Alex Kovalev - AK27 L'ARTISTE!

"There's no way I'm going to miss that one," Kovalev said after scoring the shootout goal that proved to be the winner in the East's 12-11 victory over the West in the 57th NHL All-Star game. The home of hockey produced an All-Star shootout from start to finish. All that was missing was Rocket Richard.

Difficile d'imaginer un meilleur scénario. Alex Kovalev, joueur chéri des partisans du Canadien de Montréal et capitaine de la formation de l'Est pour le match des étoiles, est nommé joueur par excellence de la partie que son équipe a finalement remportée en tirs de barrage par le pointage de 12-11. L'Artiste semblait parfaitement à l'aise sur une glace remplie d'étoiles. Il a marqué trois buts, dont un en tirs de barrage, en plus damasser une passe.

Price, Markov et Komisarek sillustrent à leur façon. Les autres joueurs du CH présents à la classique ont aussi trouvé une façon de tirer leur épingle du jeu. Carey Price a plutôt bien fait pendant sa période de travail en naccordant que deux buts. Il a dailleurs été le gardien le moins généreux du match. Andrei Markov a quant à lui marqué une fois, tandis que Mike Komisarek a été le seul joueur à écoper dune pénalité dans la rencontre. - MATHIEU HORTH GAGNÉ, MÉTRO

Alex Kovalev made his mark well before he stared down Montreal native Roberto Luongo in the shootout. The only problem was the NHL All-Star game was still tied when Kovalev set out on yet another breakaway. With two 1-on-1 goals and an assist already in the bank during Sunday night's midseason classic, Kovalev gave the Eastern Conference the little extra oomph it needed to finally finish off the West.

"There's no way I'm going to miss that one," Kovalev said after scoring the shootout goal that proved to be the winner in the East's 12-11 victory over the West in the 57th NHL All-Star game. The home of hockey produced an All-Star shootout from start to finish. All that was missing was Rocket Richard.

In the city where the NHL was born 92 years earlier, Kovalev gave Montreal and Canadiens fans something new to cheer about in the 100th season of the league's most storied franchise.Kovalev, the Canadiens' biggest current star, scored two breakaway goals and then capped the night off in the shootout. "You can't ask for a better package than this," said Kovalev, the game's MVP. "Get voted in the All-Star game by the fans, starting lineup, being the captain, get MVP. This is something to remember the rest of your life." It was the second-highest scoring game in All-Star history and the fifth decided after regulation. The West erased an early deficit and outshot the East 22-13 after the second period, 54-48 overall.

Several times, faceoffs were delayed as Hall of Fame Canadiens such as Henri Richard — the brother of the late Maurice "Rocket" Richard — Dickie Moore and Yvan Cournoyer stepped out of the tunnel and waved to the crowd as part of the season-long celebration of Montreal's special anniversary. While fans cheered, players showed their appreciation with on-ice stick tapping. Linesman Pierre Racicot, from the Montreal area, tucked the puck away so he could clap for the Canadiens heroes, too.

For the first time since shootouts were implemented by the NHL to eliminate ties after the 2004-05 lockout, an All-Star game was decided by penalty shots. A shootout also settled the West's 6-5 win over the East in 2003. The teams were tied 8-8 after 40 minutes, and the East grabbed two leads in the final regulation frame.

The only power play went to the West, and it took until overtime to get it. Canadiens defenseman Mike Komisarek went off for hooking 2:22 into the extra session, and — with fans chanting "Defense! Defense!" — Boston goalie Tim Thomas held off the West and earned his second straight one-goal, All-Star win with 19 saves on 22 shots. Thomas stopped Phoenix's Shane Doan and Columbus' Rick Nash in a perfect shootout performance.

Kovalev, one of four Canadiens in the starting lineup, scored the first of his goals in the opening period when his team opened a 4-1 lead against Anaheim goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere — a Montreal native. "I wasn't surprised," said New York Islanders defenseman Mark Streit, a former Canadiens teammate of Kovalev's. "The stage was set and he had a really great game. Everybody knows he has a lot of skills and he played unbelievable. It was fun to watch."

Monday, January 26, 2009
Ira Podell, Associated Press

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[surfersurfer10]

Kovi,Kovi,Kovi....il vas nous donner la coupe!!

[LSQuebec]

Bon choix!

Belles initaitives!

Bons supports!

Bonnes décisions tout au long du match!

Définitivement Oui!

Le banc du CH est mieux gérer sous Bob Gainey!

;)

Bravo Kovi;)

[bfmyac]

HERO at the sens skills last weekend he pulled a one handed shot top right corner FOOLED ELLIOT

[sk8bord333]

i love how he has enough strength in one arm to score top shelf... i tried that at practice fucking hard

[sk8bord333]

kovy is my fav player... i'll miss him. He reported that after his two years he wants to retire in mtl

[kevintube277]

Il va revenir dans 2 Ans donc en 2011-2012

[LesHabsSontLesBest]

KOVALEV A OTTAWA :'( Ses plate :( Je taiiimee KOKO :D (L)

[positivechange2020]

I didn't like Hockey until Kovy showed me how great a sport it can be.

[VanessaGirl0]

Le canadien viens de perdre le meilleur et Ottawa se met sur la map, jirais le voir la bas;) Kovalev xxox

[13peacelove13]

Bravo KOVY.

LE CH DE MERDE DE GAINEY NE TE MERITE PAS

[13peacelove13]

Premièrement nous n'avons pas ni n'aurons jamais la preuve qu'il aurait refuser l'offre de Gainey, les montants sont faussés, le dernier mensonge de Gainey est énorme, un jour la vérité sortira...

Gomex et les deux autres G sont des merdes, rejetés de leurs propres équipes., de merdique joueurs.

Une seule chose est certaine, le Ch ne s'en remettra pas, jamais!

[pierrickcaron12]

kovy is the best!!