Welcome to the All-Star Game Liveblog. Comments are open, so leave what you want. If you know the score, it’s time to pretend like nothing has happened.
Running a little behind, so here we go…
Well, the grand experiment, which has worked so far in other tests, is not working correctly. So, on with the regular liveblog model. What I have done so far…
11:12 Henrik Sedin still looks sad.
11:10 This is a slightly better intro than last night. But still… How do you think the Hives like this sort of thing?
11:09 Someone take away the zoom control from Versus. Please.
11:05 I’m sure the commercials are better during the regular broadcast. Not that the same three commercials are that good. Beef Jerky only can sell so much.
11:01 Thanks for the insight Eddie O. Goalies don’t like the ASG? How about Rick DiPietro. Think he likes his hip injury from last night? This isn’t about the goalies, ever. Ever.
11:00 You should not need to refresh your browser for this. The board should update on it’s own. ASG is on!!!
On with the show.
11:16 Can the NHL please buy a new effect that wasn’t used in 1974? The flame jets on wheels were much more impressive in the disco era.
11:18 And you know, thanks for the Hives and all, but can we get a more hockey band for this sort of thing? You know, like the ZAMBONIS!?!??!?!?!?!
11:19 Hey, the Canadian National Anthem rhymes in French as well as English. Who knew? OK, the Canadians, but I didn’t. That’s planning.
11:21 I want to see Grammy nominated Amy Winehouse do the national anthem. Talk about a mess. Sure, the Atlanta Boys Choir is heartfelt and nice, but it isn’t like we haven’t heard it every game everywhere ever.
11:23 Chuck Norris sounds and looks like William H. Macy. I have never seen a “total gym” on an Aaron Sorkin sitcom.
11:25 DiPietro gives up a goal while talking about his hip :12 seconds in, and the tone is set. He makes up with a poke check shortly after.
11:27 Hey does this uniform make me look fat? Yes, it does.
11:28 Osgood gives one up to Eric Stall. Does it make me evil that I am happy to see Osgood score on him? It’s just an All-Star game, but I love to see him get scored on.
11:29 DiPietro with baseball bat putting the puck up ice. It’s icing, but it still looks cool.
11:30 DiPietro shows us some stickhanding that would get him fired in any regular game. Sweet. The way he holds his stick is crazy. I had read about it before in The Hockey News, but to see it in action is pretty cool.
11:35 The action, while not physical, is quick. The effect of not having the checking is that you can see what is happening on TV better. The ice looks wide open, mostly because there aren’t five players clogging up one area. It may not be amazing hockey, but it sure is fun.
11:38 Garth Brooks is there. Remember last year when Chuck Norris was promoting his fighting show on Versus? It was pathetic, and took away form the event. While Brooks is pimping a good cause, let’s get back to the game.
11:39 Markov scores on Osgood again. Pinball between the pads five hole. I smile on the inside.
11:41 Apparently, offsides is still a rule at the All-Star game. Offside by a mile.
11:44 I said it last night, and I will say it again, picture in picture does not work in hockey. DiPietro goes down, and there is no call. he got dumped hard, and with his hip (see last night), they should be taking it easy on him.
11:47 AO gets a goal on Osgood. Hard angle on that one. I want to shake his hand just for scoring on Osgood.
11:50 DiPietro doesn’t care for the trapezoid area, where he can’t play the puck. A puck moving goalie doesn’t like the trapezoid? Surprising.
11:51 Osgood=Sieve. 4-1 east.
11:52 MegMegMeg makes the observation that it is easy to root for the East, since they are talking to DiPietro. I agree, but it’s easy for me with the crop of Red Wings out there. It may be the All-Star game, butt I can still hate the Red Wings.
11:54 Ovechkin scores again on Osgood. 3rd career ASG goal. And did the crowd just heckle Osgood? I would.
11:56 Not surprisingly, the goalies still care about goals being scored against. And then DiPietro gives the play-by-play.
11:58 It’s the end of the first. Will Ovechkin have a hat trick? Will DiPietro get a new gig calling games at Versus? Is Osgood going to cry? We will know soon.
Midnight: I ain’t tired yet. You?
12:02 Brian Engblom is bad enough when he talks about hockey that matters. This is worse.
12:03 Accuscore? What the hell is that? Are they just making words up now? If Versus really has better stats and graphics then NHL.com, then you have to wonder what they are thinking.
12:05 Some guy is talking about a “reverse mortgage.” Isn’t that where they foreclose on you, and they take your house away? What the hell are they selling here? Latenight TV ads are stupid. Stoopid. Stouped. Just plain dum.
12:13 We are back. Willy O’Ree is in the house.
12:15 For all the complaining that people do about the All-Star game, they sure do love the ceremonies that go on. Retiring players jerseys, honoring the players of the past. And O’Ree deserves every accolade that the league and fans pass his way. I’m just saying that we take so much time honoring the past, it’s nice to take a moment and honor the players who are playing right now. Sometimes you have to take a step back and just have a little fun, and give some love to the players of today.
12:17 Don’t forget, the AHL All-Star game is being played tomorrow. Click here for broadcast information. I get to see it on FSN Pittsburgh. If I wanted to drive six hours, I could go see it, but not this time. I’ve been to an AHL ASG, and it’s totally worth going to. But tomorrow is my day off, and I want to relax a little.
12:22 Ovechkin almost scored on his own net, not realizing that Vokoun is not DiPietro. Note to the Panthers: Do not pass to Vokoun.
12:28 Not nearly as much action in this period so far. A few shots, not as much interest. You have to wonder if the players are figuring out that this is going to be a long game.
