Giroux named MVP, Metropolitan team wins NHL All-Star Game
Carolina's Frederik Andersen was the standout goalie, allowing just 3 goals
If any hockey executive is somehow still uncertain whether Claude Giroux can deliver on the biggest stages, the Philadelphia captain's MVP performance in the NHL All-Star Game demonstrated his skills under pressure one more time.
Giroux scored three goals and the Metropolitan Division beat the Central Division 5-3 on Saturday in the final 3-on-3 match to win the NHL All-Star Game.
Giroux excelled under the bright lights as he nears a critical moment in his career: It's well-known around the NHL that the 34-year-old star could be on the move before next month's trade deadline after spending his entire career with the Flyers.
The seven-time All-Star won his first MVP award with two goals in the final and another in the semifinal. Giroux also picked up the $1 million US check shared among the winning players as the captain of the Metropolitan squad — a job he got at late notice in place of Alex Ovechkin, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week.
"It's funny how everybody was just on the same page today, when we had never played together before," Giroux said.
New Jersey's Jack Hughes, at 20 the youngest All-Star, also scored three goals for the Metropolitan team in the All-Star extravaganza's first trip to Las Vegas, which has become a major stage for hockey's top league since the expansion Vegas Golden Knights entered in 2017.
Giroux clearly took the All-Star showcase seriously, even if he was thinking more about a relaxing weekend with his family than his NHL future. After 985 career games in Philly, Giroux is an asset that could be cashed in by Philadelphia before he hits unrestricted free agency this summer.
"Anytime you represent your team, it's been an honor to put that jersey on," Giroux said. "For 14 years, it's been a lot of fun, and to represent that team is great."
After a one-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NHL's midseason showcase returned with the 3-on-3 tournament format introduced in 2016 and employed in the previous five All-Star events.
Hughes scored two goals for the Metropolitan team in its 6-4 win over the Pacific in the first semifinal. Alex DeBrincat and Jordan Kyrou then got a pair of goals apiece in the Central's 8-5 win over the Atlantic in the second semifinal.
The Pacific's loss disappointed a home crowd that wanted to cheer on its three Golden Knights All-Stars in the final. Vegas coach Peter DeBoer kept the event in perspective — and even confirmed that Las Vegas nightlife might have played a role in any sluggish performances by the world's greatest hockey talents.
"We got off to a slow start," DeBoer said. "That was probably due to late-night Vegas activities last night, but we eventually got into the game. ... I'll be honest with you, I'm a little hung over today. I'm not going to lie to you. Yesterday I was fully focused on the skills [competition], and there was some excellent stuff, but today is a little bit foggy for me."
