PK Sport - Raleigh Sports Examiner: Jan 30, 2011

Sunday, January 30, 2011

2011 NHL All-Star Game: Game on! live blog and reports

2011 NHL All-Star Game - warm-ups - P. Koutroumpis

The 2011 NHL All-Star Game is ready to get underway at the RBC Center in Raleigh, NC. Team Staal took the NHL SuperSkills on Saturday by a score of 33-22 and looks to capture this year's crown in front of the hometown crowd and Carolina Hurricanes teammates Cam Ward and Jeff Skinner help Captain Staal lead the charge. Stay in touch and follow via Twitter @pksport.

Introductions are getting underway and we are ready to go. The thunder is rumbling at the RBC Center!!!

Let's go Staal, let's go Staal, let's go Staal - the chants have started

Kids out on the 'pond' picking teams by throwing sticks to select teams - all of a sudden Rod Brind 'Amour and Ron Francis come out to join the teams.

Captains Staal and Lidstrom lead their teams onto the ice for introductions.

Inspiring national anthems by the Canadian Tenors and Raleigh's Clay Aiken.

NHL All-Star Game faceoff - P. Koutroumpis

Game on!!!

First Period

Team Staal scores first - Alex Ovechkin on a tip-in from Zdeno Chara and Mike Green
Team Staal up by two - Paul Stastny tips one in from Patrick Sharp and Patrick Elias
Team Staal now makes it 3-0 - Patrick Elias from behind - Patrick Sharp and Paul Stastny

Team Staal 3-0

Team Staal - Claude Giroux makes it 4-0 - Patrick Sharp and Dave Backes with helpers; Cam Ward unbeaten so far in between the pipes
Team Staal - Skinner raps one off the post

Team Staal 4-0 - 11:13 remaining

Team Lidstrom - Anze Kopitar beats Ward top shelf with the backhand - Shea Weber with the assist

Team Staal 4-1 - 8:26 remaining

Team Lidstrom - Dustin Byfuglien from Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith

Team Staal - 4-2 - 6:30 remaining

Team Lidstrom coming on strong - Cam Ward standing tall
Team Lidstrom - Loui Eriksson from Martin Havlat
Team Lidstrom ties it - Matt Duchene on breakway - stick-side on Ward - assist to Nicklas Lidstrom

Tie game - 4-4 - 1:38 remaining

Montage to the Great Gretzky during commercial break - crowd is buzzing - getting ready for intermission

Ward with the save on the crease
St. Louis hovering around

4-4 tie - end of the first
Three Doors Down to perform during intermission

Second Period

Team Staal - Patrick Sharp nets one from Claude Giroux

Team Staal leads 5-4 - 17:12 remaining

Team Staal's Carey Price is solid in between the pipes - two saves on his pads
Team Staal Kris Letang roofs one - Daniel Sedin and Alex Ovechkin with the helpers

Team Staal 6-4 - 13:46 remaining

Team Staal all over Jonas Hiller; Team Lidstrom hits the pipe
Team Staal's Chara just misses over the net with a hard snapper
Team Lidstrom's Hiller robs Backes on an off-wing shot
Team Lidstrom' Jonathan Toews hits the post on a breakaway

Team Staal - 6-4 - 10:42 remaining

Team Lidstrom Anze Kopitar finishes tic-tac-toe with Loui Eriksson to beat Price

Team Staal still leads 6-5 - 9:25 remaining

Ovechkin with the move at the blue line, but off-side
Ovechin picks up the puck and cradles it to keep control
Team Lidstrom gets it up ice on the transition
Team Lidstrom - Steven Stamkos ties it up with assists to Martin St. Louis and Brad Richards
Team Lidstrom - Daniel Briere with the go-ahead goal

Team Lidstrom - 7-6 - 3:47 remaining

Team Staal - Jeff Skinner of the breakaway and denie with the toe save by Hiller
Team Staal sets up the offense - back and forth action
Team Lidstrom Hiller blanks Rick Nash on breakaway and Staal on two separate shots from the wing

Team Lidstrom 7-6 - 1:22 remaining

End of the period - Team Lidstrom leads 7-6

Third Period

Start of period has provided a few chances, but pretty quiet - crowd needs to have a reason to get excited
Skinner denied by Thomas on the tip-in

Team Lidstrom 7-6 - 16:34 remaining

Finally!! Team Staal - captain Staal scores on a breakaway with a shot past Tim Thomas

Corey Perry and Rick Nash get assists on the goal

Tie game - 7-7 - 15:50 remaining

Team Lidstrom breakaway - stick thrown
Matt Duchene on the penalty shot - denied by Henrik Lundqvist

Still tied - 7-7 - 13:37 remaining

Play back and forth; waiting for something to happen
Team Staal - Kris Letang scores his second of the game - assisted by Patrick Elias and Jeff Skinner
Boy Wonder Jeff Skinner gets his first NHL All-Star point

Team Staal leads 8-7 - 10:41 remaining

Team Lidstrom - Daniel Briere ties it - Henrik Sedin and Shea Weber assist
Team Lidstrom - Jonathan Toews scores with the spin move and toe-drag snapper

