The Dogs lost one game in extra time as they coasted to the finals and a date with the upstart Rimouski Oceanic, who beat two higher seeds and took advantage of title contenders beating each other up.

Saint John had a relatively easy time in their first three rounds. The top team in the QMJHL regular season swept the 16^th-ranked Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, and then swept the 13^th-ranked Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the second round.

The Chicoutimi Sagueneens were able to take one game from the Sea Dogs in overtime, but the Dogs dispatched the eighth-ranked Sags in five games.

Meanwhile, the Rimouski Oceanic had a much rougher trip to the final series. The seventh-ranked team in the Quebec circuit swept the 10^th-ranked Val-d’Or Foreurs in the first round.

The Oceanic then downed the third-ranked Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in a seventh game, 5-4, that featured many momentum swings and lead changes, punctuated by forward Peter Trainor’s goal late in the third period.

Rimouski then dispatched the upstart Halifax Mooseheads in six games to advance to the President’s Cup final.

Many of the league’s top teams underperformed in this year’s playoffs.

The Victoriaville Tigres didn’t manage to win a single game, getting swept by the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in round one. The Tigres were favoured to make a heavy run at the President’s Cup this season, boasting the league’s best offence, but they gave up 22 goals in four games to the Drakkar.

The Quebec Remparts easily dispatched the Drummondville Voltigeurs in round one, but then coughed up a 3-0 series strangehold to the Halifax Mooseheads in round two, including losing the decisive game seven in overtime on home ice.

Perhaps the biggest shock of all was the Shawinigan Cataractes losing in round two to the Sagueneens, also in game seven at home. The Cataractes, this year’s Memorial Cup host, will proceed to the tournament through the back door, waiting a full month before taking the ice again.

The final starts tonight at Harbour Station in Saint John, and is a 2-3-2 format, meaning that games three, four and five will be played in Rimouski.

Let’s take an in-depth look at the two teams left in the QMJHL:

GOALTENDING – Saint John’s Mathieu Corbeil hasn’t been tested all that much, but has put up good numbers. Corbeil has a 2.31 GAA and a .914 save percentage in his 13 starts. Conversely, Rimouski’s Jacob Gervais-Chouinard has provided adequate goaltending, though his numbers don’t shine. He has a 3.11 GAA, decent, and a .888 save percentage, not-so-decent. Against a team as deep on offence as the Sea Dogs, expect them to crash the net hard for rebounds. Chouinard’s numbers will improve, possibly only due to the number of shots he’s going to face.  ADVANTAGE: Saint John

DEFENCE: The Sea Dogs are deep on D, with Nathan Beaulieu, Charles-Olivier Roussel, Kevin Gagne and Pierre Durepos doing the heavy-lifting. Saint John has only given up 31 goals in 13 games, by far the most impressive mark in the league. Beaulieu and Roussel are excellent offensively on the back-end and Durepos and Gagne can be rocks defensively. Gagne has also chipped in with 13 points so far in the spring. The Oceanic boast a number of key veterans on the blue-line, though not nearly the depth the Sea Dogs have. They do have defencemen scoring leader Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, who has put together 15 points in 17 playoff games. As well, they rely on Leduc’s partner, Casey Babineau, and captain Etienne Boutet. 20-year-olds Jean-Philippe Mathieu and Pier-Luc Pelletier will also be asked to take over with experience. ADVANTAGE: Saint John

OFFENCE: This one is easy. In 13 games, the Sea Dogs have scored 83 times, for an average of more than six goals a game. They also have three of the league’s top four playoff scorers in Charlie Coyle, Zack Phillips and Stan Galiev. Coyle leads the league in goals with 14. Not to mention they also have 47-goal scorer Danick Gauthier, game breaker Jonathan Huberdeau and dangler Tomas Jurco. Huberdeau will be suspended for the first two games of the series due to a controversial hit in game five against Chicoutimi. Conversely, the Oceanic have scored 70 goals in 17 games, for a more pedestrian four plus goals a game. They do boast a good amount of scoring depth, however. Alexandre Mallet and Alex Belzile are sixth and seventh in the QMJHL playoff scoring race, with 22 and 21 points respectively. They also have Trainor in the top twenty. Trainor has four game winners so far this season. ADVANTAGE: Saint John

