Hat trick not enough
ATLANTA — Marc Savard got Ilya Kovalchuk's glory. Eric Staal swiped Rick Nash's truck.
Who said the NHL All-Star game wouldn't have any juice without Sidney Crosby?
While Crosby nursed a high ankle sprain, it was up to the rest of the league's best to put on a first-class show without the face of the NHL in the house.
Nash, the Columbus Blue Jackets' young star, got the action started in a flash with the first of his three goals — a record 12 seconds after the opening faceoff. Eric Staal quickly answered en route to wresting MVP honors in the Eastern Conference's 8-7 win over the West on Sunday night.
Staal scored the tying goal with 7:25 left in the third period and helped set up Savard's winner with just 20.9 seconds remaining to skate off with the MVP award and the brand new truck that comes with it.
Savard made a quick getaway of his own, likely disappointed he didn't become the fifth straight All-Star MVP from the losing team.
"The fact that we won, and I was on the ice for the last goal gave me a good shot at it," Staal said. "But obviously Nasher with three tucks, I thought he might have a crack at it. I guess they wanted someone from the winning side.
"A little surprised, but obviously glad in the end."
So was Savard.
Known more for his passing than shooting, the former forward for the hometown Atlanta Thrashers scored into an open net off a pretty pass from Buffalo defenseman Brian Campbell.
Suddenly, Atlanta was home again for Savard. While the Thrashers faithful chanted and cheered for current favorite Kovalchuk, they showed a little love for Savard, who turned a 2Z\x-year stop in Atlanta into a lucrative free-agent deal with Boston before last season.
"I got booed on Saturday and a little today, but I liked playing here for the Thrashers," Savard said. "It got my career on track. It felt great to come back and play in the All-Star game.
"Getting the winning goal just made it more special."
Before the game, there was much talk about who wouldn't be there. Crosby, the defending NHL MVP and scoring champion pulled out due to a sprained ankle, and starting goalies Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo both withdrew for personal reasons.
Even Dany Heatley, another former Thrashers star, sat out because of a separated shoulder. Of the 42 players who came to Atlanta, 15 made their All-Star debut.
Real early it looked as though it would be a night for the West when Nash scored. The East then took charge with five straight goals, including two by Washington's Alex Ovechkin — Crosby's rival for top player in the NHL.
"We came out a bit slow and they took it to us," Nash said.
