2016 NHL All-Star Game: Johnny Gaudreau, Mark Giordano battle for Pacific glory

At long last, the NHL All-Star Weekend is just about over. The skills competition provided a few highlights, although none really involving the Flames; more of the John Scott and P.K. Subban/Jaromir Jagr and Brent Burns variety (with a little bit of Vancouver Canucks goaltending controversy thrown in there for good measure). Johnny Gaudreau excelled at the puck control portion of the Skills Challenge Relay, while Mark Giordano went two-for-two on the one-timer, but neither were able to score during the Shootout.

But now it’s time for the main event: the actual game itself. Or rather, games, as the new format this year is a 3-on-3 mini tournament. Here’s a watch-along post, if you’re so inclined!

First, at 3 p.m. MT, Team Metropolitan faces off against Team Atlantic; then, at 4 p.m. MT, it’ll be Team Pacific vs. Team Central. The winners of each game will then face each other to take home the ultimate prize at 5 p.m. MT. All games will be broadcast on CBC and Sportsnet.

Each game will be 20 minutes long, so there probably won’t be 60 goals a game as there likely would have been otherwise. Teams change ends at the 10-minute mark, and if they’re tied after the full 20, it goes to a shootout. Considering how the East dominated the shootout portion of the Skills Competition – their goalies would not let any pucks in – hopefully things just finish up in regulation.

Gaudreau and Giordano are two of the most important players on the best overtime team in the NHL, so you’ve gotta like the Flames representatives’ chances to show their stuff. 

And probably get a ton of puppies while they’re at it, if we know anything about Gaudreau playing 3-on-3. Go Team Pacific!

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