Assists to Loui Eriksson and Martin Havlat

Team Lidstrom leads 9-8 - 7:39 remaining

Team Lidstrom - Martin St. Louis tallies one from Brent Burns
Team Staal's Skinner tries again, but to no avail
Team Staal - Rick Nash on the toe-drag to draw Thomas down scores to narrow the gap

Corey Perry and Zdeno Chara with assists on the play

Team Lidstrom with 10-9 lead - 4:24 remaining

Team Staal's Lundqvist big save on Patrick Kane
Team Lidstrom's Thomas with the blocker save on Daniel Sedin

Team Lidstom leads 10-9 - 1:28 remaining

Team Staal pulls Lundqvist: Team Lidstrom's Loui Eriksson scores empty-netter
Team Staal scores as Staal snaps one past Thomas

Team Lidstrom leads 11-10 - 29.7 remaining

Team Staal pulls Lundqvist; a few close chance stopped by Thomas

Final Score - Team Lidstrom 11, Team Staal 10

MVP - Team Staal - Patrick Sharp (Chicago Black Hawks)

Updated Examiner.com stories - All-Star Game edition

2011 NHL All-Star Game: Red Carpet and SuperSkills excite fans in Raleigh

2011 NHL All-Star Game: Fantasy Draft results set rosters for competition

2011 NHL All-Star Game: Hockey Day in Carolina

2011 NHL All-Star Game: Courage comes to Carolina

2011 NHL All-Star Game: Skinner added to roster, rookie call-ups and more

2011 NHL All-Star Game: Hurricanes rookie Skinner has skills

2011 NHL All-Star Game: The Off-Ice All-Star team

2011 NHL All-Star Game @ RBC Center - P. Koutroumpis

As game day for the 2011 NHL All-Star Game has finally arrived and will take place at the RBC Center in Raleigh, NC at 4 p.m. EST, there is time to recognize the 2011 Off-Ice All-Star team. As the NHL’s 42 fan and league-selected stars and 12 rookies have been embraced by hockey fans in the area throughout the weekend, a look at the group of individuals performing off the ice seems fitting before the puck drops. A look at the lineup helps to frame the scope of the success of this weekend’s events from NHL Fan Fair, NHL All-Star Wide Open, and NHL SuperSkills for the entire league and its fans.

2011 NHL Off-Ice All-Star Team

Center: Gary Bettman
Shoots: Right
Years: 17

A small and scrappy player who doesn’t back down to anyone, his years of leading his team in developing a productive corps tis paying off with a lot of offensive output. By the end of February he will have led his team through three enormous events in seven weeks and two countries, showing the type of tenacity and endurance that he espouses on the ice. It is no surprise that NHL revenues are up 32% with popularity in the game continuing to rise in tough economic times.

Left Wing: Peter Karmanos Jr.
Shoots: Right
Years: 17

A solid performer who creates scoring opportunities for his teammates, Karmanos has been a strong proponent of supporting youth hockey initiatives with USA Hockey and convincing his team that growing the game is the way to win games for the NHL. Karmanos’ ability to bring the Hartford Whalers to Raleigh, NC and transform them into the Carolina Hurricanes has shown that he can produce many assists as well as hit the net to get the game-winning goal when needed. The 2011 NHL All-Star Game will truly be his opportunity to shine in his home rink, the RBC Center.

Right Wing: Brendan Shanahan
Shoots: Right
Years: 1

A newcomer to the game off the ice, Shanahan is the leading rookie and has jumped onto the ice to continue utilizing his strength, grit, and creativity in the offensive zone to score big goals for his team. His creative offensive set up has been highlighted in his ability to gain the zone in a non-traditional manner. Though he is able to scrap with the best of them, his subtle approach to utilize his two-way ability to cover on defense and offense in working with the players throughout the 2011 NHL All-Star Game has provided for many great scoring opportunities. By the end of All-Star Sunday, Shanahan should be a favorite to receive MVP honors.

Defense: Don Renzulli
Shoots: Right
Years: 3

This seasoned veteran in special events programming has provided a solid foundation on the blue line and knows how to transition the play from defense to offense effectively. Renzulli possesses tremendous vision at the point and uses his powerful shot to provides his teammates the ability to tip-in or score around the net at will. Coming into the 2011 NHL All-Star Game already a +1 after the Winter Classic, Renzulli will no doubt help his team score a game-winner in Raleigh.

Defense: Rob Blake
Shoots: Right
Years: Rookie

Another rookie on this solid team, Blake complements Renzulli on the power play and has worked well moving the puck up the right side to Shanahan. On the power play, Blake now provides his team great offensive strength across the ice from Renzulli on the blue line. Another two-way player who can move the puck effectively, he’s already made an impact with his teammates and will continue to do so as his first appearance at the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh as an Off-Ice All-Star should be a memorable one.

Goalie: Jim Rutherford
Shoots: Left
Years: 17

A teammate of Karmanos Jr. for his entire Off-Ice career, Rutherford’s ability to backstop this solid lineup provides them the opportunity to achieve success quickly and effectively. As the foundation of the team from the goal out, Rutherford reads the ice well and has provided a controlled atmosphere at the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh, NC to be a positive one for everyone involved. There is no doubt that with all of the offensive success that his team is experiencing over the weekend, that Rutherford’s job has been a relatively easy one to watch and admire from the other side of the rink.

Updated Examiner.com stories - All-Star Game edition

Sunday, January 30, 2011

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