SAN JOSE, Calif. — Connor McDavid won the fastest skater competition once more however Kendall Coyne Schofield gained over the crowd.
The U.S. women’s hockey star became the first woman ever to compete in the NHL All-Star skills contest on Friday night, rushing round the racket in some time competitive with the top skaters in the men’s match in a barrier-breaking second for women’s hockey.
“The crowd had been electrifying,” stated Coyne Schofield, that took the position of wounded Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon. “To hear the USA chants, everybody awakened once I started. Certainly gave me some endings and the adrenaline was pumping. ”
Coyne Schofield was the first skater to select the ice and ended her lap in 14.346 seconds, impressing the NHL’s biggest stars with her speed.
“When she shot me off, I was like, ‘Wow!’ ” McDavid said after winning his third fastest skater competition. “I believed she may have won the way she moved. She had been a really good skater which was an remarkable thing for the sport to see her participate like this in an event like this. ”
The 26-year-old Coyne Schofield plays for the Minnesota Whitecaps of the National Women’s Hockey League and won an Olympic gold medal for the United States last February.
She found out earlier Friday that she have the opportunity if MacKinnon pulled out with the injury and subsequently took advantage of the chance. She had been previously invited to All-Star weekend along with other women’s gamers from the U.S. and Canadian teams but today she had the opportunity to perform on the huge stage.
“My very first impression was, I could do so. “My speed is definitely my power. Clearly, I was a little nervous. I understood it had been a moment that may break a whole lot of barriers and also a second that would change the understanding of our match and show service. ”
She finished seventh out of eight skaters, beating Arizona forwards Clayton Keller’s time of 14.526 seconds.
“She beat me she’so doing something appropriate,” Keller stated. “She’s quickly. I was surprised. It was amazing to find that. It was a excellent adventure for the NHL to get her perform this occasion. It was very cool. ”
McDavid skated past and completed his first lap in 13.378 moments, edging Buffalo’s Jack Eichel (13.582) and the New York Islanders’ Mathew Barzal (13.780).
The other winners in the NHL All-Star skills contest Friday night were Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau in the puck management contest, the New York Rangers Henrik Lundqvist from the save streak contest, Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl in the premier passer contest, Washington’s John Carlson in the toughest shot, and Boston’s David Pastrnak for shooting.
Gaudreau narrowly beat out Chicago’s Patrick Kane from the puck management contest as the two were one of the contestants that made it without a mishap. Gaudreau completed the course in 27.045 seconds, beating out Kane’s time of 28.611 to replicate his title from one year ago.
Lundqvist stopped 12 breakaways to win the save lineup contest. Lundqvist threw up his arms in celebration after stopping John Tavares for his ninth save in a row, topping Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy to the best place.
Draisaitl completed the passing contest in 1:09.088, beating out Carolina’s Sebastian Aho.
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Carlson beat out local fan preferred Brent Burns for its toughest shot, recording the fastest two times at 102.8 mph and 100.8 mph. Burns missed the net on his very first attempt and had the next fastest time on his next try at 100.6 mph. Carlson’s teammate, Alex Ovechkin, won the contest.
Pastrnak completed the drill in 11.309 seconds to edge out Pittsburgh’so called Kris Letang, that had a time of 12.693 seconds. Toronto’s Auston Matthews attracted enormous applause by donning the jersey of teammate Patrick Marleau, a longtime San Jose Shark, but finished in the contest after he stopped after hitting only four of their five goals.
“He’s a legend here for everything that he s done for the town,” Matthews stated. “All of the chants made me nervous, I forgot there were five goals. ”
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