CANTLON: AHL ALL-STAR CHALLENGE 

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Drake Batherson of the Belleville Senators contributed five goals helped the North Division successfully defend their AHL All-Star Challenge title Monday evening at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, MA.

The Hartford Wolf Pack’s John Gilmour posted three goals and had an assist to help lead the Atlantic Division squad in their AHL All-Star Challenge. Andrew Potularski of the Charlotte Checkers posted a goal and had three assists.

Gilmour’s had a memorable outing for the Atlantic Division All-Stars. Right at the end of the first five minutes of play, he came cruising in front of the net, got a pass and tried to flip it glove side, but the Central Division’s goaltender, Troy Grosenick of the Milwaukee Admirals, made an astonishing save, snapping out his glove to rob him.

“It must be this rink,” Gilmour said. “I got crossed up a little bit, but was lucky enough to get a couple later.”

Gilmour represented the Wolf Pack at the All-Star Game for the second consecutive year.

At the end of the second five-minute period, Gilmour intercepted a cross ice pass while the West had pulled their goalie. Gilmour potted the easy empty netter.

“There was a lot of ice out there to work with. I think I was cheating on those breakaways tonight,” Gilmour said with a laugh.

Among the breakaways, Gilmour referred to was his third goal. The breakaway was set up by a lead pass from Springfield Thunderbirds goalie, Samuel Montembeault, who had just stopped a shot and went to smother it for a faceoff but instead sent the puck to Gilmour. One of the fastest skaters in the AHL, Gilmour got down the ice and with a right leg kick put a backhander behind Pacific Division All-Star goalie, Josef Kořenář of the San Jose Barracuda.

“I used that move a few weeks ago,” Gilmour said. “It worked for me, so I figured I would try it again at the All-Star game and lucky I got the same result.”

The assist from Montembeault, of Quebec City, to Gilmour, a Montreal native, made the La Belle province proud, but things will return to normal on Friday when Hartford heads to Springfield to resume their crucial AHL fight for the post season.

“It was a real nice play he made, but in a few days, it will be back to normal when we play them, what another ten times before the season’s out?” Gilmour said jokingly.

Winning, even in an exhibition format, brought out the competitive nature for these hard-wired athletes.

”At that end, we were really looking to win it. We had a couple of chances to put it away, but we didn’t get it done. When we first went out there, you’re a little hesitant, but once you start to figure it out., we certaintly played a lot of hockey. Certaintly, a different dynamic. You don’t do this every day.”

Gilly, as his teammates and coaches call him, had a near back door goal, but the puck just skipped over his stick.

“I wanted that one. We’ll take the bounce in the All-Star game, but when the season resumes, we’ll finish those off,” said Gilmour.

It was a storybook start for Wethersfield CT native, Colin McDonald, of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, who raced down the left wing and rifled the first goal of the game for the Atlantic Division over the glove of Kappo Kahkonen from the Iowa Wild.

Going for the MVP, perhaps?

“That was the last thing on my mind,“ McDonald said with a laugh. “We were joking all week about things, but you just got to have fun with things. You don’t get these opportunities much. It’s such a fun experience in this environment. It was good to get that first one, to be honest, it settled my nerves. I was able to enjoy it after that.”

McDonald had to juggle the expectations of fans, the league, and his fellow players since he was the captain of his roster both in this game and with the Phantoms.

‘It’s difficult. They talk about sports like this, and at the same time, you want to respect the game and respect the fans for taking time out of their day and spending money. You want to put out a good show and product for them. I felt the last one (period of action) was going to be a good one. I felt pretty good about it at the end.”

Like Gilmour, the captain wanted to get a “W” for the home crowd.

“We’re all competitive and we felt the buzz in the crowd at the end, We had some Springfield guys out there. It was a lot of fun and moments that I will never forget.”

For the first time, next year’s All-Star festivities will be played on the West Coast. The game will take place in Ontario CA at the Citizen Bank Arena, the home of the Pacific Division’s Ontario Reign, who are top farm team of the Los Angeles Kings.