Lidstrom Comes Out On Top In Star-Studded Affair

Alex Ovechkin celebrates his goal with Daniel Sedin.

Team Lidstrom defeated Team Staal in the 58th NHL All-Star Game this evening, taking home the spoils with an 11-10 victory.  Team Staal skated out to a 4-0 lead in the first five minutes, but Lidstrom's squad stormed back to tie before the end of the frame, and from then on, it was a very even and entertaining game. However, in the end, it was the men in the electric blue jerseys who won, with Loui Eriksson of the Dallas Stars scoring the game winner into an empty net (Eric Staal scored to bring his team within one after the empty-netter, making Eriksson's tally the game winner).  Blackhawks winger Patrick Sharp took home MVP honors for the losing side, with a goal and two assists on his ledger for the game, and Tim Thomas found a way to win his third consecutive All-Star game.
The contest was classic Alex Ovechkin as well: the Capitals captain had a goal, assist, and was minus-two in 16:02 of ice time.  He also gave team Lidstrom a penalty shot when he slid his stick at Matt Duchene while the Avalanche center was in on a breakaway.  Thankfully, the 20-year forward was still suffering the aftereffects from the "too much vodka" he had drank the previous night (just kidding), and he was stopped by Henrik Lundqvist, saving Ovechkin a lot of embarrassment and post-game ridicule.

And now, back to business.  The Capitals will be on ice for practice tomorrow morning at 5 P.M. at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex as they prepare to host the Canadiens on Tuesday night.  That must-win game (aren't they all?) is scheduled for 7:30 P.M. and will be broadcast on Versus.