2012 MRFHL All-Star Game Review

The atmosphere was electric with a sold out arena for the 2012 MRFHL All-Star game  at the TD Gardens.  MRFHL fans jammed the Gardens to see their favourite players put on a dazzaling array of skill and finess. They were not disappointed.

                This years 2012 MRFHL All-Star game  was headlined by super stars such as Jarome Iginla, Pavel Datsyuk, Maxim Afinogenov  and Derek Roy who have all been having stellar seasons for their clubs landing them in a five horse race to claim this year’s scoring title.

Representing the host city was tenacious General Manager and President of Hockey Operations Steven Valente and Legendary MRFHL Hall of Famer turned General Manager of the Dallas Stars Mark O’Byrne. The opposing side was represented by none other than the astute General Manager of the MRFHL Stanley Cup finalists Rino DiAntoni. Accompanied by up and coming hockey mind of the New Jersey Devils JP Kiellerman, likely to be a finalist for this year’s MRFHL General Manager award.   

With the teams selected by both sides at the conclusion of the General Manager conferences held last Thursday, All-Star Weekend officially began with the 2012 MRFHL Molson Canadian Skills Competition.

Event 1: Good Year Fastest Skater included from:

Team Rino: TJ Oshie, Matt D’Agostini, Kieth Yandle, and Carlo Colaiacovo

Team Nature Boys: Maxim Afinogenov, Jason Blake, Ryan Whitney, and Alex Goligoski

Carlo Colaiacovo and Jason Blake finished from their groups with the fastest times with 13.45 and 13.49 seconds respectively. In the final round Jason Blake was victorious in posting the winning time of 13.218 seconds taking the Good Year Fastest Skater award.

WINNER: Team Nature Boys

Event 2: Manulife Breakaway Challenge included:

Team Rino: Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstom and Nicklas Lidstrom  shooting on Cam Ward

Team Nature Boys: Steven Stamkos, Sidney Crosby and Dan Boyle shooting on Carey Price

The Score after this event was 5-4 for team Rino with Nicklas Backstrom receiving over 40% of the fans votes via text message after a dazzling array of skill and speed.

WINNER: Team Rino

Event 3: Canadian Tire Accuracy Shooting

The shooters selected for each team where:

Team Rino: Ryan Kesler,  Pavel Datsyuk and Teemu Selanne

Team Nature Boys: Jason Spezza, Ryan Getzlaf and Alexi Kovalev

After the qualifying rounds two players remained. The wily veterans of Kovalev and Selanne squared off in the final round. Teemu Selanne hit all four targets with his first four shots with a time of 11.21 seconds. Not to be out done, Alexi Kovalev responded by obliterating all four targets with four shots including the last one on a devastating one timer with a time of 10.2 seconds taking the crown.

WINNER: Team Nature Boys

Event 4: Powerade Skills Challenge Relay

Skaters for each team included:

Team Rino:  Brian Gionta, Andy McDonald, Marc-Andre Bergeron

Team Nature Boys:John-Michael Liles, Tomas Plekanec and Marian Gaborik

Teams squared off in a relay showing off one-times, passing, stick handling and accuracy shooting. In relay one John-Michael Liles lost and edge and went crashing into the boards handing the first heat to team Rino. In the next leg though The Nature Boys made up time with Gaborik putting on a clinic in the puck handling portion of the relay posting the best time of the relay of 2:07 .

WINNER: Team Nature Boys

Event 5: Googles Hardest Shot

Participants and highest recorded speeds for each include:

Team Rino: Joe Thorton (98.6 MPH), Jarome Iginla (101.5)  and James Wisniewski (103.9 MPH)

Team Nature Boys: Duncan Kieth (102.3 MPH) , Alexander Elder (99.3 MPH) and David Legwand (91.3 MPH)

WINNER: Team Rino , James Wisniewski (103.9 MPH)

Event 6: Tim Hortons Elimination Shoot-Out

Team Rino: Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Backstrom and Patrick Sharp

Team Nature Boys: Marian Gaborik, Jason Spezza, Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos

The final elimination round had two players from the Nature Boys in Gaborik and Sidney Crosby and Pavel Datsyuk representing team Rino.  With his dizzying array and bag of tricks Pavel Datsyuk proved why he is a magician with his hockey stick beating out Sidney Crosby in the final rounds.

WINNER: Team Rino

2012 MRFHL All-Star Game Recap

With All-Star Skills Competition concluded the laughter and light hartedness soon gained a competitive undertone. When the puck finally dropped for the 2012 MRFHL All-Star game it was business as usual for the participating players and general managers. 

Team Rino got to work early catching the Nature Boys off guard potting their first goal 30 seconds in. Jason Spezza responded timely quickly after evening things up at 1. Team Rino then took control with Selanne and Backstom hooking up and Matt D’Agostini roofing it on his backhand to close out the frame with Team Rino up 3-1

In the second period Gionta pulled a beautiful wrist shot from the top of the hash marks over the shoulder of King Henrik padding the lead. David Legwand responded for the Nature Boys but momentum was short lived when Jarome Iginala ensured the lead remained potting a juicy rebound left by Lundquvist.  By the end of the second period Team Rino ensured a two goal lead remained.

The third period began with Cam Ward and Pekka Rinne in net. After extending their lead to three goals team Rino looked to have the game sign sealed and delivered Things got exciting when Sindey Crosby scored on a wristshot from the side of the net. Crosbys goal helped to spark the Nature Boys. Momentum began to build in favour of the Nature Boys and fans were buzzing for a comeback. Not to let the fans down Joe Pavelski scored with less than 2 minutes left in the game bringing the game within 1.  Despite the game coming down to the wire it was little too late for the Nature Boys who were out duelled by Team Rino in one of the most epic MRFHL All-Star Games.

Three Stars :

1^ST  Jarome Iginla

2^ND  Joe Pavelski

3^RD Tomas Plekanec