it, if you’re a hockey fan you have to admit there’s something thrilling about seeing the best players in the league come together for one night. And from the sound of it, it looks like Sidney will be helping Ovie pot a couple of goals. I wonder if Alex will request a red truck for his MVP award...

- This is a couple of days old, but I thought it was worth mentioning that TSN gave Semin a plus for his recent offensive production. It’s nice to see Sasha getting a little more respect nowadays, isn’t it? Funny what happens when all of a sudden you’ve got the third highest goal total in the league...

- How I Spent My Vacation, by the Washington Capitals: some are fleeing the cold for the Sunshine State, others are leaving snow for even more snow, and a few are sticking it out right here in good ol’ DC.

• Johnny’s not fooling anyone, he’s definitely stalking the Kolzig family...
• I hope Laich, Sutherby and Eminger stay out of trouble in Florida; those three together could be disastrous...
• I wonder what show Pettinger and Mo are going to see...
• As usual, the coach said it best:

  “For the team and the whole league, you get to a point now with the pace of the game that you see every lineup starting to lose man-games [to injury] and I think for the players it’s nice for them to have a break. And maybe for the fans, too. There is so much hockey, and so much coverage and Internet and it just sort of goes all year long. I think it’s nice sometimes to take it away for a few days and you appreciate it more.”

I couldn’t agree more.

So on that note, I’ll be posting a little less frequently over the next few days - I’ll check in after the Young Stars game/Skills Competition and again after the actual game, but other than that I’ll probably be MIA until at least Thursday.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Enjoy the festivities!

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Florida Not So Sunshine-y

Well, apparently the Caps missed me.

That's the only reason I can think of for what went down Saturday night. Because from what I've read and what I've heard, the team didn't even bother to show up for the game. You know it's a bad night when your team allows 54 shots and gives up 7 goals...and your goaltenders are the best players on the ice.

So I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to you all for my absence. Who knew I had that kind of power? I mean, it's actually a little flattering. Of course, it would be more so if they could play consistently well when I am here...

But we mustn't dwell...no, not today. Not on Rex Manning D-, er, Sunday. Because I've got the microscope out and I've found some silver lining - and from a game I didn't even see. Now that's talent!

- Matt Pettinger scored. Yay!!! I think we can all agree that no goals in 12 games for Petty just isn't going to cut it.

- Semin continues his goal-scoring streak with his 25th of the season, giving him 8 goals in his last 5 games. And someone can explain to me later exactly how he was overlooked for the All-Star Game...defense shmefense, the boy can score.

- With an assist on Clark's late power play marker, Ovechkin brings his point total up to 62 - that's only 4 behind league leader Crosby's 66, and the gap closes a wee bit more. Let's just say I'm counting the days until I can see Ovie's smiling face replace Sid the Kid's mug on NHL.com.

- With 7 goals allowed, no one on the team was more than a -2, and no one had less than ten minutes of ice time. Actually, I don't know if that's a silver lining as much as it is an indicator that the whole team was stinking it up pretty equally. Well, at least it says something about team unity...they certainly stick together in good times and bad.

Other assorted goodies from my inexcusable absence from CapsWorld:

- Brent Johnson was signed to a 2-year contract extension, which is a great move. Johnny has been a terrific back-up for Olie and has put together some performances this season that made people sit up and take notice. Glad to see he'll be sticking around for a while longer at least - he's well worth the money, especially if it means keeping some consistency in net for what remains a very young and inexperienced team.

Plus he and Olie are so cute together.

- Mike Green was named to the Young Stars Game in Dallas, showing that the powers-that-be aren't completely ignoring the Caps. Hey, maybe he'll pull that end-to-end goal that he whipped out against Colorado a few months back! It's not like he'll be asked to play defense or anything.

- Jaromir Jagr is not going to the All-Star Game. Neither is Darcy Tucker. I'll ignore the fact that Jagr asked not to go (whiny little primadonna), and I know Tucker is injured and probably can't go. The NHL actually did a good job this year - don't get me wrong, I don't love all the selections and there will always be people who are inexplicably left out (*cough* Semin *cough*), but it's hard to argue with most of the choices for once. Even if I do consider a good portion of the Eastern Conference team to be evil.

