PHN’s Best Shots of the All-Star Games: Pacific takes crown over Atlantic with 5-2 decision

TAMPA – The 2018 NHL All-Star weekend ended with the four divisional teams vying for the crown and a $1 million purse.

In the end, it was the Pacific Division All Stars skating off with a 5-2 win over the Atlantic in the Final.

“In the first game, you kind of mess around a little bit, guys aren’t shooting the puck, they’re trying to make pretty sauce passes,” Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. “But we were playing in the final for a big chunk of money so we were like, ‘We might as well give ‘er.’ We did give ‘er.”

The Pacific found their way to the final game with a 5-2 win over the Central Division.

“We started playing this sport because that’s what we loved doing growing up. At the end of the day, we’re still having fun,” Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson said after the games. “Even though things aren’t going the way you want them to and expect them to on your club team, you still get to come here and forget about it for a little bit, enjoy yourselves and be around the other guys. You kind of just forget about life for a while. It was certainly a great weekend. I think they put a good show on, did a great job down here in Tampa, and I think everybody who participated had a lot of fun.”