MVP Giroux leads Metropolitans to victory
Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux scored three goals and the Metropolitan Division beat the Central Division 5-3 on Saturday in the final 3-on-3 match to win the NHL All-Star Game.
New Jersey’s Jack Hughes, at 20 the youngest All-Star, also scored three goals for the Metropolitan team in the All-Star extravaganza’s first trip to Las Vegas, which has become a major stage for hockey’s top league since the expansion Vegas Golden Knights entered in 2017.
The 34-year-old Giroux, a seven-time AllStar who could be on the move soon after spending his entire career with the Flyers, won his first AllStar MVP award with two goals in the final and another in the semifinal.
He also picked up the $1 million check shared among the winning team as the captain of the Metropolitan squad. Giroux got the job at late notice in place of Alex Ovechkin, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week.
Giroux clearly took the All-Star showcase seriously, showing off his goalscoring abilities to any less-serious competitors — and perhaps to any potential suitors for the veteran forward, an asset that could be cashed in by Philadelphia before he hits unrestricted free agency this summer.
Carolina’s Frederik Andersen was the standout goalie, allowing just three goals and picking up an assist.
After a one-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NHL’s midseason showcase returned to action with the 3-on-3 tournament format introduced in 2016 and employed in the previous five All-Star events.
Hughes scored two goals for the Metropolitan team in its 6-4 win over the Pacific in the first semifinal. Alex DeBrincat and Jordan Kyrou then got a pair of goals apiece in the Central’s 8-5 win over the Atlantic in the second semifinal.
The Pacific’s loss disappointed a home crowd that wanted to cheer on its three Golden Knights All-Stars in the final. Vegas
coach Peter DeBoer kept the event in perspective — and even confirmed that Las Vegas nightlife might have played a role in any sluggish starts by the world’s greatest hockey talents.
“We got off to a slow start,” DeBoer said. “That was probably due to latenight Vegas activities last night, but we eventually got into the game. … I’ll be honest with you, I’m a little hung over today. I’m not going to lie to you. Yesterday I was fully focused on the skills [competition], and there was some excellent stuff, but today is a little bit foggy for me.”