While the Metropolitan Division lost in the semifinal of the three-on-three tournament by a score of 10-6 at the 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin earned a goal and three points. Both of his assists came on goals by Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby.
At 6:19 of the semifinal, Crosby picked the puck off of the wall, played catch with Ovechkin, and tucked one in down low.
Alex Ovechkin + Sidney Crosby = Greatness 👏 pic.twitter.com/N3CbI3Wl0Y
— ESPN (@espn) February 4, 2023
Crosby buried a give-and-go with Ovechkin again after Ullmark turned the puck over to Crosby at 11:58.
A 2-on-0 with Crosby and Ovechkin? A goalie’s worst nightmare. pic.twitter.com/9MtPygujqv
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 4, 2023
Just 23 seconds later, Ovechkin’s wristed a shot from the left dot that squeaked past the glove of Ullmark.
Ovechkin, from Fox and Crosby. pic.twitter.com/CxMbO1Q1Fp
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 4, 2023
ESPN’s Kevin Weekes spoke with both players on the bench.
This @KevinWeekes mid-game interview with Alex Ovechkin on the bench is amazing#ALLCAPS | #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/gV08cfJbzM
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) February 4, 2023
While the two’s friendship has been a storyline from the weekend, there were a lot of nice plays as you would expect with the best in the world on one ice sheet.
😂 #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/3bdj8xIBfM
— #ALLCAPS (@JonItBe) February 4, 2023
You can watch Ovechkin’s postgame from Saturday’s event below.
Alex Ovechkin talks to the media after the 2023 #NHLAllStar Game#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/RQFxPm2DkW
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 4, 2023
Here are other highlights from the event:
Semifinal #1 — Pacific vs. Central
3:48: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid buried a give-and-go with San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson after a turnover by Minnesota Wild left-wing Kirill Kaprizov.
Karlsson to 👉 McDavid is what dreams are made of on a 2-on-1 🌟#NHLAllStar | @SanJoseSharks | @EdmontonOilers pic.twitter.com/gV5YEuAw8u
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 4, 2023
6:52: Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones wristed one blocker-side on Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson on a give-and-go with St. Louis Blues left-wing Vladimir Tarasenko after getting a turnover at the offensive blueline.
Seth Jones works hard and buries Tarasenko’s cross-crease dish#Blackhawks | #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/gCuMARD11o
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) February 4, 2023
8:39: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon buried a cross-crease feed by Colorado left-wing Mikko Rantanen at the left post.
Mikko Rantanen with a wicked backdoor feed to set up Nathan MacKinnon for his second goal#GoAvsGo | #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/NVjDxEjwde
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) February 4, 2023
10:18: Arizona Coyotes left-wing Clayton Keller deked and went to the backhand high glove on Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner on a two-on-one rush with Tarasenko.
Clayton Keller doubles the Central’s lead with a backhand tally in tight#Yotes | #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/B2NB73pRIu
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) February 4, 2023
17:26: Karlsson got a backhand feed from Edmonton center Leon Draisaitl from the right dot and wristed a bullet to the top corner.
Erik Karlsson 🚀 beats Saros#SJSharks | #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/HKM5zUCI8Z
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) February 4, 2023
Semifinal #2 — Metropolitan vs. Atlantic
0:36: Florida Panthers left-wing Matthew Tkachuk deked on a breakaway and went high blocker on New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin after getting sent in by Florida center Aleksander Barkov.
Matthew Tkachuk (@TKACHUKycheese_) wastes no time getting on the board to make the home crowd happy! 😁 #NHLAllStar
🇺🇸: @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/o4lG9EM1XS
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/qJBRv5rIZ4 #NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/M7EECrcra3— NHL (@NHL) February 4, 2023
9:04: Toronto Maple Leafs right-wing Mitch Marner spun around down low, played catch with Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki, and pot one in at the left post.
NICK SUZUKI marque son 1er but à un Match des étoiles à la suite d’un bel échange avec Mitch Marner 🥵 pic.twitter.com/Wxf7fA08bl
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) February 4, 2023
10:25: Columbus Blue Jackets left-wing Johnny Gaudreau wristed one high glove on Boston goaltender Linus Ullmark on a breakaway.
it’s tricky 🚨
tricky 🚨
tricky 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Li1O2SLp0C— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) February 4, 2023
14:31: Kucherov curled and shoveled the puck by the pad of Sorokin at the right side of the net.
The hands of Nikita Kucherov #GoBolts #TBLightning #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/jTUzqdZge5
— Lightning Insider (@Erik_Erlendsson) February 4, 2023
15:51: After Suzuki paused and sidestepped Crosby, he drove to the net and set up Pastrnak at the right post.
David Pastrnak com a assistência primária no gol de desempate#NHLBruins #NHLAllStar #BrasilTemNHL pic.twitter.com/LtTEUgu7fk
— Boston Strong 🇧🇷 (@BostonStrongBR) February 4, 2023
16:50: Brady Tkachuk sent his brother on a breakaway and he clapped one to the left corner.
Hat-trick for Matthew Tkachuk 🥳🎩#NHLAllStar | @FlaPanthers pic.twitter.com/vMXERwJiIn
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 4, 2023
19:38: Pastrnak deked, opened Sorokin’s five hole, and put one in.
David Pastrnak pickpockets Ovechkin and buries a beaut on the breakaway, 10-6 Atlantic!#NHLBruins | #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/hRsk8VFh8F
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) February 4, 2023
The NHL announced prior to Saturday’s game that the 2024 All-Star Weekend will be held at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario from February 2-3.
By Harrison Brown
I remember when they actually played hockey for an All-Star game. This was pathetic. Only thing missing was the organ playing Waltzes.
Those days are long gone. Same for most sports. Everyone is making “business decisions” rather than playing for the competition and to win for winning’s sake.
Eh, it’s good overtime practice. Plus, you don’t want the best players in the league getting injured battling in the corners in some meaningless ASG. Sid and Ovi were fun, makes you wonder what kind of numbers they’d put up in some alternative universe where they’re on the same team.
This isn’t all-star game any longer it’s a 3 on 3 glorified non contact scrimmage!! Completely unwatchable.
If they NHL wants to attract viewers move game Outdoors & replace the Stadium Series! And for love of god go back to conference teams or better yet go back to original format &?have previous years champs play an All Star team!
Hell even an NHL verses AHL ALL STAR game would be more interesting!
Cute weekend. Not much hockey though.
It’s an exhibition, not a competition. Why not throw in an AllStar team from the women’s hockey league (whatever it is these days)? A team of NHL alumni? A team from last year’s Frozen Four winner? I’d go for an AHL AllStar team but that would take away from their AllStar celebration so I doubt they would do it.
I’m not sure it would make the NHLers compete more but I think it would make the exhibition more interesting.