COACHING: This will be Saint John head coach Gerard Gallant’s 12^th playoff series in the last three playoffs. He has only lost one, the President’s Cup final in 2010 to the Moncton Wildcats. He coached his team to a Memorial Cup victory last season. If anyone in the CHL has any taste of what’s to come, it’s him. He has the brains and the experience to get the team over the hump. Meanwhile, Rimouski head coach Serge Beausoleil is a league rookie. So far, he has been able to out-match and out-last Marc-Andre Dumont, Eric Veilleux and Dominique Ducharme. None of them carry the pedigree of Gallant, a former NHL coach. Gallant is licking his chops here. ADVANTAGE: Saint John

PREDICTION: The Sea Dogs juggernaut hasn’t been stopped yet, and has only been contained once. I feel it may be contained once again, on the road, but that’s about it. Saint John’s best playmaker, Jonathan Huberdeau, will be unavailable for the first two games of the series. I wouldn’t expect the Sea Dogs to skip a beat, but it may be Rimouski’s best chance to get a split and go home with some momentum. Ultimately, I feel Rimouski wins one game at home, but loses the series in five games to a much more battle-tested team.

Houser played an incredible 62 games between the pipes for the first place Knights backstopping the club to their fifth Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the OHL’s top regular season team.  Also named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year, Houser posted a record of 46-15-0-1 tying the OHL single season record for most wins by a goaltender set by Andrew Engelage of the OHL Champion Windsor Spitfires in 2009.

“It’s a huge honour,” said Houser.  “There are a lot of great players in the league, especially this year, and it is nice to be recognized.  It’s an award that I couldn’t have won without the teammates in front of me.  They play hard every night and they make my job a lot easier.  A lot of thanks go out to them.”

Houser is just the fifth goaltender to receive the prestigious Red Tilson Trophy following Andrew Raycroft (Kingston 2000), Bill Harrington (Kitchener 1952), Glenn Hall (Windsor 1951), and Gil Mayer (Barrie 1949).  He is also the fifth member of the Knights to win the award following Corey Perry in 2005, Jason Allison in 1994, Dave Simpson in 1982, and Dennis Maruk in 1975.  The 19-year-old native of Wexford, PA, is also just the third American-born player to win the award following David Legwand (Plymouth 1998), and Pat Peake (Detroit 1993).

“We’re honoured to have had Michael on our team once again this season,” said Knights General Manager and Head Coach Mark Hunter.  “He’s a leader both on and off the ice and is definitely one of our hardest workers setting an example for the rest of the team.  Houser is one of the biggest reasons we finished first overall and have made it all the way to the Rogers OHL Championship Series and we’re pleased to see him receive the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player of the Year.”

Undrafted into the OHL, Houser joined the Knights prior to the 2009-10 season and has already played in 141 regular season contests.  His 62 games played led all OHL goaltenders this season while his 1862 saves was also the league’s top mark.  He finished second with six shutout victories while his goals-against-average of 2.47 was third-best in the league, and his save percentage of .925 ranked fourth overall.  In this year’s Western Conference Coaches Poll, he appeared in three categories and was considered the Best Shootout Goalie, the second Hardest Worker, and the third Best Puckhandling goalie.  This season Houser stopped at least 30 shots in 36 different games including six games with 40 or more saves.

The Red Tilson Trophy is the most prestigious individual award presented by the Ontario Hockey League.  Accredited media were asked to select their top three choices from the 20 nominees representing all 20 member clubs.  Players received five points for a first place selection, three points for second place and one point for a third place selection.

In the 80 ballots collected, Houser received 182 points in the voting process and was listed as the number one selection on 30 of the submitted ballots.  OHL Top Scorer Michael Sgarbossa of the Sudbury Wolves finished in second place with 164 voting points, ahead of Tyler Toffoli of the Ottawa 67’s who received 106 voting points, and Mark Visentin of the Niagara IceDogs who received 104 voting points.

