(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)

Kovalev is new Rocket, earns All-Star MVP honors

By IRA PODELL,

MONTREAL (AP) 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.

"The last 5 minutes and going into the overtime you could tell neither team wanted to lose," said West defenseman Dan Boyle, one of 28 players with a point. "I've seen some of the games in the past, and I didn't think this one was too bad."

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.

"It was awesome," said Jonathan Toews, one of Chicago's two 20-year old All-Stars. "Everything was just so in sync, and the skill was unbelievable. The fans were so involved with everything that was happening on the ice. It was just a perfect ending to a perfect weekend."

Alex Ovechkin sealed the East's victory with a goal in the third round of the shootout. It capped off a night in which the NHL's reigning regular-season MVP had a goal and two assists.

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.

Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby, who received a record number of votes this season, wasn't able to play because of a recent knee injury. He was warmly greeted during pregame introductions as team owner Mario Lemieux looked on from a suite.

Also missing were Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings, the Stanley Cup champions who were represented only by coach Mike Babcock on the West bench

Ovechkin, the reigning NHL MVP and the champion of the breakaway challenge in Saturday's skill competition, answered Keith Tkachuk's goal on the West's first shot with one 5:10 later at 6:26, finishing off a sweet give-and-go with Boston's Marc Savard - who scored the winning goal in the final minute of last year's All-Star game.

The sold-out crowd voiced oohs and ahhs at moves such as Evgeni Malkin's puck-dribbling on his stick and his between-the-legs pass to himself that preceded his unassisted goal 7:45 into the second period that made it 7-4 for the East.

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."

Updated January 26, 2009