Pacific 5, Central 2
When: 3:30 PM ET, Sunday, January 28, 2018
Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
Referees:
Dave Jackson, Wes McCauley
Linesmen:
Brian Mach, Mark Shewchyk
Attendance:
19022
By Field Level Media
Led by two goals from Golden Knights forward James Neal, the Pacific Division bested the Central Division 5-2 in the first of two semifinals at Sunday's NHL All-Star Game at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.
Neal scored the Pacific's second goal to break a 1-1 tie at 16:57 before ending the game's scoring with his second tally at 19:18.
Canucks rookie Brock Boeser broke a 2-2 tie with his game-winning goal at 18:14.
Oilers star Connor McDavid, the reigning MVP, didn't have any goals in the event, but he did collect four assists. No other player for either team had more than one assist.
The Central got on the board first when the Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon found open space and put one into the top corner of the net past Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.
After nearly 13 minutes of scoreless skating, Kings defenseman Drew Doughty knotted things up with the Pacific's first score, beating Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck low-blocker.
Neal then gave the Pacific its first lead following an impressive series of passes from McDavid and the Sharks' Brent Burns.
The Central tied the game at 2-2 with less than three minutes remaining when Predators defender P.K. Subban elevated one over the glove of Flames goalie Mike Smith, who came on to relieve Fleury.
It was all Pacific from there, as Boeser, Burns and Neal each tallied in the final two minutes. Burns and Neal each scored with the Central net empty.
Hellebuyck allowed three goals on eight shots after the Predators' Pekka Rinne was 4-for-4 on save chances for the Central. Smith and Fleury each allowed one goal on eight shots faced for the Pacific.
The Pacific advance to face the Atlantic Division in the All-Star final later Sunday night.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
| Central |
|
Pacific |
|
Nathan MacKinnon 2 |
Points |
Connor McDavid 4 |
|
Nathan MacKinnon 1 |
Goals |
James Neal 2 |
|
Nathan MacKinnon 1 |
Assists |
Connor McDavid 4 |
|
N/A |
Power Play Goals |
N/A |
|
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
|
Pekka Rinne 1.000 |
Save Percentage |
Marc-Andre Fleury .875 |
|
Connor Hellebuyck 5 |
Saves |
Marc-Andre Fleury 7 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
| Central |
16 |
2 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
7 |
| Pacific |
14 |
5 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
5 |
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