Gee, it's an odd feeling to have nothing to (*cough* Semin *cough* ) complain about.

Sorry about that - apparently my recent cold has affected my typing as well! That's so strange, I should really have that looked at...

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Grass Keeps Growing

Our little grassroots campaign to get Zubrus on the All-Star ballot keeps gathering steam!

I'll keep mentioning anyone who adds to this movement by talking about and/or supporting it in the hopes that by visiting any Caps blog you will be bombarded by our message...brainwashing is fun!

Today's contributors:

DC Sports Bog
The Sin Bin

And don't forget, you can vote as many times as you want - voting goes until January 2. That means we have just a little over 6 weeks left to jam those ballot boxes!

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Dainius Zubrus, You're My Hero

I've mentioned it in passing and I've ranted about it before, but I am now kicking off my official campaign to:

"Get Zubrus in the All-Star Game"

My goal is to get all Caps bloggers (and maybe just some good hockey fans) on board with me and mention this on their blogs - we're going to canvas the Caps-fan population with our message!

Great minds think alike: Random Reality Thoughts

I know there have been many people over the past year who have questioned whether Zubie belongs on the top line with Ovechkin, but I think after the way this season has started everyone can put those questions out of their minds.

If you still have any doubts, then let's just look at the facts:
- He is tied for the team lead with 12 goals, only 3 behind the league leader Marian Hossa. That equals his production for the entire 2003-04 season and is already more than half of his career mark of 23 set last year. Don't forget that those 12 goals have come on only 39 shots, which gives him an absolutely ridiculous shooting % - basically, he may not shoot a lot but who cares when the shots he takes go in?
- He has been a key reason that both Ovechkin and Semin (who hopefully will snap out of his current goal drought soon) have adjusted so well to playing in the NHL over the last season.
- He is defensively responsible, taking the body more times than I can count and insuring that Ovechkin can gain the zone relatively unobstructed.
- He has become a fantastic quarterback for plays, setting up behind or to the side of the opposition's net and either making a beautiful pass or providing an outlet for a beautiful pass.
- As a converted winger, he has done surprisingly well in the faceoff circle, winning exactly 50% of his draws so far.
- 5 of his goals have come on the power play - that's 1/3 of the total for the entire team, which shows how important he is to the Capitals' special team production.

For those of you new to the online voting, you can vote as many times as you want - write-ins are at the bottom of the ballot, and you can't miss Zubrus...he's the last name on the Eastern write-in list. (While you're at it, don't forget about Ovie and Olie!!)

So now you have the facts - what are you waiting for? Go vote!

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Hit the Links

Just a few things of interest to make the morning that much more fun:

- Check out the high praise from CBS Sportsline - one of the more positive articles I've seen about the Caps (keep in mind this was probably written before last night's game, but still...) Now how long until the rest of the mainstream media jumps on the bandwagon and names the Capitals the sleeper hit of the season?

- Exercise your right as a rabid hockey fan and vote over and over and over for our All-Stars at NHL.com. I highly recommend adding Zubrus as a write-in - who knows, he could get in!

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Sin of Omission, Pie in the Face

- I’m flaking on the gameday preview today. Let’s just say that we all remember what happened the last time these two teams met...

- Yesterday I did my little “Who’s In” All-Star rant, so today I’d like to talk about who’s not in. While I think the NHL did a good job this year of including some people that should be in but may usually be overlooked, there were, as always, deserving players who missed the cut...

- Vyacheslav Kozlov – Believe me, no one hates the fact that three Atlanta players are leading the NHL in scoring more than I do. But how do you include two of them on the ballot and not the third? Kozlov not only has the same number of points (26) as Kovalchuk, but he also is +6, showing that he is a more complete and defensively responsible player. Incidentally, Hossa and Kovalchuk are +2 and 0 respectively...

- Michael Komisarek – He may only have 4 points, but I think we sometimes forget that defensemen are supposed to be, well...defensemen! That means they defend the goalie (ahem, Mr. Gonchar? You listening?) Komisarek is a young talent for Montreal and is +8 on the season. And if you need those shiny offensive numbers, he’s leading the league with 2 shorthanded goals – not bad for a kid.

