Whether it was the game-winner by Marc Savard, the hat trick by Rick Nash, or the MVP truck awarded to Eric Staal, the Eastern Conference sent a message to the West come playoff time. Despite the absence of Sidney Crosby and the New Jersey Devils from the Eastern Conference's star-studded lineup, they were still able to come away with the 8-7 victory.

With 20.9 seconds remaining in a 7-7 regulation, Savard somehow scored an open-netter to complete a Eastern sweep of the SuperSkills Competition and the All-Star Game. Thanks to Savard's goal, NHL fans were spared from seeing the West and East slug it out even longer, with Manny Legace having already surrendered three goals and Tim Thomas having already served up 4 western goals, in the third period alone.

Despite the familiar faces in this year's edition of the Conference meetings, 15 players made their All-Star debut in Atlanta. However, Columbus' Rick Nash continued to make arguably the goal of the season versus Phoenix stand out as he scored a goal in each period against three different goaltenders.

How about that?

When Nash scored 12 seconds into the 56th annual meeting, the East responded with five unanswered. Nash responded in the third period with his third and final goal, tying the score at five.

It was quite amusing that the three goaltenders, who starred for the Western Conference (Chris Osgood, Evgeni Nabokov, and Manny Legace) and who start for each of leading Western Conference teams going into the break, were victimized by some hard shots by the Eastern stars.

Nabokov played a perfect second period, making 8 saves. The western all stars shut down their opponents, not allowing a goal in the middle frame.

Alex Ovechkin proved himself even more MVP-worthy with his two goals, but eventually it was Carolina's Eric Staal who picked up the trophy truck with his two goals and an assist.

So hopefully the Devils players were recouping from that humiliating loss to the Montreal Canadiens, instead of watching the all-star game on the couch.

Although, you know as well as I do, it was probably better Tim Thomas in net in that third period instead of Martin Brodeur as the West was pounding it on.

Anyway, congrats to the Eastern Conference on the successful weekend, and let's see if the East can begin the road to bringing the Stanley Cup back to New Jersey (downtown Newark that is).

We are hungry for the Cup which has not been here since 2003. In fact, we’re starving.

• ‹ previous
• 350 of 430
• next ›