The trophy is named in honour of Albert “Red” Tilson, who was killed in action in Europe during World War II. Tilson was the OHA scoring champion for the 1942-43 season after scoring 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 22 games with the Oshawa Generals.

Other winners of the Red Tilson Trophy include Frank Mahovlich (Toronto 1957), Mike Foligno (Sudbury, 1979), Doug Gilmour (Cornwall 1983), Eric Lindros (Oshawa 1991), Brian Campbell (Ottawa 1999), Brad Boyes (Erie 2001 & 2002), Corey Locke (Ottawa 2003 & 2004), John Tavares (Oshawa 2007), Cody Hodgson (Brampton 2009), Tyler Seguin (Plymouth 2010), and Ryan Ellis (Windsor 2011).

Houser will be the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year Award presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony during the 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup in Shawinigan.

The Remparts may have two.

Both goalies have started at least 34 games, and both have won at least 20 times.

Louis Domingue, 19, is the proverbial greybeard and Francois Brassard, 17, the protégé, but both have been able to steal games for Patrick Roy’s Remparts this season.

Domingue, a Phoenix second round pick, has 22 wins on the season while Brassard, eligible for the 2012 NHL draft, has 20. Domingue has 38 starts to Brassard’s 34 heading into the weekend of March 10.

Head coach Patrick Roy said that both goalies have the talent to be starting netminders in the QMJHL.

“It’s good for us,” he said. “One can pick it up when the other is struggling. The team is confident in either goalie.

“[Domingue] had been struggling recently and [Brassard] has been picking up the slack.”

Domingue is at a kind of crossroads in his career. He has the talent to go far, but analysts question his confidence level going forward. After his playoff meltdown last season, where the favoured Remparts were upset by the Gatineau Olympiques en route to the President’s Cup finals, analysts are saying his weakness isn’t on the ice, but between his ears. He may simply be too fragile mentally to succeed in the NHL.

He was selected to Team Canada’s development camp in the summer and in December, but failed to secure one of the two goalie spots.

He has a stellar record of 24-8-2-2 so far this season, with four shutouts, but has also had ups and downs this season in play, including a stretch of 3-9 early in 2012.

His coach was one of the best goaltenders to ever play the game. He said that he feels Domingue could be a great talent in the pro ranks if he can sort out his consistency.

“He has the ability to be the best goaltender in the league,” Roy said. “At the same time, he can also be the worst goalie in the league. He needs to find his consistency.

“He has a great amount of talent, and has the tools to make it far, but coaches want to see their goalies win, and win consistently. It is his greatest weakness, and something he’ll have to overcome. He can do it.”

Domingue agrees with his coach’s assessment on his game.

“I have to improve my consistency,” he said. “That is what they look for at the next level. It’s a key to any goalie’s play. As well, I want to improve my style and my technique. You can always improve.

“Biggest thing, though, is to have fun out there. Bottom line, it’s still just a game.”

He says that he doesn’t have a specific goaltender he models his game after, but he has a few favourites.

“I was always a big Jeff Hackett fan growing up,” he said. “I liked the way he battled game to game.

“I also like what [New York Ranger goalie Henrik] Lundqvist is doing. He plays a solid game, always squared to the shooter. I try to emulate that in my technique; stay big and square to the shooter.”

His goaltending partner, Francois Brassard, is eligible to go in the NHL Entry Draft this season in Pittsburgh. He is currently ranked 16^th among North American goalies, and he has a record of 20-7-3-0 so far this season.

Roy believes he has a good shot to get drafted.

“I like his chances,” Roy said. “I don’t have any idea as to where.

“He’s very consistent. He’s been great overall for us at 17. He’s got great hands, and a good vision of the play.

Brassard said that he takes a few different goalies into account when he considers his style.

