First Intermission - 55th NHL All-Star Game

Six goals and a tie score at 3-3 through one period so far after a night of 17 goals, including a hat trick by our own healthy Phil Kessel, in the Young Stars game. Brendan Shanahan opted that the players finish their checks prior to the game but it seems most guys are doing anything but that. I definately support the no-hit rule for All-Star games, but I think players should skate hard, finish their checks, ride off opponents, etc.

Coming into the game, the Eastern Conference boasted 14 of the NHL's 15 top goal scorers. Only Selanne, who scored the West's highlight goal of the first in which he was described by a commentator as having "nerves of steel," is among those top 15 goal scorers. Likewise, the top eight point getters are from the East. And the also from the East, the leader in goals against average, wins and shutouts and second in save percentage, the league's top keeper, Martin Brodeur, who is coming in for the second period. Add all those stats up and the East should win, right?

But the West has much more experience, so we'll have to see which is worth more over the next two periods.