|
I wish the NHL made a simple schedule with all the events. Anyway, I'm looking forward to watching Vladimir Tarasenko in tonight's skill competition, 6:00 p.m. Hopefully this helps you out.  Tonight is the fun part of All-Star weekend. Most tickets to the skill competition are about three times the amount of the actual All-Star game tickets. Why? Well, the players don't really try in the game. At least we see guys having fun during the competition (see photo above). I'm disappointed that only one Blues player will be reppin' the Lou tonight, and I'm pissed that he isn't in more competitions. Here are a couple of the event descriptions and players participating: NHL Accuracy Shooting Four shooters from each team will participate, with two additional players serving as passers. This event will consist of four head-to-head match-ups, with one shooter from each team per round. The goal is to hit four 15-inch diameter targets located in each corner of the net. The teams will be situated at opposite ends of the rink, and will alternate attempts. The first shooter to hit all four targets wins. --Via NHL.com Vladimir Tarsenko will be a passer for this challenge (should be a shooter). NHL Shootout Eighteen skaters and three goaltenders from each team will participate in the three-round shootout. During each two-minute round, six skaters and one goalie from each team will take the ice. Teams will alternate after each shot with each player having a maximum of 10 seconds to take a shot. Players one and three from each team will be designated Discover puck players, each goal scored by these players will count as two points. NHL shootout rules apply to each scoring attempt.— Via NHL.com Vladimir Tarasenko will be a contestant in the first round. NHL Hardest Shot Four shooters from each team will test their slap shot skill in a head-to-head match-up. Each player will attempt two shots, with teams alternating after each player. One puck will be placed 30 feet from the center of the net. Each shot will be calculated in miles per hour (mph), with the highest speed of their two shots recorded.— Via NHL.com Shea Weber, P.K. Subban, and... John Scott? Uh, well. Yeah, those guys will be competing. NHL Skills Challenge Relay This timed relay event – involving 14 skaters and two goalies from each team – will consist of four relays with five challenges each: One Timers, with three shooters and one passer per team; Passing, with one passer per team; Puck Control, with one skater per team; Stick-Handling, with one skater per team; and Goalie Goals, with one goalie per team.— Via NHL.com 1.) One-timer shooters (right): Aaron Ekblad (Panthers, Erik Karlsson (Senators), Steven Stamkos (Lightning), Shea Weber (Predators), Drew Doughty (Kings), Corey Perry (Ducks) Passers: Patrice Bergeron (Bruins), Taylor Hall (Oilers) First off, Shea Weber is a tank. His one-timer has busted open several shin pads during games, and players are afraid to hop in front of his shot. Keep an eye out for him tonight's one-timer and hardest shot. One-timer shooters (left): Ryan McDonagh (Rangers), Leo Komarov (Maple Leafs), Ryan O'Reilly (Sabres), Mark Giodano (Flames), James Neal (Predators), Vladimir Tarasenko (Blues) Passers: Jaromir Jagr (Panthers), Matt Duchene (Avalanche) Honestly, I don't know why they put Tarasenko in with the one-timer shooters. Have you seen his wrist shot? It's unreal. I mean, he has the best wrist shot in the league, yet he will have to show off his one-timer. It will still be fun to watch a Blue up there. 2.) Puck control relay: Justin Faulk (Hurricanes), Johnny Gaudreau (Flames), Kris Letang (Penguins), Riman Josi (Predators) I think Alexander Steen should have been picked for this. The Blues have some silky mitts that won't get a chance to prove themselves tonight. Steen is the most underrated player in the league—hands down. 3.) Stick Handling: Claude Giroux (Flyers), Patrick "no-means-no" Kane (Blackhawks), Dylan Larkin (Red Wings), Tyler Seguin (Stars) Once again, Tarasenko could be thrown into this one. 4.) Goalie Goals: Braden Holtby (Capitals), Pekka Rinne (Predators), Ben Bishop (Lightning) Devan Dubnyk (Wild) 5.) Mini-net passers: Nicklas Backstrom (Capitals), Daniel Sedin (Canucucks), Evgeny Kuznetsov (Capitals), Jamie Benn (Stars) NHL Fastest Skater Four players from each team will test their speed, facing off against an opponent in a two-skater race. The race track for the head-to-head match-ups is the border of the rink split in half lengthways. Timing devices will record each skater to determine the winner of each match. If a race ends in a tie, each of the teams will be awarded one point. The skater with the fastest time in the head-to-head match-ups will skate a full lap of the outside border of the rink, in the direction of their choosing, in an attempt to break Mike Gartner's record (13.386). If, at the completion of the event, two skaters are tied for the fastest overall time, both skaters will skate a full lap of the rink in an attempt to break the historical best record.— Via NHL.com NHL Breakaway Challenge Each team will provide one goalie to participate in this challenge. Each shooter will attempt two shots, and teams will alternate after each shot. Style, creativity, and flair are encouraged. NHL penalty shot rules do not apply. As soon as the last competitor completes his routine, fans in-arena and watching on television in the U.S. and Canada will get another opportunity to make their case on Twitter by casting their vote using the hashtag that corresponds to the player of their choice. The shooter with the highest fan vote will be crowned the Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge winner and score one point for his team.— Via NHL.com P.J. Cox
@pjcoxx |