“There are several styles I look at,” he said. “Goalies like Lundqvist, [Dallas Stars netminder Kari] Lehtonen, [Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre] Fleury and [Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey] Price are ones I target. They cover a lot of space and I try to do that too.

“Their foot speed is really good, too, and they are very good at squaring to the shooter.”

Brassard is surprised with his play so far this season.

“It’s a bit of a shock,” he said. “It’s been a great boost of confidence to see that my coach has that much trust in me, and it’s been great to share the net with Louis, who has an NHL contract.

“I just try to learn as much from him and Patrick every day.”

Domingue is now the veteran in this duo, but was also a rookie in a similar situation with the Moncton Wildcats and goaltender Nicola Riopel, now playing in the ECHL.

“We’re helping each other,” he said. “We push each other and we both want success for the team. We’re also friends, which helps too.

“Nic and I used to have a similar relationship, just help each other with tips and ideas while on and off the ice. I’m trying to use that experience to help out here, too.”

Brassard said that having a veteran presence helps him out a lot.

“He’s helped me out a great deal,” he said. “He’s been around the league a few times and he’s been like another coach for me. At the same time, he’s always friendly and we have a good relationship.

“He’s taught me about the league: what to watch out for, who does what, that kind of thing. He’s been great to me. It’s fun to play with Louis supporting me.”

“I enjoy the role,” Domingue added. “I love to help him out and he helps me too. We push each other well.”

Hudon validated their claims last season, walking away with the Michel Bergeron trophy, awarded to the QMJHL’s top offensive rookie, with 60 points in 63 games.

“He’s a good all around player,” Chicoutimi head coach Marc-Etienne Hubert said. “He can play both sides of the ice. He’s very skilled.”

So far, he ranks 96^th in the NHL’s central scouting list for 2012 draft eligible players. Some anticipated he would be in the first round, and may still with a late-season surge and the help he’ll have in Chicoutimi’s bolstered forward depth. Hudon is currently 25th in QMJHL scoring, with 58 points in 47 games so far this season.

With the Sagueneens acquiring forwards Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Christian Ouellet and defenceman Mathieu Gagnon at the trade deadline from Gatineau in two separate deals, the team doesn’t need to rely on Hudon, Guillaume Asselin and Etienne Brodeur for most of their offence. It will create a greater environment for the 17-year-old to succeed, off the top powerplay unit but still given important minutes to score.

“I try not to think about the draft rankings, to be honest,” he admitted. “I just play and let it do the talking. I just want to be picked, doesn’t matter where and when.”

Playing for the Sagueneens is a family thing for Hudon. His dad, Sylvain, played six games through three seasons in the early 1980s.

Hudon was born in Boisbriand, Quebec, but grew up in Alma, Quebec, on Lac St-Jean, near Chicoutimi in the Saguenay region, so it’s a homecoming of sorts to play for the Sagueneens.

“I watched them a lot as a kid,” he said. “I wanted to play with them from a young age. I remember going to games a lot and cheering them on. To play for them now is a bit of a dream, and helped me get accustomed to the league.”

Hudon’s size is a major sticking factor with many scouts. He is listed at 5’10”, but could be a generous 5’10”, and weighs in at 170 pounds. His size could keep him out of the first few rounds, scouts worried his game won’t translate with the bigger men.

The natural comparison is to compare Hudon to another mighty mite, Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis, but that may not be entirely correct. Hudon’s speed is another question mark; he likely won’t be as fast as St. Louis. By no means is he slow, but his explosiveness is a question mark for the next level.

Hudon’s coach suggests comparing him to another junior player, Saint John’s Jonathan Huberdeau.

“He plays a lot, on the powerplay and on the penalty kill units,” Hubert said. “He can do anything asked of him. He has made great strides this year already in his skating and the power in his legs.”

“His passing is great, and he sees the ice very well. His shot is also a strength.”

Hudon said that he wants to improve his skating and his overall game to make the jump to the pros.

“I feel my hands are just about there,” he said. “I want to definitely work on my speed and my acceleration. I want to not only get faster, but get quicker.”

