Vegas Golden Knights: Pacioretty a champion in first All-Star Game

It was pretty much a perfect weekend for Vegas Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty who ended the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Game a winner.

In what was his first taste of the All-Star Game, Pacioretty represented the Vegas Golden Knights superbly in St. Louis and helped the Pacific Division win it all at Enterprise Center.

Despite being a bystander in the NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Friday, Pacioretty still had a blast with his children joining him on the ice which was pretty cool to see.

But Pacioretty got more of a chance to impress and strut his stuff on Saturday during the main event of the entire weekend – the NHL All-Star Game.

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Pacioretty recorded two assists in the Western Conference Semi-Final as the Pacific Division breezed past a talented Central Division team.

Both of Pacioretty’s assists were on Tomas Hertl goals, and it was somewhat strange to see Pacioretty blend perfectly out on the ice with Hertl and Anze Kopitar given the rivalries that exist between the Knights, San Jose Sharks and the LA Kings.

And Pacioretty also played a big role in the Pacific upsetting the Atlantic by winning 5-4 in the Final and winning the $1 million grand prize, that will be split between the Pacific Division players.

It was somewhat surprising that the Pacific won it all given how stacked the Atlantic Division roster was, and even more surprising when you consider that the Atlantic had jumped out to a two-goal lead.

That lead was cut to one though when Pacioretty executed a filthy move to beat Frederik Andersen on the backhand.

Pacioretty’s goal sparked a comeback as the Pacific would emerge as the ultimate winners of the 2020 NHL All-Star Game.

In total, Pacioretty finished the weekend with one goal and two assists for three points, and it was a perfect ending to what was a special weekend for the Pacioretty family.

This was the veteran’s first All-Star Game and, if it turns out to be his last, then Pacioretty certainly made sure to enjoy every moment of it with his kids always close by.

Another cool moment for Pacioretty would no doubt have been the chance to be coached by the Great One, Wayne Gretzky who was behind the bench for the Pacific Division on Saturday.

That was pretty neat.

Say what you will about the All-Star Game and whether it is a pointless exercise, but this is a fun weekend for the players and their families, and it also gives some of the NHL’s lesser-known stars a chance to strut their stuff on the big stage.

And, for Max Pacioretty who has been a model professional throughout his NHL career, this was a well-deserved weekend in the spotlight and it will be one that he or his family won’t ever forget.

He is an All-Star Game champion and Pacioretty will now return to Vegas hoping to add the real prize to his resume in the Stanley Cup.