12:29 AO looking for open ice, then heading up ice. I think that was the deepest in the zone I have seen Ovechkin in any game. Ever.
12:30 Nash with deke breaks the scoring drought. Slick move. 5-2 East.
12:32 Henrik Sedin doesn’t know it’s an All-Star game and tries to poke a trapped puck away from Vokoun. Next up, Phaneuf boarding Malkin, and Pronger with a two-hander on St. Louis.
12:37 What a dissapointment Kovalchuk has been in this game. He can’t even receive a pass.
12:38 Ovechkin makes a pass, which reminds us that he has no one to pass to on the Capitals. And at $124 million over 13 years, he probably won’t for a while.
12:39 Niedermayer scores. Scott Miedermayer: All-Star.
12:43 Again., I’m sick of this picture in picture thing. I have seen people on television before. I have seen people on TV talking. I can even hear them talking. I do not need them blocking the game.
12:46 Kovalchuk gets robbed by Nabokov. Great save, and a great reaction.
12:48 Kovalchuk should just break his stick. Can’t score on a breakaway, thanks to the Nabokov pad stack.
12:49 The 2nd period has come to an end, and the Western Conference is making a comeback. What do you think Mike Babcock said in the dressing room? And so far, AO or DiPietro is the MVP in my book. I have seen nothing so far about the ASG online, so this is as raw a guess as though it were running live, and not a rebroadcast.
12:52 Versus is doing a better job with the highlights for the ASG than they do during the regualr season. Sure, they have only one game to pay attention to, but they backed up the videotape enough to show how the play started.
12:55 Back after the concerts. I really don’t care about the music, unless it’s the Zambonis. Notice a trend here?
12:58 This can not be good for the ice. A marching band? A keytar (a keyboard carried and played like a guitar)? Something has to give here, people. Oh, the humanity.
1:00 AM I’m not tired yet. OK, I am a little tired, but I did two shows today. I deserve to be tired.
1:04 Anyone going to get a hat trick tonight? I don’t know yet, and you may. It’s like you are in the future. Do they have flying cars yet?
1:08 Bettman in the “hot seat.” He’s wearing the same headset I wear. I remember the last ASG on ESPN, before the lockout, and Bettman was next to Goodenow, and the ESPN guys were hard on them about the upcoming lost season. This is a love fest.
1:11 Thomas is in net, and he gives up a goal to Getzlaf. Legace and Bettman are going back and forth about the gear the goalies wear. Legace doesn’t pull the punches that the Versus crew does. Good for him.
1:13 Hat trick for Rick Nash. I would have figured AO for three goals first. And you know what, I have no idea what the prize is for ASG MVP. Do they get a car? You are in the future, not me. Hmmm…..
1:15 Legace says he’s the opposite of Rick DiPietro. Thomas, on the other hand, makes the amazing save.
1:17 Finally, a home town boy player scores. Hossa with the goal, and Legace with the humor. his little legs don’t reach that far.
1:20 Gary Bettman says that home and away schedule is not good for attendance, since divisional games are better attended. But I do not buy, and would like to see the paperwork on this one, that the fan research does not care about seeing every team play in every building once a season. It seems that every time Bettman is asked a question, he has fan sentiment on his side, which is not what I hear at all. I do not believe it one bit.
1:25 Things have slowed down a little. I suddenly realize that the lighting is much better than it was last night.
1:27 Gaborik scores on Thomas. Have the Red Wings done anything in this game? How many players do they have at the ASG, including the head coach? Did they do anything yesterday? Are they even trying? I wonder if coach Babcock told them to back off a little bit, and not get hurt. That’s my conspiracy story, and I’m sticking to it.
1:32 Stall with two now. Game tied at 7. Legace: “I should have had that one.” Is this the same guy that was accused of being a cancer in teh dressing room in Detroit? Somehow, I don’t see him being a problem. Sure, he’s expressive, but nothing “cancerous.”
1:34 I was wondering what it was like for Legace to be on the same team as Osgood, but he says they are good friends, so nothing there.
1:35 Add Iginla to the invisible player list. Where has he been all night?
1:37 Malkin with a hell of a pass behind the back to Alferdsson.
1:38 Are we going to overtime?
1:39 first broken stick of the night.
1:39 Savard!!!! Top shelf where momma hides the MVP trophy. Won’t happen, shouldn’t happen. It’s just fun to say.
1:41 The East wins the game. Tim Thomas is the winning goalie.
1:42 Why am I looking at a marketing guy? This is the sales crap that the fans hate.
1:43 Bettman gets booed as usual. I think he told the guy next to him that it happens every time.
1:44 Eric Staal gets the MVP? More east coast bias in teh NHL. I bet Rick Nash will have a few errant words under his breath. If he wants to be an MVP, he should teach his brother Jordan to step it up a little.
1:48 Hey, someone is taking Staal’s car. Stop, thief! Unless it’s Rick Nash.
1:50 Final thoughts: That’s it from the ASG. Would it have been any better if Sidney Crosby would have been there? I would have to say no. It would have been Crosby and the Other Guys, much like the Penguins are already treated. The game was fun, and had it’s moments, much like any NHL game. The ASG should be about having fun with the game. If you don’t care for these things, that’s fine, just don’t take it away from those of us who like it.
It’s back to work for the NHL, back to playing games, earning points in the standings, and fighting, checking, and getting injured. Speaking of which, is Rick DiPietro OK? Will he be back in the net for the first Islanders game after the break?
Thanks for staying up late.