Recap of the NHL All-Star Game

Moving past the immediate issue that fan voting - while seemingly noble is not representative of the quality of the players voted for starting positions (i.e. Ovechkin not being named a starter yet he's the best player in the world right now), it was at least fitting to see him secure the shootout win for the East.  There seems to be concern that the All Star game is searching for relevance.   Burnside makes some good points about how players are getting there, hopefully the league can work that out. Moving on, here were the highlights from the evening:

• Kovalev wins the MVP award in front of the Montreal fans
  
• Video montage of Top 10 plays of the year so far (ESPN had Ovie's goal against Buffalo at 10 though Vs had it at #4)
  
• Tim Thomas (don't like Boston, but apparently he's gotten past his lack of conditioning from his Vermont days, he was pretty amazing)
  
• Lundqvist getting shelled, yet he's still better than Al Montoya
  

That being said, if no one's going to play defense - which is fine...and this game is just for fun and to showcase ridiculous things (read: Malkin's between the legs goal), then why not just play it 4 v 4, so there's more open ice?  The YoungStars game is ridiculous at 3 v 3, but is a bit like Wayne Gretzkey's 3D Hockey (for N64).  Why not take out icing while you're at it, and goalies can't freeze the puck?  Then you pretty much have a total "pick-up" game of the best players in the world doing the most absurd things that will make every kid want to immediately go play street hockey so he can try and make that same move.

On a side note - that was a BS call that gave the decision to the judges for the Cerrone/ Varner fight.  At the very least, the Colorado guys on this blog can say that they we knew Cerrone back in the day - and I truthfully never saw this coming.  Good for him, it's better than prison I guess (in the words of Lanier).