Giroux named MVP, Metropolitan team wins NHL All-Star Game

Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux scored three goals and the Metropolitan Division beat the Central Division 5-3 on Saturday in the final 3-on-3 match to win the NHL All-Star Game.

New Jersey's Jack Hughes, at 20 the youngest All-Star, also scored three goals for the Metropolitan team in the All-Star extravaganza's first trip to Las Vegas, which has become a major stage for hockey's top league since the expansion Vegas Golden Knights entered in 2017.

The 34-year-old Giroux, a seven-time All-Star who could be on the move soon after spending his entire career with the Flyers, won his first All-Star MVP award with two goals in the final and another in the semifinal.

Giroux clearly took the All-Star showcase seriously, showing off his goal-scoring abilities to any less-serious competitors — and perhaps to any potential suitors for the veteran forward, an asset that could be cashed in by Philadelphia before he hits unrestricted free agency this summer.

Carolina's Frederik Andersen was the standout goalie, allowing just three goals and picking up an assist.

After a one-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NHL's midseason showcase returned to action with the 3-on-3 tournament format introduced in 2016 and employed in the previous five All-Star events.

Hughes scored two goals for the Metropolitan team in its 6-4 win over the Pacific in the first semifinal. Alex DeBrincat and Jordan Kyrou then got a pair of goals apiece in the Central's 8-5 win over the Atlantic in the second semifinal.

The Pacific's loss disappointed a home crowd that wanted to cheer on its three Golden Knights All-Stars in the final. Vegas coach Peter DeBoer kept the event in perspective — and even confirmed that Las Vegas nightlife might have