- Vesa Toskala – I said it before, but Toskala was really robbed this year. He’s got great numbers and has continued his solid play in net from last season. How he was missed in favor of ‘Bulin is beyond me.

- Dainius Zubrus – Okay, I may be a little biased here, but come on – why is no one taking notice of what this guy is doing? I guess it’s because he has a linemate who’s kind of famous, but still...Zubie has been really amazing this season, netting 11 goals on only 36 shots, winning over 50% of his faceoffs and taking care of his defensive responsibility.

Voting for the All-Star game is now officially open, apparently, but I can’t find it yet. If anyone knows where it is, give me a shout out and I’ll put the link up.

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All-Stars, Get Your All-Stars!

Too often in the NHL, and in most professional sports for that matter, the all-star game is comprised of players that don't necessarily deserve to be on the ballot, let alone in the game. Sure, it's an exhibition game and it's all for the fans, blah blah blah...but you can't tell me that players aren't honored to be selected and they certainly play hard when they get there. This is a chance to play with the greatest players of the day, a chance to get some bragging rights, and yes, a chance for a little extra cash. So why shouldn't it actually be a game for those who have earned the playing time?

This year 100 players were selected and will be submitted to hockey fans everywhere tomorrow, who will then vote online for the starting lineup of this year's all-star game. After finally finding the list, I've had a chance to look it over and I have to say, this year it looks like the NHL got it right.

Almost.

I've crunched the numbers, checked the stats, watched the tapes...okay, not really, but I did run those stat report thingys on NHL.com...there were some new faces, some old favorites, and a few surprises good and bad, mostly good. I've picked out a select few who make my list in each category - I've even set aside my biases, of which there are many. So - agree or disagree? Let me hear it!

Deserving Nominees (New):
- Alex Ovechkin - obviously deserving. Please. Moving on...
- Scott Hannan - a very solid defenseman who has done a great job on a young team (incidentally headed by our old skipper, Ron Wilson). It's good to see this kind of player get recognized.
- Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin - okay, this one is a bit painful. Actually it's really painful. But I have to admit it - as a hockey fan, I have to say they're truly among the elite right now.
- Maxim Afinogenov - one of the most exciting players when he has the puck. He has amazing hands and tremendous patience - you just never know what he's going to do.

Deserving Nominees (Old):
- Nicklas Lidstrom - still one of the best defensemen in the league at 36 years old, the current Norris Trophy winner is a shoo-in almost every year.
- Martin Brodeur - another 'duh' entry, just an absolutely incredible goaltender who continues to break records...and all with the same team. I'm just amazed he doesn't get lulled to sleep watching the Devils play every night.
- Jarome Iginla - probably one of my favorite players in the entire league not wearing a Caps jersey and one of the great power forwards around today.
- Joe Sakic - my other favorite non-Cap, Sakic is an almost assured hall of famer and has written his name in the history books over and over again, all while being one of the classiest players in the NHL.

Surprises (Good):
- Olie Kolzig - we here in DC know how good Olie is and what he brings to the table each night, but I love that the league is taking notice as well. Zilla rules!
- Sheldon Souray - I think his offensive output to start the season has surprised him more than anyone else, but his defense hasn't suffered and it's nice to see him get his first nomination for the All-Star game.
- Michael Nylander - I still love him from when he played in DC, so even if he has to play for the Evil Empire it makes me happy that he's doing so well.
- Manny Fernandez - one of the more underrated goaltenders in the NHL and a big reason for the sudden emergence of the Wild as a team to be reckoned with
- Brendan Morrow - the new captain of the Dallas Stars deserves all the accolades he can get, as Dallas has kicked off the season with their best start in franchise history. Very impressive.

