NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The man the NHL tried to keep out of its All-Star Game ended up winning the Most Valuable Player.
Left winger John Scott helped the Pacific Division win the first 3-on-3 format version of the event as it blanked the Atlantic Division 1-0 in the championship Sunday at sold-out Bridgestone Arena.
Anaheim right winger Corey Perry produced the only goal at 13:38, whipping a wrister from the right faceoff circle past Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop, a former University of Maine standout.
Perry had a second goal at 17:07 disallowed due to goalie interference on Edmonton left winger Taylor Hall.
Fans chanted “MVP” as Scott was interviewed after the championship period and his teammates lifted him on their shoulders. Scott won a write-in vote for the award after his name wasn’t listed on the original ballot on the scoreboard, prompting rounds of booing.
Los Angeles goalie Jonathan Quick and Anaheim goalie John Gibson combined to stop 17 shots for the Pacific. Its players split $1 million for winning the event.
Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban scored the tiebreaking goal at 15:22 to lift the Atlantic past the Metropolitan 4-3 in the first mini-game.
Bishop collected five of his 11 saves in the final minute as the Metro emptied its net in an attempt for an equalizer. Bishop also had the secondary assist on Subban’s goal, and New Jersey goalie Cory Schneider also chipped in a secondary assist on a marker by Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin.
Penguins defenseman Kris Letang and Washington center Evgeny Kuznetsov tallied for the Metro. Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson, Florida right winger Jaromir Jagr and Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad lit the lamp for the Atlantic.
The Pacific Division advanced to the championship game with a 9-6 win over the Central, as Scott, the controversial winner of a fan vote that the NHL tried to invalidate after his trade from Arizona to Montreal Jan. 15, scored a pair of goals.
Vancouver left winger Daniel Sedin and Edmonton left winger Taylor Hall also scored twice for the Pacific, while Nashville left winger James Neal tallied twice for the Central.
NOTES: Florida RW Jaromir Jagr made his 10th All-Star appearance, far and away the leader among active players. … The first All-Star power play since 2000 was awarded in the Central-Pacific period as Nashville G Pekka Rinne was called for delay of game. … Country music stars Vince Gill (Metropolitan), Amy Grant (Atlantic), Dierks Bentley (Central) and Chris Young (Pacific) served as honorary coaches.