Canadian Olympic gold medalist Sidney Crosby of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia was named the most valuable player of the National Hockey League All-Star Game for the first time in his NHL career on Saturday from San Jose, California. In the championship game of the tournament, Crosby had two goals and three assists for five points as the Metropolitan Division beat the Central Division 10-5.
In the two mini-games, Crosby, a center for the Pittsburgh Penguins, had four goals and four assists for eight points. To qualify for the final, he had two goals and one assist as the Metropolitan Division beat the Atlantic Division 7-4.
In the Metropolitan Division win over the Central Division, Crosby had an assist on a goal by New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal of Vancouver, British Columbia to open the scoring at the 22 second mark of the period. Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins teammate, defenseman Kris Letang of Montreal, Quebec, recorded the other assist. Crosby then got on the scoresheet again at the 3:40 mark, when he and Barzal picked up assists on a goal by Letang to put the Metropolitan Division up 3-0. Crosby’s first goal came from Barzal at 9:55 to put the Metropolitan Division up 5-0. Crosby then scored again from Barzal at 14:02 of the period to put the Metropolitan Division up 6-2. Crosby’s final point was an assist on a goal by Barzal at 17:16 of the period to put the Metropolitan Division up 9-3. Letang once again had the other assist.
Crosby becomes the fourth Penguins player to be named the most valuable player of the NHL All-Star Game. The other three are Canadian. Greg Polis of Westlock, Alberta won in 1973, Syl Apps Jr. of Toronto, Ontario won in 1975 and Mario Lemieux of Montreal, Quebec won in 1985, 1988 and 1990.
