Team Matthews Wins NHL All-Star Game in Toronto

The NHL All-Star Game in Toronto wrapped up this weekend, with Team Matthews capturing the win on home ice.

The format for the NHL All-Star Game is not that of a typical hockey game. Team captains Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and co-captains Quinn and Jack Hughes, drafted their teams before the contest.  The teams then squared off in 20-minute games, with 3-on-3 play, in a four-team bracket.

The semifinals were tightly contested and provided loads of excitement, as both games went to a shootout.

The first game saw Team McDavid come away with a 4-3 win over Team MacKinnon. After trailing 3-1 in the second half, McDavid and company came back, with the captain sending it to a shootout on his game-tying goal in the final seconds of regulation.

Connor McDavid (@cmcdavid97) and David Pastrnak (@pastrnak96) both scored in the shootout to help their squad get the W! 🚨#NHLAllStar

🇺🇸: @espn or @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/Pp9X7OGP3W
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/sEijvXhbA1 pic.twitter.com/usiuGDD3cv

— NHL (@NHL) February 3, 2024

The second semifinal was back-and-forth, with no team gaining an advantage of more than one.

Red Wings right winger Alex DeBrincat and Predators left winger Filip Forsberg came up big for Team Matthews. Forsberg scored twice in the second half, including the game-tying goal that would send the game to a shootout.

DeBrincat scored twice in regulation as well, with the first two goals of the game for Team Matthews. He was also the hero in the shootout, netting the game-winner after each team went 0-for-3 in the first three rounds.

DeBrincat's goal holds as the winner and Team Matthews will meet Team McDavid in the final! 🤩@Rogers | #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/Okxtz0RsnC

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 3, 2024

NHL All-Star Game Final

Team Matthews and Team McDavid faced off in the All-Star Game finale. With the game tied 3-3 at the break, Matthews and company turned it on in the second half. Forsberg scored early, giving his team a 4-3 lead. Captain Auston Matthews added to the lead with his second goal of the game about halfway through the period.

Alex DeBrincat sealed the deal for Team Matthews with a steal and an empty netter with just under two minutes to go.

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1753920738032062794

Team Matthews featured three of his Toronto Maple Leaf teammates, defenseman Morgan Rielly, and right wings William Nylander and Mitch Marner. The hometown boys, along with the help of DeBrincat and others, gave the crowd a storybook ending in Toronto.

The champs signing off from Toronto. 🫡 #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/o1x7AzVs4n

— NHL (@NHL) February 4, 2024

Auston Matthews earned All-Star Game MVP with four total points on the night.

Fellow team captain Connor McDavid won the All-Star Skills Competition the night before, taking home the $1 million prize.