Hubert added there’s been a lot of chatter about his young star.

“There’s a lot of talk about Charles; lots of it good,” he said. “We are working and training with him with what we hear, and trying to help him improve as a player.”

“He’s already a very talented hockey player.”

The Chicago Blackhawks’ third-round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft has played in all situations and in more of a shutdown role for Dubois’s team this season.

“He’s playing a bit more of a defensive role,” Dubois said. “He’s very versatile. He can play both when we’re up a goal or when we’re down a goal. He’s been excelling in a defensive role and taking key faceoffs for us.

“He’s a player coaches love to have.”

Hoefflin made his rookie season count last season as a member of the Quebec Remparts. The Chicago prospect grabbed 45 points in 54 games last season for the Remparts, adding 14 points in 15 games in the playoffs. The shifty center was an effective offensive weapon, using his blinding speed to blow by defenders, as well as his playmaking abilities to set up his linemates.

Shift to the summer, where Hoefflin was traded to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. In his second year, Hoefflin’s offensive numbers have dropped, to 25 points in 40 games so far, but his responsibilities have grown to being depended on as a two-way center.

Hoefflin said the change from Quebec to Bathurst didn’t affect his game.

“On the ice it’s all the same,” he said, referring to the difference in Quebec and Bathurst. “Playing in a big arena like Quebec is a great atmosphere, but playing in Bathurst is great too. Lots of support for the team, and we have a great group here.”

Hoefflin also was able to suit up with Team Germany at the World Junior Hockey Championships’ Division 1A at home. He had five points in five games for the national team, who swept the tourney and will be promoted to the top division next year.

This was Hoefflin’s third try with the national junior team, but he believes this was his most memorable trip.

“It’s always special to put on your country’s sweater,” he said. “It’s an honour.”

“It’s even more when you’re playing at home, and especially since we won,” Hoefflin continued. “It was a great time. We’re giving the younger guys a chance now to play with the big clubs, and that’s great for developing German hockey. It’s really special when you can help your team get promoted.”

Coach Dubois said that Hoefflin has been playing better since he returned to Bathurst.

“He came back very confident,” he said. “He’s playing like he has an extra jump in his game. It’s been a big help for us.”

Hoefflin said that he doesn’t really try to model his game after any one player. He said that he looks up to a few when he tries to work on his style. His favourite is a player he looks up to the most.

“I always admire Sidney Crosby,” he said. “He’s a player that can do it all. He’s good offensively and defensively. He’s always responsible and good all-around. When he has the puck, something happens.”

Hoefflin’s time in camp with the Blackhawks this season was a major building block for the young forward.

“To play with [Blackhawks players Jonathan] Toews, [Patrick] Kane, [Marian] Hossa and those talents, it makes you better,” he said.

“You grow a lot just playing with them,” he continued. “You see your skills improve quickly. Your hands and skating gets better and your thinking gets quicker. You try and look at what they’re doing and work your game to get where they are.”

2012 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Team Orr coach Pat Quinn and Team Cherry coach Mark Recchi have taken very different paths to reach this point in their hockey careers.

For Quinn, it’s been a career filled with ups-and-downs in his years of playing and coaching at the NHL level. Never winning a Stanley Cup, Quinn’s most prized victories as a coach were the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, the 2004 World Cup, and the 2008 IIHF World U18, and 2009 World Junior Championship.

His latest coaching stint was with the Edmonton Oilers in the 2009-2010 season, but was removed from the position after only one year. Now holding a Senior Advisor role with the club, Quinn says he’s happy to be back where he feels most comfortable.

“It kind of refreshes the memories I had with the under 18’s and under 20’s that I went to Russia with and then Ottawa,” Quinn said in a press conference on Tuesday. “Canadian kids are terrific and I really enjoyed that time then and I’m looking forward to this time now.”

On the flip-side, Recchi is less than a year removed from his days in the NHL, where he played over 1,600 career games, while amassing 577 goals and 1,533 points. The three-time Stanley Cup champion, most recently with the 2010-11 Boston Bruins, also said he’s looking forward to the opportunity.

