- 42nd National Hockey League All-Star Game
Infobox ice hockey game
game_name = 42nd NHL All-Star Game
visitor = Wales
home = Campbell
visitor_per1 = 1
visitor_per2 = 2
visitor_per3 = 2
visitor_total = 5
home_per1 = 2
home_per2 = 5
home_per3 = 4
home_total = 11
date =January 19 1991
arena =Chicago Stadium
city =Chicago, Illinois
MVP =Vincent Damphousse (Toronto)
attendance = 18,472The 42ndNational Hockey League All-Star Game took place inChicago Stadium , home of theChicago Blackhawks , onJanuary 19 ,1991 .Commissioner's Choice
The 1991 game saw much controversy in team selection, as Wales
head coach Mike Milbury included enforcerChris Nilan and checkerBrian Skrudland ahead of better players such asKirk Muller andGuy Lafleur . Nilan and Skrudland, however, would both be sidelined, however, due to injury. As a result of Milbury's apparent abuse of power, the league'sboard of governors quickly stated that future teams would be chosen by committee.One immediate effect of this was the ability for the commissioner to appoint two "senior" players to honor their years in the game (one for each team) -
Guy Lafleur and Bobby Smith were the first two stars appointed in this manner.The other change, which would not happen until a year later, was because only two goaltenders were selected for the all-star game: as
Edmonton Oilers coachJohn Muckler also coached the Campbell squad, many were considerably irked when Oilers goalieBill Ranford was chosen over Chicago's ownEd Belfour , who was at the time the best goaltender that season, leading to the Chicago fans booing Ranford when he replaced starter Mike Vernon in the second period. To avoid this, Muckler stated that three goaltenders should be selected in the future, with each goaltender playing a period - and the league made it so.The War on Fighting
The 42nd classic was broadcast not only in the U.S. and Canada, but for soldiers abroad fighting in
Operation Desert Storm , and players wore decals on their helmets as a symbolic gesture of support. However, some, likeWayne Gretzky (whose grandfather was a veteran ofWorld War I and whose cousin was abroad at the time), called for the game to be canceled. Gretzky, however, was more adamant on the state of fighting in the NHL, saying that he was continually tired of sportscasters stating that "it looks like a hockey game out there" when abench-clearing brawl takes place in other sports.Heroes' Fall
Unlike the previous year, the Heroes of Hockey game was contested between Blackhawks alumni and the "best of the rest", akin to the all-star games of old. However, it was without its boycotters. Joining
Gordie Howe were some of the greatest players of all, includingBobby Orr ,Ted Lindsay , andFrank Mahovlich (Bobby Hull was also notably opposed, but played anyway due to the game being in Chicago). At the center of this argument, however, were pensions: theNational Hockey League Alumni Association believed that there was a $12 million pension surplus in which they were entitled to, and one of the more convincing arguments to support their case was that 26-year veteran Howe was being paid only $1200 per month from this pension fund - noticeably below what he would have gotten if he had pursued a career elsewhere, as he noted.Super Skills Competition
The
Wales Conference won its first Super Skills competition in All-Star Game history, although the majority of the individual events was won byCampbell Conference participants. Even thoughAl MacInnis won the Hardest Shot event he was 3 mph off of breakingAl Iafrate 's mark that was set in the 1990 Super Skills. However,Mark Messier andPatrick Roy would establish new individual events records.Individual Event winners
* Accuracy Shooting -
Mark Messier (Edmonton Oilers ) - 4 hits, 6 shots
* Hardest Shot -Al MacInnis (Calgary Flames ) - 94.0 mph
* Goaltenders Competition -Patrick Roy (Montreal Canadiens ) - 2 GA, 25 shotsThe Game
Toronto Maple Leafs ' left wingerVincent Damphousse scored four goals as theCampbell Conference defeated theWales Conference 11–5 in front of a sell-out crowd atChicago Stadium and a world wide television audience that was the largest in All-Star Game history. Damphousse tallied three of his four goals in the third period to be named All-Star M.V.P. and would become just the third player in All-Star Game history to record 4 goals in a game, which is shared byWayne Gretzky andMario Lemieux . Damphousse's performance also overshadowed a five-point performance by St. Louis Blues centerAdam Oates who recorded one goal and four assists in the game.Boxscore
* Referee:
Terry Gregson
* Linesmen:Jerry Pateman ,Dan Schachte
* TV: NBC, TSN, SRCNotes
+
Brett Hull was voted as a starter, but was unable to play due to injury.Adam Oates was his replacement.
*Chris Nilan andBrian Skrudland named to Wales team, but did not play.
*Larry Robinson named to Campbell team, but did not play.ee also
*
1990–91 NHL season
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