ANAHEIM –- There’s no debating last weekend’s NHL All-Star Game in Nashville was a resounding success. The John Scott story had as much to with that as anything, but to the players involved, the league finally figured out how to make the game competitive with the three-on-three tournament and $1 million purse.
Shockingly, the final game between the Pacific and Atlantic Division All-Stars brought with it just one goal in 20 minutes of game play, coming from Anaheim’s Corey Perry.
The Ducks’ elite scorer said that the game was “definitely” more competitive than years past.
“I thought it was great,” Perry said. “I think you talk to a lot of guys, and they’re saying the same thing. It went well. I think guys embraced it, guys had fun with it. It was tougher than everybody thought it was going to be, but it was a lot of fun.”
His teammate, Joe Pavelski – a first time All-Star – agreed.
“Three-on-three, there’s a lot of open ice. It was fun. It was a little competitive, definitely, and I think that’s what they need.”
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With competitiveness, of course, comes entertainment. The game was the highest rated NHL All-Star Game ever broadcast on NBCSN with a peak of 1.89 million viewers, the most since 2004.
Sharks coach Pete DeBoer watched, but gauged the success of the event more on the reactions of whom he was watching it with.
“I’ve got two teenage sons, a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old, and they loved it,” DeBoer said. “That’s my barometer. If they won’t leave the TV set and they want to see what’s going on and they’re talking about it - and their friends loved it. I think that’s a great endorsement for what went on that day.”
Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau was watching, too. “It’s the first one I’ve sat through in a lot of years,” Boudreau said.
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“I’m really glad they did the format,” he said. “I think it was great for the NHL. I thought especially the last game, both teams were trying. I thought it was really good.”
Boudreau did have one complaint, though, when an apparent second goal by Perry was overturned on a coach’s challenge due to interference on the goaltender.
“Perry should have had two goals, I can’t believe they challenged in an All-Star Game, but I guess there’s a lot of money on the line now so they’re going to do that sort of thing,” he said, wryly.