“I’m a fan of junior hockey and a part owner, and really believe in the CHL,” Recchi said, referring to his hometown team of which he is involved with, the Kamloops Blazers. “It’s a fun time for me to go and watch these kids and be behind the bench.”

With such great talent in the line-up, it’s no wonder that both are excited to be involved with the game. Even with a few highly ranked players not able to participate, there is still a plethora of quality participants looking to catch a few eyes in the stands.

“When you look at the depth of our draft, it has always been the strength of the CHL,” Commissioner of the WHL and CHL Vice-President Ron Robison said. “We represent over 50% of the NHL draft and have been very dominant in recent years from a CHL standpoint. The reality is it opens the door to some players to really make an impression.”

And with a draft pool as close in comparison as any of the years before, it’s going to be extremely important for the players to try and standout as it could put them ahead of their counterparts.

“It’s a great opportunity for these kids to showcase what they can bring to the table,” Recchi said. “It can elevate them to a higher pick, and they can go out there and show that against the best they are the best.”

And while some players may get caught up in the glitz and the glamour of being in the national spotlight, Quinn believes it’s necessary, although maybe difficult, for them to stay focused.

“They’re at such an exciting stage in their lives…it’s becoming a way of life,” he said. “This game is important as it’s an attempt to help improve their development moving forward.”

Recchi said he won’t be hesitant however to give his input if he sees something in a player’s game that he might be able to suggest improvements on.

“I’ve been around the game a long time,” he said. “We’ll go over certain things if I see something. They have all the tools, it’s just helping them recognize it and lead them in the right direction.”

Even though it’s a quick two-day event, both said that they would pass on the best advice possible.

“I would say to really embrace the few days that they’re there together and the opportunity they have,” said Recchi. “It’s a big stage and don’t let it catch you. If you don’t embrace it then you might not bring your best.”

Quinn summed up his advice in one sentence.

“What they’re interested in is finding a good player, so be the player you are.”

Quinn will be joined behind the bench by Associate Coach Don Hay of the Vancouver Giants, while Recchi will be joined by Associate Coach Ryan Huska of the Kelowna Rockets.

Rangers forward, Radek Faksa, has impressed scouts across the country in a season where he has been scoring at a point per game pace.

Despite his terrific play, the Czech forward wasn’t expecting to show up at the top of the draft ranking but he knows what he has to do to not disappoint the rest of the way.

“It was a big surprise right away so I’m very happy but its just half of the season … I must always work hard,” Faksa said. “It’s hard because I’m tired from of playing a lot of games.  I didn’t play a lot of games [last season] so it’s different now. I hope I have good conditioning.”

All the same, Faksa’s success to this point has not gone unnoticed by Rangers’ Head Coach and General Manager, Steve Spott.

“I think Radek Faksa’s one of the smartest player’s we’ve had in the organization for a long time,” said Spott.  “He’s big, he’s strong and he plays the game hard.”

Coach Spott went on to express his belief that Faksa has a bright future ahead of him.

“He has all the NHL intangibles; he trains extremely hard off the ice, he works on his game in practice and ultimately, his hockey sense it as a world class level,” he said.  “He has the chance to be a great NHL second-line centre man.”

Nevertheless, just like any young player, Faksa has much to work on to prepare to play at the level of the National Hockey League.

“He’s gotta stay in the weight room, he has to continue to physically develop,” continued Spott.  “He’s a tall kid but he still has room to grow.  It’s a matter of working on your skating like all players do and then obviously getting stronger in the weight room.”

Having played at the World Junior Championship in Alberta last month, Faksa now has some familiarity with playing in a high-pressure game.

“It was a very good experience because I was young and it was in Canada so there were a lot of people … it was a very big experience for me,” said Faksa.

Despite ending the tournament without a medal, the experience gained from the competition will prove to be invaluable when it comes time to fighting for a position with an NHL hockey club next year.