Surprises (What were they smoking?):
- Henrik Lundqvist - I'm sorry, I love Lundqvist but his play this year has not really merited a place on this list. On a team as good as the Rangers have been, a 3.35 GAA, .888 save % and one game over .500 just isn't enough to convince me.
- Chris Phillips/Wade Redden - this pair played for one of the stingiest defenses with the highest +/- last year, but a combined +5 and 6 points between them is just not what they're capable of.
- Peter Forsberg/Simon Gagne - I get that Philly is having problems and every team needs representation on the ballot, but these goal-scorers have 5 and 8 goals respectively and are a combined -17. Ouch.
- Nikolai Khabibulin - the "Bulin Wall" just hasn't been the same since winning the cup. He's only played 6 games and his GAA is a scary 3.36; how Vesa Toskala (9 wins, 2.16GAA, .927 save %) was overlooked for this guy is beyond me.
- Henrik Zetterberg - he's supposed to be a sniper and has proven he can be in the past, but his numbers just don't show it this year - 5 goals and 2 assists through 16 games isn't exactly sparkling.
- Doug Weight - just because he's an old favorite and a recent Stanley Cup Champ doesn't mean he gets an automatic spot on the All-Star roster. Doug has 9 assists but has yet to score a goal...

And there you have it - remember, vote early, vote often, and for the love of god don't vote for Jagr.

Well, maybe I still have some bias.

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Star Light, Star Bright...

It’s the eve of the voting period for the All-Star game, so it seems as good a time as any to take a look at our own all-star candidates, Alex Ovechkin and Olie Kolzig...

Together Olie and Ovie have led the way for the Caps to put together their best start to a season in years, providing pure skill as well as leadership on and off the ice despite the 15 year difference in their ages. Both players exemplify the typical Caps player we have come to expect – hard-working, modest, generous, and character-driven. But for All-Star voters, it is what is produced on the ice that counts (obviously, or else Jagr would never make the cut...) So here's a look at the numbers game:

Alex the Gr8
Alex Ovechkin’s entrance to the NHL was anything but slow and subtle. In his very first regular season game he scored 2 goals in front of a joyous home crowd and went on to pick up 52 goals and 54 assists over the season, a mark good enough for third all-time among NHL rookies. He was awarded the Calder Trophy during the offseason, receiving first place votes from 125 of 129 of the voters.

Many so-called “experts” around the league predicted that Ovie might experience a bit of a sophomore slump going into this season. Even some Caps fans questioned whether Ovie would be able to replicate his phenomenal numbers from last year when he finished the preseason with just one point, an assist. Maybe it was the summer spent off the ice. Maybe it was a lingering injury that hadn’t quite healed. Maybe it was too many steaks. Whatever "it" was, “it” was fixed by the home opener, as Alex scored 2 goals on the way to a 5-2 Caps win over the defending Stanley Cup Champs.

To this point Ovechkin has racked up 12 goals and 9 assists for 21 points through his first 17 games, and has scored 6 goals in his last 5 games alone. He brings so much to the ice every night, both in offensive production and in physical presence. Ovie has a tendency to just run defenders over who try and get in his way and has already broken two rinks in his young career. He’s not afraid to barrel to the net, and with up to 15-20 shots a night he always gives the team a chance to win.

Olie the Goalie
Olie Kolzig has become synonymous with the Washington Capitals and has evolved into the prototypical franchise player. He is a consistent fan favorite, inspiring chants of “O-LIE, O-LIE” whenever he makes a big save. To outsiders, his nomination to the all-star ballot may seem strange, but to those of us who watch him day in and day out it is well-deserved.

His numbers only tell half the tale – his GAA is just over 3.00, which seems relatively high by most standards and ranks him 17th overall. However, he has faced 421 shots, 5th most in the league. After facing that many shots, his save percentage is .919 – that’s 6th best in the league, which is impressive on its own with a young defensive corps in front of him. But consider the fact that the five goalies ahead of him (including our very own Johnny) have faced half as many shots and four of the five have played half as many games to get those percentages and it becomes even more amazing.

Olie’s path is rare for a player in any position; to stay with the same team for your entire career, through the ups and downs, is unheard of in this age of free agency and salary caps. And Olie just seems to get better with age. Although he played well last season, keeping the Caps in games they probably should have been out of, he has stepped it up to another level this season and has really become the backbone of a young and emerging Caps team. He is the acknowledged captain of this team and continues to put up big numbers for the Caps.

Unfortunately Olie will probably have the toughest time getting into the All-Star game. Regardless of performance, he is up against 7 other goaltenders whose names may be more recognizable to the average voter – Brodeur, Ward, and the underachieving Lundqvist to name a few.

It’s time to kick up that grassroots swell here inside the beltway...let’s send Zilla and Ovie to Dallas!

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