Chara, Gaborik lead goal parade
OTTAWA — The NHL’S biggest man ended up having the biggest impact on All-star weekend.
The day after amazing the hockey world by rocketing a 108.8-mph slap shot in the league’s skills competition, 6-9 Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara scored the game-winning goal and was plus 7 to lead Team Chara to a 12-9 win against Team Alfredsson in the 59th NHL All-star Game.
“From what I’ve seen, he always plays like that,” Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames said. “He scores 15plus goals, and he jumps in the play like a good two-way defenseman. It’s just habit for him. ... I don’t think he gets enough credit for being an all-around (player).”
Marian Hossa and Chara scored goals 16 seconds apart just after the 12-minute mark of the third period to break an 8-8 tie. “You could see that guys wanted to win, and I didn’t say a thing,” Chara said.
Among the guys who seemed to want to win was his Boston Bruins teammate, Tim Thomas, who made 18 saves in the third period. “That’s Timmy,” Chara said. “He’s very competitive. You can’t blame him. That’s the only way he can play.”
The All-star Game is usually played at less than full speed, but Thomas even talked like he wanted to win. “I felt like, if I worked hard, I could save a few that people wouldn’t expect me to save,” he said.
Chara said he really wasn’t looking to score a goal. “I was more focusing on staying back and not being something I’m not,” he said. “I wanted to play close to my game.”
Marian Gaborik set up Chara’s game-winner and scored three goals to earn MVP honors. After scoring the first goal of the game against goalie Henrik Lundqvist, his New York Rangers teammate, Gaborik celebrated by going down on one knee and pretending to shoot Lundqvist with a rifle. Rangers player Artem Anisimov was criticized for doing that in a game this season.
“I don’t think (Lundqvist) was too happy about that,” Gaborik said with a smile.
While playing for the Minnesota Wild, Gaborik scored five goals against Lundqvist on Dec. 20, 2007, and there had been playful trashtalking between the friends.
“I think I tried to get into his mind over the whole weekend,” Gaborik said. “I think it was a pretty good challenge against him, but it worked out better for me.’’
Hossa, who played on Gaborik’s line, said Gaborik had filled him in on his planned celebration.
“I was laughing when he pulled it off,” Hossa said.
Gaborik had two of his goals in the first period, and Hossa kept feeding him the puck with the hope Gaborik would score three in a period.
“Lundqvist came up to me and said, ‘C’mon you can’t feed him that much,’ ” Hossa said.