Giroux Scores, Pacific Defeats Atlantic in All-Star Game Final

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

A strong start to the season for Flyers captain Claude Giroux had him back in the All-Star game again. In his return, he made an early impact, but ultimately his team never reached the finish line.

Giroux scored a goal, but the Metropolitan Division was defeated by the Atlantic Division, 7-4, in the semi-final round. The Pacific Division defeated the Central Division, 5-2, to advance to the final as well. In the final, the Pacific defeated the Atlantic, 5-2, to win the 2018 NHL All-Star Game.

The Western Conference divisions faced off first. Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring for the Central at 1:47 of the first period. His goal held up as the only goal of the opening 10 minutes.

In the second period, the 1-0 score held for over four minutes before Drew Doughty scored to tie the game. James Neal scored with 3:03 to play to put the Pacific on top. Just 32 seconds later, P.K. Subban tied the game with 2:31 to play. Brock Boeser scored less than a minute later to give the Pacific the lead again with 1:46 to play. The Pacific added two empty-net goals with Brent Burns and Neal scoring to seal the 5-2 win.

The two Eastern Conference teams took the ice next. The Metro struck first with Sidney Crosby scoring at 1:09. Auston Matthews tied the game at 5:30, but Giroux scored to make it a 2-1 Metro lead at 7:43 of the first. Alex Ovechkin added a goal at 8:16 to make it a 3-1 Metro game, but just 11 seconds later Nikita Kucherov scored to cut the lead to one with 1:33 left in the first period.

It was all Atlantic in the second period. Kucherov tied the game at 2:13, but the Metro reclaimed the lead just over a minute later on a goal by Kris Letang. The Atlantic tied the game up with a goal by Brayden Point, then appeared to take a quick lead as Erik Karlsson scored. That goal was reviewed for offside and Wes McCauley delivered the dramatic no-goal call, keeping the game tied. 

It hardly mattered, as Jack Eichel scored at 6:40 to give the Atlantic the lead. Brad Marchand scored 61 seconds later to make it a two-goal game and then Kucherov completed a hat trick in the opening game just 15 seconds later to cap the scoring in the game. The Atlantic held on as the Metro pulled the goalie for the remaining two minutes in the 7-4 win for the host Atlantic Division.

In the final, Rickard Rakell opened the scoring at 59 seconds for the Pacific. Boeser added another goal at 5:05 of the first period to make it 2-0. Mike Green scored for the Atlantic to cut the lead to one before the Pacific opened up a two-goal lead again with 1:25 left in the first on a goal by Doughty.

Johnny Gaudreau scored at 1:51 of the second period to make it 4-1 Pacific and they never looked back. Green added another goal for the Atlantic at 3:26 of the second, but that was as close as they would get. Rakell added his second goal of the game with 2:36 to play to cap the scoring.

Boeser was named the All-Star Game MVP with two goals and one assist on the day.