DENVER -- By normal standards, Phoenix Coyotes goalie Sean
Burke was pathetic. Under fabricated All-Star circumstances, he was
worthy of a new car.
|  | | Lightning winger Fredrik Modin took advantage of Al MacInnis' absence, and became the first forward to win the Hardest Shot event (102.1 mph). |
Burke won a 2001 Dodge Stratus after stopping 11 of 15 shots
Saturday night in the goaltending event at NHL SuperSkills
competition. His reaction was a mix of gratitude and incredulity.
"I win a car just for that?" he said. "I let in, what, four
goals in 15 shots? If that was a regular-season game, I would have
got pulled and my confidence would have been shaken. I might not
even get to start the next game. Out here, I give up four goals and
they give me a car."
In addition to having the top goalie, North America boasted the
swiftest skater and most accurate shooter to capture early bragging
rights over the World All-Stars.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ray Bourque, who will play in his
19th All-Star Game Sunday, won his eighth accuracy title to help
North America defeat the World team 15-13 in the overall
competition.
It was the first time North America won the event since the NHL
adopted the format in 1998.
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Tracking speed with Trakus
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Trakus, Inc., in conjunction with the NHL, has developed technology which measures a player's speed, distance skated, impact of checks and other similar statistics. During the All-Star Game, Trakus will use the system on Ray Bourque, Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Bure and Theo Fleury.
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Fastest skater
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Peak
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Bill Guerin, Boston
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24.9 mph
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Simon Gagne, Philly
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24.7
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Sergei Fedorov, Detroit
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24.5
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Sergei Samsonov, Boston
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24.2
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Marian Hossa, Ottawa
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23.7
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Source: Trakus, Inc.
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"I had a blast," Bourque said. "I expect to have a lot more
fun tomorrow. I think everybody enjoyed the competition. It was
close there at the end. I'm just happy we came out on top."
Boston Bruins forward Bill Guerin became the fourth different
player in four years to win the skating crown, narrowly defeating
first-time All-Star Simon Gagne of the Philadelphia Flyers in a
one-lap sprint around the rink.
Burke, who has established himself among the league's best in
the absence of Nikolai Khabibulin, capped the evening when he won
the goaltending competition in a tiebreaker with San Jose Sharks
rookie Evgeni Nabokov.
Asked if he is shooting for another car that accompanies the
All-Star MVP award, Burke said: "No way. I don't want to get
greedy. I've got a three-car garage. That completes it right
there."
With a partial hometown crowd cheering every move by Colorado's
five All-Stars, the Avalanche players did not disappoint.
|  | | Boston's Bill Guerin edged out Philly's Simon Gagne to win the Fastest Skater event at Saturday's SuperSkills competition in Denver. |
In addition to Bourque's 4-for-6 performance in the accuracy
event, Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic, Milan Hejduk and Patrick Roy each
provided memorable moments.
Roy, the NHL's winningest goalie, stopped all three shots he
faced against a three-man rush, and Sakic was part of the
victorious North America skating relay team.
Forsberg beat goalie Roman Cechmanek in the breakaway
competition, and Hejduk nearly matched Bourque in the accuracy
contest.
Absent from the overall event was St. Louis Blues defenseman Al
MacInnis, who was unable to defend his hardest-shot crown. MacInnis
recorded the most powerful shot the past four years but did not
compete because of an eye injury.
Fredrik Modin could prove to be a worthy successor. The Tampa
Bay Lightning left wing became the first forward to win the
competition, blasting a shot at 102.1 mph.
"Every year that we've done this, I've been over 100, so I was
expecting that," Modin said.
World teammate Sergei Fedorov of Detroit was the only other
shooter to hit the century mark at 100.7, turning jeers from the
Avalanche faithful into cheers.
Fedorov and fellow Red Wings teammate Nicklas Lidstrom were
booed when introduced and periodically during the competition.
Colorado has faced Detroit in the Western Conference playoffs four
of the past five seasons.
"I kind of liked it. I didn't dislike it," Fedorov said. "I
didn't expect anything less. Come to Joe Louis Arena and I'm sure
it would have been a little bit different for those (Colorado)
guys."
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ALSO SEE
2001 NHL All-Star Game coverage
Chat from the NHL skills competition
SuperSkills primer
SuperSkills results
Past SuperSkills results
NHL team edges Colorado squad in Heroes game
Lemieux will return next season and play for gold
Bettman says 2002 All-Star Game is safe, won't alter schedule
AUDIO VIDEO
 Sean Burke edged Evgeni Nabokov in a tiebreaker to win the Goalie competition.
avi: 7730 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Colorado's Ray Bourque wins his eighth accuracy title in front of the home crowd.
avi: 2810 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Boston's Bill Guerin wins the Fastest Skater competition for the North American All-Stars.
avi: 1530 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Fredrik Modin wins the Hardest Shot competition with a 102.1 mph blast.
avi: 1510 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Simon Gagne and the North American All-Stars win the Puck Control Relay.
avi: 5290 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Paul Kariya beats Alexei Kovalev to win the one-on-one Puck Control race.
avi: 1910 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Patrick Roy shuts down the World All-Stars in the Pass and Score competition.
avi: 2930 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Donald Audette's goal in the Breakaway relay clinched the SuperSkills competition for North America.
avi: 768 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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