Team captains Alfredsson and Chara, with their respective assistant captains Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers and Joffrey Lupul of the Toronto Maple Leafs, selected the skills participants from the teams they picked last night at the 2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft. The order of participation will be determined by the captains just before the start of each event. Each All-Star will be involved in no more than three events, excluding the Tim Hortons NHL Elimination Shootout™ finale.

Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater™ — order determined on the ice

Team Alfredsson    Team Chara

Kris Letang, PIT (backwards)    Brian Campbell, FLA (backwards)
Jonathan Quick, LA (goaltender)    Jimmy Howard, DET (goaltender)
Carl Hagelin, NYR (rookie)    Colin Greening, OTT (rookie)
Keith Yandle, PHX    Phil Kessel, TOR
Erik Karlsson, OTT    Marian Hossa, CHI

Event description: Five players from each team compete, four All-Stars and one rookie. The contest will consist of five preliminary races, with the player posting the fastest time from each team meeting in one final match race. The race format is new this year: one skater from each team is positioned side-by-side on the start line. Both skaters race toward the same end zone, both turn outward, skate to the opposite end zone, turn back and skate past center ice to the finish line. Six team points are available — one each to the winner of the six individual races.

Allstate Insurance NHL Breakaway Challenge™

Team Alfredsson    Team Chara

Sean Couturier, PHI (rookie)    Ryan Johansen, CBJ (rookie)
John Tavares, NYI    Patrick Kane, CHI
Logan Couture, SJ    Corey Perry, ANA
Brian Elliott, STL (goaltender)    Carey Price, MTL (goaltender)

Event description: A test of creativity a player can insert into a breakaway, three shooters (one rookie, two All-Stars) and one goaltender from each team will participate. Each skater will attempt three shots – with no limits. Shooters can start their attempt from anywhere with full access to the offensive zone, including behind the net. NHL penalty shot rules do not apply. Fans in-arena and watching on television in Canada and the United States will be able to vote for their favorite player by texting the number that corresponds to the player of their choice to 81812. The shooter with the highest fan vote will score one point for his team.

Canadian Tire NHL Accuracy Shooting™ — order determined on the ice

Team Alfredsson    Team Chara

Matt Read, PHI (rookie)    Cody Hodgson, VAN (rookie)
Jason Spezza, OTT    Tyler Seguin, BOS
Steven Stamkos, TB    Jamie Benn, DAL
Daniel Sedin, VAN    Marian Hossa, CHI

Event description: Four players from each team (one Rookie, three All-Stars) will compete, with four additional All-Stars from each team serving as passers. From 25 feet in front of the net, a shooter will take aim at four foam targets attached to the inner side of the goalposts, one target in each corner. The objective is to hit all targets in the fastest time. The player with the fastest time from each team will go head-to-head in the final round for the title of the NHL’s most accurate shooter. Five team points are available, one to the winner of each individual matchup.

G Series NHL Skills Challenge Relay™

Team Alfredsson    Team Chara

Group 1    Group 1

Nick Johnson, MIN (one-time passer)    Ryan Suter, NSH (one-time passer)
Shea Weber, NSH (one-timer RH)    Dennis Wideman, WSH (one-timer RH)
Kris Letang, PIT (one-timer RH)    Jarome Iginla, CGY (one-timer RH)
Steven Stamkos, TB (one-timer RH)    Joffrey Lupul, TOR (one-timer RH)
Henrik Sedin, VAN (passing accuracy)    Patrick Kane, CHI (passing accuracy)
Milan Michalek, OTT (puck control)    Pavel Datsyuk, DET (puck control)
Logan Couture, SJ (stick handling)    Gabriel Landeskog, COL (stick handling)
James Neal, PIT (target shooter)    Marian Gaborik, NYR (target shooter)

