Advertisement

Lemieux Fares Well, as Does the East, 11-7

TIMES STAFF WRITER

If Saturday’s NHL All-Star game was truly the passing of a torch from the generation that gave the game a recognizable and great face to one whose greatest contributions are yet to come, it was a rousing success.

And that’s all that really mattered, not the lack of hitting or the virtually nonexistent defensive play in the Eastern Conference’s 11-7 victory over the West before a roaring sellout crowd of 17,442 at the San Jose Arena.

Playing in perhaps his final All-Star game before his expected retirement, Pittsburgh Penguin center Mario Lemieux scored two goals and recorded an assist to tie Wayne Gretzky for the career All-Star scoring lead at 20 points. As he left the arena, Lemieux shook hands with Mark Messier and said, “See you next Saturday.” Asked if he might also be seeing Messier in next year’s All-Star gathering, Lemieux smiled and gave his head a slight negative shake.

Advertisement

“I’ve certainly been thinking about that this might be the last All-Star game. That’s why I came, to play with these guys,” Lemieux said. “I’m glad I got a chance to play with Gretzky. It’s something that I’ll cherish for a long time.”

Said Gretzky, who had a first-period assist: “We were trying to talk Mario into coming back. It would be great for the game if he did, but I can understand what he’s going through. But it would be great if he came back, not only for Penguin fans but for Canada [in the 1998 Olympics]. I’m sure we could find a spot for him.”

If Lemieux’s performance was one for the ages, winger Owen Nolan’s hat trick was a performance for his appreciative hometown fans, who had waited two years to host this game because it was canceled by the lockout.

Advertisement

Nolan had two goals in the second period against New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur but was repeatedly denied a third goal by the third-period acrobatics of Buffalo goalie Dominik Hasek. Finally, with 2:03 to play, Nolan succeeded--after pointing a finger at his nemesis as if to call his shot as he crossed the blue line.

“I just said I had enough, and I’ve got to put it somewhere,” said Nolan, who set an All-Star game record for the two fastest goals by one player when he scored twice within eight seconds near the end of the second period.

“I had enough shots on him [seven]. He’s an incredible goalie.” The fans loved it--but they didn’t love it when Montreal Canadien right wing Mark Recchi, who also had a hat trick, was selected the game’s most valuable player. Recchi was taken aback by the jeers that rained down on him when his award was announced.

Advertisement

“I hope I get booed next time I’m here,” Recchi joked. “I was obviously a little surprised [to be named MVP]. I thought they’d go with the hometown boy.”

Any of a half-dozen players could have been honored in a game that set a record when the teams combined for 10 goals in the second period, four by the West against Brodeur and six by the East against Dallas’ Andy Moog.

Philadelphia center Dale Hawerchuk had two goals, as did Vancouver Canuck winger Pavel Bure and Flyer winger John LeClair. Mighty Duck winger Paul Kariya, playing in his second All-Star game, was credited with his second All-Star goal when his intended pass caromed off the skate of an East defenseman to cut the East’s lead to 4-2 in the first period.

Boston’s Adam Oates had two assists to set a career All-Star record with 12.

And if not for Hasek’s spectacular effort, Duck goalie Guy Hebert might have earned some raves too. Entering the game in the third period, with the East holding a 10-6 lead, Hebert calmly stopped shots from Hartford’s Geoff Sanderson in the high slot, Ottawa’s Daniel Alfredsson from point-blank range and then made a desperate, diving stop to thwart Washington’s Peter Bondra.

But the one stop he won’t forget among the 10 he made was a deft glove save on a hard slap shot by Gretzky. “I’ll save the tape of that one forever,” he said. “I’m sure my dad got it on the VCR.”

Said King forward Dimitri Khristich: “We just enjoyed playing hockey. Maybe that’s how the game is meant to be, with talent not tight checks.”

Advertisement

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Star Record

Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux broke the record for most careerpoints in the all-star game. A look:

*--*

PLAYER GP G A PT Wayne Gretzky 16 12 8 20 Mario Lemieux 8 11 9 20 Gordie Howe 23 10 9 19 Ray Bourque 15 3 11 14 Mark Messier 12 4 10 14 Frank Mahovlich 15 8 5 13 Adam Oates 5 1 12 13 Pierre Turgeon 5 5 7 12

*--*

Advertisement