Simmonds, Gretzky engineer Metropolitans’ win

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

Wayne Simmonds’ first All-Star weekend after a nine-year NHL career was strange enough. Having Wayne Gretzky for a coach made it even more surreal.

And after he scored the tiebreaking goal to become the All-Star Game MVP in his former home city, the Philadelphia forward could only think of one word for his West Coast trip.

“Weird,” Simmonds said with a grin.

Indeed, the 3-on-3 format of this revamped midseason showcase can lead to weird hockey. It also allows the game’s biggest stars to create moments of offensive beauty, and Simmonds’ winner with Taylor Hall certainly qualified.

Simmonds completed his hat trick with 4:58 to play, and fill-in coach Gretzky led the Metropolitan Division to a 4-3 victory over the Pacific Division on Sunday in the final match of the 62nd NHL All-Star Game.

Columbus’ Cam Atkinson scored the tying goal five seconds earlier for the Metropolitans in the four-team divisional tournament format of wide-open hockey introduced to this talent-laden exhibition last season. Washington goalie Braden Holtby blanked the Pacific over the final 10 minutes to secure the win for his 11-man bunch, which will split a $1 million prize.

Simmonds won the truck awarded to the game’s MVP after he put the Metropolitans ahead with a clever goal. Right off the faceoff following Atkinson’s goal, Simmonds playfully flicked the helmet of Drew Doughty, his former Los Angeles teammate, to distract the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman. Simmonds then skated around him and converted a pass from New Jersey’s Hall.

Simmonds and Atkinson, a late addition to the team, scored three goals apiece.

But the game was secondary when the NHL’s best gathered on a 72-degree day in Hollywood. A sellout crowd at Staples Center cheered the first All-Star Game for Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine and a host of young talent.

The All-Stars got an additional thrill before the game when roughly half of the 100 greatest players in NHL history lined up on the ice and shook hands with the current players during introductions. The greats then dropped a ceremonial first puck for each of the 44 All-Stars.

It was also just the second All-Star appearance by Sidney Crosby, who hadn’t been healthy for the game since 2007.

“It felt more like a real game toward the end, blocking shots and things like that,” the Pittsburgh captain said.

Crosby and Alex Ovechkin were played together by Gretzky, who stepped in to coach the Metropolitan team when Columbus’ John Tortorella couldn’t attend the weekend festivities due to an ailing dog.