Despite the stormy weather in San Jose, the AHL All-Star Skills competition thrilled fans and it seemed like the players had fun too. A handful of the AHL All-Stars missed the skills events because they were traveling from games they played out of town and couldn’t get through the weather to make it to San Jose on time.
One of those players was Shakir Mukhamadullin. The defenseman was playing with the Barracuda in Abbotsford, British Columbia last night. He flew out this morning to try and get back in time, but it was a travel nightmare that landed him in San Jose around 6:30 p.m., an hour and a half after the skills competition began. Mukhamadullin rushed from the airport to Tech CU Arena and dressed in what we imagine was record time. Then, he skated onto the ice to loud applause from his hometown fans.
A few other players also arrived late to the festivities. One even ran onto the ice in sneakers just so he could stand with the Eastern Conference during the awards ceremony and get a little taste of the festivities.
For his part, Mukhamadullin got to participate in one event, the final goal for the Western Conference in the Upper Deck Breakaway Relay.
Mukhamadullin closing it out for the Western Conference. pic.twitter.com/Cz7SlSZum5
— Fear the Fin (@fearthefin) February 5, 2024
The Western Conference won the event 18-13.
AHL All-Star Skills Competition events start with Inglasco Puck Control Relay
The All-Star Skills Competition consists of seven events that were, honestly, a lot more exciting than the NHL’s. I gotta tell you, maybe the NHL should have looked at what the AHL does before running to Connor McDavid for answers. Just saying.
The first event was the Inglasco Puck Control Relay, where skaters sprinted from one end of the ice to the other, picked up a puck, and then weaved their way around pylons and back to their teammates. It was a good starting contest to get the blood pumping.
The Western Conference ended up winning the event 3-1.
The CCM Fastest Skater featured the fastest hockey player on two skates
One of the more amazing events of the night was the fastest skater contest, which featured someone faster than Connor McDavid. McDavid, skated to the fastest skater win at the NHL level on Friday with a lap of 13.408 seconds. Needless to say, that’s pretty fast.
However, one player on Sunday night bested McDavid. Ethen Frank of the Hershey Bears skated a lap in 13.032 seconds. It’s not a fluke win. It’s the second time in a row that he’s won the fastest skater contest at the AHL All-Star Skills Competition. Frank was even faster last season, clocking in with the first sub-13 second time in NHL and AHL history. The 12.915 skate put his hockey skates in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Here’s how they all finished:
Hershey Bears – Ethen Frank 13.032
Milwaukee Admirals – Spencer Stastney 13.415
Texas Stars – Matej Blumel 13.645
Chicago Ice Hogs – Rocco Grimaldi 13.855
Cleveland Monsters – Trey Fix-Wolansky 13.961
Springfield Thunderbirds – Adam Gaudette 14.479
The AHLTV Rapid Fire Contest is amazing
I doubt the NHLers would do this one, but the Rapid Fire contest is so great to watch. Basically, there’s a goalie in net and two shooters park themselves between the dots. They take turns firing off one-timers, rapid fire at the goaltenders.
Kinda wish the @NHL would do this one at the All-Star events. pic.twitter.com/AGx5REPCSt
— Fear the Fin (@fearthefin) February 5, 2024
Jet Greaves of the Cleveland Monsters (not pictured above) won the event, stopping nine of the ten shots he faced.
CCM’s Hardest Shot Contest
Event four of the night was the hardest shot contest. Dylan McIlrath of the Hershey Bears was the first to break 100 miles per hour. He hit 100.8 mph.
The Bakersfield Condors’ Raphael Lavoie earned some cheers for his 99.7 mph shot, but didn’t break that 100 mph plateau.
It looked like Sami Tuomaala of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms had topped McIlrath’s shot, but it went top shelf and the speed clock couldn’t read it. Tuomaala never managed to beat his first shot and got stick taps for his 97.3 mph shot. It seemed like everyone on the ice knew that his first shot might have won it all.
Finally, Riley Tufte of the Colorado Eagles won it a with a 100.9 mph shot.
Rival player wins Sharks Ice Accuracy Shooting challenge
You know you did well when you can get the fans of a rival team to cheer loudly for you. Brandt Clarke of the Ontario Reign went four for four to win the accuracy shooting challenge and earn a large roar from the crowd at Tech CU.
After the game, Clarke said he was not sure if he’s headed back to Southern California to play for the Reign or if he’ll get another call up to the Kings.
Devcon Pass and Score is the event we all needed
Imagine if you took 3-on-3 overtime, put it into hyperdrive and then told one team to not show up. That’s a little bit what the Pass and Score challenge was like. Basically the opposing team got to pass the puck around as much as they wanted and the only person that could stop them from scoring was the other team’s goaltender.
Each team had 30 seconds to generate as many goals as possible. Once they shot, they would go back and get another puck from center ice and do it all over again until time ran out.
It was amazing to watch and manufactured some very impressive saves.
Upper Deck Breakaway Relay
And wrapping up the events was the breakaway relay, where not only did shooters go in shootout style, but then they raced back to the center ice line so the next player on their team could go. There were just 50 seconds for all five shooters on a team to go and the time didn’t stop for anyone. Ever.
There was a moment where Milwaukee Admirals goalie Yaroslavl Askarov poke checked the puck off of a shooters stick and lost his stick and blocker in the process. Askarov had to go back to the net without either and he tucked his hand behind his back to protect it. Amazingly, he made the next save and then got the blocker back from the ref. He was back in net for the final shot of the challenge.
Gilroy’s own Dustin Wolf went five-for-five, as did the Iowa Wild’s Jesper Wallstedt and Cleveland’s Jet Greaves.
Players receive trophies for individual triumphs
At the end of the night, Frank received a special trophy for winning the fastest skater competition. Tufte got one for having the hardest shot. Clarke received the trophy for accuracy. While Greaves and Wallstedt shared the trophy for goaltender making the most saves. They both stopped 15 pucks apiece.
The All-Star Competition continues tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Tech CU Arena.
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