[RELATED: Complete All-Star Skills results]
11 p.m. ET
Everywhere Erik Karlsson goes during this event, it seems like Elias Pettersson is on his hip, following him around like a kid would his dad.
Karlsson said it’s kind of like that. He loves it too.
“I’m one of those guys now,” the 28-year-old San Jose Sharks defenseman said. “It goes in circles, especially in Sweden. Great camaraderie.”
Karlsson and Pettersson just met each other for the first time at Media Day on Thursday. But Karlsson said he knows why the 20-year-old rookie forward from the Vancouver Canucks is following him around.
“We’re Swedish,” he said. “We love each other.”
That and the fact that Karlsson knows how Pettersson is feeling.
“It’s understandable, he’s nervous,” Karlsson said. “I remember my first time doing this too.”
Pettersson, who took a picture at center ice with Karlsson and fellow Swedes Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers and Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche, also mentioned the countryman angle.
“It’s a Swede, just comfortable,” he said. “I’m comfortable with every Swede. He’s a great guy.”
Has he picked up anything from Karlsson in the day and a half he’s known him?
“Not yet,” he said. “I haven’t known him that long. I have to get back to you on that.”
Karlsson has learned a bit about Pettersson.
“I know a lot of the Canucks guys and they tell me what a great kid he is,” Karlsson said. “He is.”
10:44 p.m. ET
For the first time in the 2019 All-Star Skills, we do not have a repeat winner.
Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers won the Ticketmaster NHL Save Streak with a total of 12, five more than last year’s winner Marc-Andre Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights. Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning finished second with eight.
Vasilevskiy’s teammate Steven Stamkos had a chance to finish Lundqvist’s streak at seven, but Lundqvist stopped him and made four more saves to ice the victory.
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10:14 p.m. ET
Patrick Kane was rooting for Johnny Gaudreau to lose the puck in the Gatorade NHL Puck Control.
“Oh yeah, I’m over there hoping he messes up,” Kane said. “He’s too good to mess up”
Gaudreau, who finished with a time of 27.045, didn’t. He beat Kane (28.611) to win the event. Kane was impressed.
“He’s unreal,” Kane said. “So good. Just naturally gifted. Not big. A good skater.”
Yeah, sort of like Kane. But better tonight.
“I felt there was someone out there that would beat me,” Kane said. “I messed up on the first stickhanding part and it probably cost me a second.”
It’s all Gaudreau needed.
“Too silky,” Kane said of the winner.
Video: Puck Control: Gaudreau wins Puck Control Competition
10:08 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty provided running commentary from the bench during the Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater event. He was talking to Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller, Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau and Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele the entire time.
“I love chatting up the guys,” Doughty said. “It’s the best part about the event. Some guys I hate on the ice, you come here and realize how down to earth all the hockey guys are.”
One of Doughty’s best lines was when he referred to Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel as Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback.
“It’s the hair,” Doughty said.
“Just look at him from the side, it looks exactly like him,” Doughty said.
Doughty noticed that USA women’s star Kendall Coyne, who was in the event in place of injured Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, beat Keller’s time.
“She beat him,” Doughty screamed. “She would have beat me too.”
He added later, “We were all impressed with her skating stride.”
He also sat next to Draisaitl on purpose when his Oilers teammate Connor McDavid skated.
“I’m looking for Connor’s weaknesses,” he said of the eventual winner. “I’m picking Draisaitl’s brain about him.”
10 p.m. ET
He’s done it again.
For the third straight year, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid has won the Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater. The 22-year-old center finished with a time of 13.378, barely defeating Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel, who completed the lap around the rink in 13.582.
McDavid is the first three-time winner of the fastest skater event.
Video: Fastest Skater: McDavid claims title for third time
U.S. women’s Olympic team member Kendall Coyne, filling in for injured Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, finished seventh 14.346.
Video: Fastest Skater: Coyne Schofield sets the pace
Video: Gritty, S.J. Sharkie show off speed to kick off night
9:46 p.m. ET
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon stood on the bench, jersey on over his dress shirt, and was the first player from the Central Division introduced to the crowd.
It was, shall we say, a little strange for MacKinnon, who isn’t participating because of a bruise on his left foot he sustained Wednesday.
“Not great,” MacKinnon said as he stood on the bench. “I feel like a coach right now. I don’t like it. I don’t want to be a coach.”
MacKinnon was trying to keep his perspective.
“I’m still having a good time,” he said. “There is a lot of standing around in the Skills competition anyway. Usually I skate a lap and I’m done. I’m just missing the lap.”
9:20 p.m. ET
Kids love the Skills for the entertainment and getting a chance to see their favorite players do extraordinary things.
Now imagine getting a chance to be a part of it, on the ice and on the bench.
That’s what Jagger Burns, Nathan Pavelski and Louie Wheeler are getting to experience now.
Their dads, Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski of the San Jose Sharks and Blake Wheeler of the Winnipeg Jets, brought them to the ice for the All-Star Skills. Jagger and Nathan even skated in warmups with go pro cameras on their helmets. Nathan wore a jersey with his dad’s number eight and Lil Pav’s written on the back.
“We just did it,” Pavelski said. “It’s great.”
“It’s so cool, awesome,” Wheeler said. “It’s what it’s all about because he’s old enough now and understands it, knows all the players and gets fired up about it.”
9:05 p.m. ET
Kevin Bieksa calls himself a young 37, and the former defenseman for the Anaheim Ducks and Vancouver Canucks isn’t even officially retired yet, but he’s here and on the bench in a working capacity as a sideline reporter for Sportsnet.
Bieksa, who recently played for Canada in the 2018 Spengler Cup, said he’s not sure if he wants to get into broadcasting full time, but All-Star weekend is a perfect starting point for him because it’s light and he can have fun with the guys he used to play with and against.
“It’s fresh and it’s a new experience, but it doesn’t feel that foreign,” Bieksa said. “It’s normal for me to be on the bench. It’s a casual first event. It doesn’t feel that different. It’s organic.”
Bieksa said he has his targets for interviews already and he plans on chirping a lot of guys here.
Yes, Ducks goalie John Gibson is one of them.
“I’m a player,” he said. “I’m not a journalist and I won’t try to be something I’m not.”
8:40 p.m. ET
We are about 25 minutes away from the start of the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Skills.
SAP Center is filling up. They’re playing interviews from the red carpet outside the arena. When they’re not, the music is blaring.
The broadcasters have all taken their places on the bench. The nets are set on each end. The ice is fresh, clean. The buzz is palpable.
Stay with us throughout the event as we bring you onto the bench with us.
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