The 2016 NHL All-Star Game got it right, and what a representation for the game of hockey. While there was certainly plenty of missteps with the way the league handled former San Jose Sharks player John Scott and his election to the event, the game itself was a smashing hit.
The Sharks two representatives, Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski, helped make Scott the winning captain as the Pacific Division team took home the All-Star crown and the $1 million prize on Sunday night in Nashville.
While San Jose nemesis Corey Perry scored the lone goal in the final for the Pacific Division, the night belonged to Scott who was masterful in the way he handled himself in the build up to the game.
From the onset, Scott was joined by his former teammates as Burns and Pavelski flanked him in the early round action. You could tell the three of them were happy to be reunited and looked to be having an absolute blast.
CHAMPS! pic.twitter.com/Ji1Z0r39hD
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) February 1, 2016
The trio combined for the first goal of the game for the Pacific and it sparked quite the celebration from Scott who made sure to enjoy every second of his experience in Nashville.
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The Scott sub-plot wasn’t the only positive development from this All-Star weekend as the new format really worked out and was exciting to watch. There were still plenty of chances each way, but the intensity felt more like an actual game than any previous year when the game was 5-on-5.
The change in format seemed to inject some much needed life into the All-Star game, and even the 1-0 score line in the finale was still a compelling watch. While there were many things the league botched, kudos for the outside the box thinking and making the necessary change to the game. I’m sure having a $1 million carrot for the winning team didn’t hurt either.
Everything about this weekend was a success from a Sharks standpoint as Burns, Pavelski and their sons were a hit during the breakaway challenge on Saturday night. That carried into the game as the San Jose teammates appeared to relish every moment they were out there.
The perfect cap to the evening was Scott taking home MVP honors and having Burns and Pavelski be there to hoist them on to their shoulders. What a way for Scott to enjoy probably the best weekend of hockey of his entire career.
Next: Brent Burns All-Star Primer
The All-Star game was a smashing success this season, and for Sharks fans, it was great seeing their two catalysts front-and-center throughout the entire weekend as representatives of the franchise.
But this game belonged to their former teammate, who acquitted himself quite nicely along the way and was king of the entire NHL on this night.