Group 2    Group 2

Alexander Edler, VAN (one-time passer)    Jordan Eberle, EDM (one-time passer)
Keith Yandle, PHX (one-timer LH)    Dion Phaneuf, TOR (one-timer LH)
Scott Hartnell, PHI (one-timer LH)    Zdeno Chara, BOS (one-timer LH)
John Tavares, NYI (one-timer LH)    Jamie Benn, DAL (one-timer LH)
Daniel Sedin, VAN (passing accuracy)    Kimmo Timonen, PHI (passing accuracy)
Craig Smith, NSH (puck control)    Raphael Diaz, MTL (puck control)
Claude Giroux, PHI (stick handling)    Evgeni Malkin, PIT (stick handling)
Jason Pominville, BUF (target shooter)    Phil Kessel, TOR (target shooter)

Event description: Introduced to acclaim in 2011, this event will feature 16 players from each team (two Rookies, 14 All-Stars) and showcase a host of skills that include the ‘one-timer,’ passing, puck control, stick-handling and accuracy shooting. In the ‘one-timer’ event, three shooters (with the assistance of one passer) must score three goals over an eight inch barrier; in the passing event, one passer must complete a pass into each of six nets placed around the rink; in the puck control event, one skater will skate through a series of cones while keeping possession of the puck; in the stick handling event, one skater will control the puck through a series of obstacles; and in the accuracy shooting event, one player will take aim at four targets. Two groups from each team will go through the relay — one from each team in a pair of heats. Each skill must be completed before moving on to the next skill in this timed relay event worth a total of three points. The fastest team in each heat will earn one point and the team with the fastest combined time will earn one bonus point.


BlackBerry NHL Hardest Shot™ — order determined on the ice

Team Alfredsson    Team Chara

Justin Faulk, CAR (rookie)    Luke Adam, BUF (rookie)
Daniel Alfredsson, OTT    Dennis Wideman, WSH
Jason Spezza, OTT    Dion Phaneuf, TOR
Shea Weber, NSH    Zdeno Chara, BOS

Event description: Fittingly, Team Chara captain Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins called his own number in this event. Chara not only won his fourth consecutive NHL Hardest Shot competition in 2011, but his blast of 105.9 mph broke the all-time record of 105.4 he set in 2009. Team Alfredsson, meanwhile, will be anchored by Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators, who recorded a 104.8 mph shot in finishing runner-up to Chara last year. Four players from each team (one Rookie, three All-Stars) will compete in five head-to-head matchups. One contestant from each team will square off in each round, valued at one point each. The highest recorded shot (by radar in mph) of two attempts will be scored. The player from each team with the hardest single shot will meet in a final match to determine the NHL’s hardest shooter. Five team points are available — one to the winner of each of the four preliminary matchups and one to the winner of the finale.

Tim Hortons NHL Elimination Shootout™

Team Alfredsson    Team Chara

Carl Hagelin, NYR (rookie)    Colin Greening, OTT (rookie)
Steven Stamkos, TB    Pavel Datsyuk, DET
John Tavares, NYI    Evgeni Malkin, PIT
Jason Spezza, OTT    Corey Perry, ANA
Claude Giroux, PHI    Tyler Seguin, BOS
Daniel Alfredsson, OTT    Marian Gaborik, NYR
James Neal, PIT    Patrick Kane, CHI
Milan Michalek, OTT    Jarome Iginla, CGY
Jason Pominville, BUF    Jamie Benn, DAL
Kris Letang, PIT    Joffrey Lupul, TOR
Erik Karlsson, OTT    Kimmo Timonen, PHI
Daniel Sedin, VAN    Ryan Suter, NSH
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (goaltender)    Carey Price, MTL (goaltender)
Brian Elliott, STL (goaltender)    Tim Thomas, BOS (goaltender)
Jonathan Quick, LA (goaltender)    Jimmy Howard, DET (goaltender)

Event description: The battle between Team Alfredsson and Team Chara will be decided in this competition, when 15 participants from each side (one Rookie, 11 All-Stars, three goaltenders), compete in a time-honored game of “hockey survivor.” Shooters who score will move on to the next round in the shootout, with the All-Star goaltenders rotating after every third shooter. The event will continue until one player scores and the other(s) do not in a single round — last goal wins. Every goal scored will count as one point for the goal-scorer’s team.