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Carolina's Staal Wins MVP Award

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 28, 2008

ATLANTA - The Staals once again have taken sibling rivalry to a whole new level.

Carolina C Eric Staal, one of three Staal brothers playing in the NHL, captured MVP honors Sunday after scoring the tying goal for the East and setting up Marc Savard's winner with 21 seconds left in the game. Staal finished with two goals and an assist.

For his efforts, Staal received a special crystal trophy and a 2008 Dodge Journey. Staal said he had a couple of ideas on what he might do with the car.

"I was saying to the guys on the ice that if I do give it to my parents, it would for sure make me be the favorite of the family for at least a little while, but we'll see what happens," he said.

Along with Eric, the hockey brothers also include younger brothers Marc, a defenseman with the New York Rangers who participated in the YoungStars game and watched the action from the stands Sunday; and Jordan, a center with Pittsburgh.

Eric, who won a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006, was asked about having set such a high standard for his younger siblings and if it was making them angry at him.

"I don't know, we have one watching, Marc being in the crowd, so maybe he's a little angry," he said. "But if they play their cards right, maybe they'll get the keys to the car, but I don't know. It's doubtful. Very doubtful."

RICHARDS FATIGUED: Lightning C Brad Richards spent All-Star weekend at home resting as much as possible after he was diagnosed with mononucleosis on Tuesday. Richards declined to comment, but multiple sources confirmed that Richards played both games last week with the virus and that it is believed he has had the virus since around Christmas. He is believed to be waiting on more test results, but Richards is expected to be at practice this afternoon and it won't affect his status for Tuesday's game against Buffalo.

LONG ROAD: When Lightning RW Marty St. Louis and Bruins G Tim Thomas last suited up in the same uniform, both were considered to be among the best collegiate players in the world while at the University of Vermont from 1993 to 1997. Yet neither were considered top-level NHL prospects.

So playing for the Eastern Conference in Sunday's All-Star Game was a treat for both players.

"That's the first thing I thought about when I was added to the Eastern roster," said Thomas, who picked up the victory Sunday despite allowing four goals on 18 shots in the third period. "To be in an NHL All-Star Game 10 years later after college playing on the same team, it makes you feel good, like, we did it. Marty's been doing it for a few years. But it's good."

NASH ATTACK: Columbus LW Rick Nash recorded the 15th hat trick in All-Star Game history and the first since the 2004 game in Minnesota when Joe Sakic scored three goals.

Nash also set a pair of All-Star Game records when he scored 12 seconds into the game. The goal was the quickest score from the start of a game and from the start of a period. The previous record to start the game was 19 seconds set by Ted Lindsay in 1950 at Detroit while Ray Bourque scored 17 seconds into the second period at the 1999 game in Tampa.

NUTS AND BOLTS: San Jose G Evgeni Nabokov stopped all eight shots he faced in the second period for the Western Conference, becoming the first goaltender to produce a shutout in a period since former Tampa Bay G Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 20 shots in the third period in 2002 in Los Angeles. ... The league honored NHL pioneer Willie O'Ree before the start of the second period on the 50th anniversary of his breaking the color barrier in the NHL.

Erik Erlendsson

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