Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 25, 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE B3 B3 winnipegfreepress. com WINNIPEG FREE PRESS SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2015 C OLUMBUS - Dustin Byfuglien can bring it - just ask any of his Winnipeg Jets teammates or National Hockey League rivals who stand in front of the net trying to tip or block one of his howitzers from the point. But even the Jets mammoth defenceman had to tip his hat to Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators, who won Saturday night's Hardest Shot Competition at the NHL All- Stars Skills Competition. Weber hit 108.5 miles per hour on his shot. Byfuglien topped out at 97.3 " It's not right. There's guys that got to get hit with that thing," said Byfuglien, grinning. " It's amazing. It's something you work on. " I knew I'd really have to bring it. Maybe I'll push for next time." Byfuglien was one of four shooters selected for Team Foligno in the hardest shot event, including Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos. Weber, representing Team Toews, missed the net on his first attempt but - in the last shot of the event - unleashed his fury. Weber estimated the hardest he had shot before was in the 106- range. " I knew I could at least shoot that hard in the past, so it's tough," said Weber. " But I really hadn't done it. We didn't do it last year, obviously, because of the Olympics. You don't do that in games and I don't practise it in practice, so it's such a weird thing to do. The nerves obviously showed on the first one when I put it in the corner." FYI, the record in the event it 108.8, set by Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins in 2012. Asked if the hardest shot is the marquee event of the skills competition, Toews offered his insight. " Well, I think it's cool because you hear players at any level when they get the chance to test their shots they want to compare themselves to the all- time greats, the ( Al) MacInnises and the ( Al) Iafrates and the Charas," said Toews. " And tonight, Weber. Some of us don't ever want to know the answers to that. So we'll just hide behind whatever veil there is and let it remain a mystery, I guess." But back to Byfuglien... the veteran defenceman rarely spends a day at the rink without smiling a gazillion times. And Saturday night was no different. His highlight? " Just being a part of all this, the group of guys in here, and enjoying everything," he said. " It's fun. It's the whole thing. It's the experience... the lockerroom, being outside, family. It's good to be a part of everything." Byfuglien also participated in the shootout competition, the night's final event, beating Jaroslav Halak of the New York Islanders on a nifty backhand. When it was suggested his goal might help him convince Jets coach Paul Maurice to give him regular opportunities in the real shootout, Byfuglien smiled. " Yeah. I'll always throw it out there when I feel like it," he said. " It's not my specialty, but knowing I had a little more time and it's more for fun, I thought I'd try a nice little move and see what happens." The weekend wraps up today with the all- star game. Byfuglien isn't sure who he'll be paired with defensively. Then, again, that doesn't really matter. His goal for the weekend finale is simple. " Just to have fun," said Byfuglien. " I mean, we've got to grind throughout the year. Just to be on the ice catching passes from some different players makes the game fun. I'm going to enjoy it." ed. tait@ freepress. mb. ca Twitter: @ WFPEdTait By Ed Tait COLUMBUS - Shea Weber shot faster missing the net than any other player did hitting it. When he hit the net, it was even better. The Nashville Predators captain won the hardest shot competition at Saturday night's all- star skills competition by clocking in at 108.5 mph. Weber was just short of the record of 108.8 mph set by the Boston Bruins Zdeno Chara at the last all- star weekend in 2012 in Ottawa. " You never really know how hard it is until it registers," Weber said. " It's different, too. In a game you don't really see that. Guys don't skate right into a puck and take a slap shot. Guys are ( taking) one- timers or standing still and taking it in different situations." In game situations, players would have to get in the way of that kind of shot. " Everybody cringed," said all- star captain Nick Foligno of the host Columbus Blue Jackets, whose team beat Jonathan Toews's 25- 19 to win the skills competition. " Wouldn't ever want to have to block that." Weber's 101.8 m. p. h. blast that missed the net and didn't count was better than anyone else's best attempt. Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin shot 101.4 twice, while Dustin Byfuglien of the Winnipeg Jets topped out at 97.3. Without Chara in the competition, Weber was the favourite going in. But he considers Chara the king. " He's the guy to beat all the time, he's got the big shot," Weber said. " Honestly, I was nervous because there's some guys out there that can rip it. Weber's previous best was around 106 mph. He's not sure if he'll ever beat Chara's record but thinks it's possible. " I just want to keep getting better every year," Weber said. " I think as kids we strive to get better at everything we do. It's no different now. You don't want to get worse. You want to continually get better." Fastest skater: After being traded for him at Friday's all- star draft, Phil Kessel beat Tyler Seguin in their headto- head heat. With the Toronto Maple Leafs on a six- game losing streak, it was Kessel's first win in a while. " You're cold... You're trying not to fall and embarrass yourself, right?" Kessel said. Rookie Jonathan Drouin of the Tampa Bay Lightning had the fastest time at 13.103 seconds. Sportvision's player tracking technology was used as part of the competition, as it will in today's game. Breakaway challenge: Ryan Johansen stole the show by bringing out seven- year- old Cole Vogt, son of Columbus Blue Jackets trainer Mike Vogt, to help him score and by getting teammates to do the Flying V from the Mighty Ducks movies. Jakub Voracek of the Philadelphia Flyers followed by bringing out 21- year- old Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames to help him. " I think that little kid was bigger than him. Let's be honest," Voracek said of Gaudreau. " That was the plan. It was funny." Gaudreau, who wanted to light his stick on fire for the event because he plays for the Flames, was added to the all- star game as an injury replacement. Tyler Johnson of the Tampa Bay Lightning missed the skills competition with a lower- body injury, and will likely be out for today's game. Johansen won the breakaway challenge as a result of an online fan vote. Accuracy shooting: Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane needed just five shots to hit all four targets. He's no Ray Bourque, but Kane won the competition by doing so in 13.529 seconds. Skills challenge relay: Steven Stamkos showed off his absurd ability to hit the net on one- timers from a sharp angle, and goaltenders Jaroslav Halak, Carey Price, Marc- Andre Fleury and Roberto Luongo got to try their hand at shooting and scoring on an empty net in a segment made for the likes of Martin Brodeur, Chris Osgood and Ron Hextall. Shootout: Kessel kept his good weekend going by scoring on Corey Crawford, and former Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash heard the boos from local fans. Nash asked for a trade out of Columbus and is tied for the NHL lead in goals for the Rangers. " That's how it's been for the last three years, so I expected it," Nash said. " In one ear and out the other. It's an all- star game. There's nothing I can do about it." - The Canadian Press By Stephen Whyno Weber's 108- m. p. h. howitzer truly frightening BLAST! Buff's hardest shot 11 m. p. h. behind Weber's NHL HARDEST SHOT TOTALS TEAM FOLIGNO 1st/ 2nd TEAM TOEWS 1st/ 2nd Alex Ovechkin, Wash 101.4/ 101.4 Brent Seabrook, Chi 96.9/ 98.6 Brent Burns, SJ 93.397.8 Aaron Ekblad, Fla 95.3/ 93.9 Steven Stamkos, TB 98.8/ 97.5 Justin Faulk, Car 95.0/ 94.9 Dustin Byfuglien, Wpg 95.8/ 97.3 Shea Weber, Nsh DQ/ 108.5 TOP FIVE SHOTS: 1. Shea Weber - 108.5 2. Alex Ovechkin - 101.4 ( twice) 3. Steven Stamkos - 98.8 4. Brent Seabrook - 98.6 5. Brent Burns - 97.8 Ottawa Senators' Mike Hoffman rounds the pylons during a heat in the fastest skater competition ( above). TV viewers caught some cool angles thanks to a camera mounted on St. Louis goalie Brian Elliot ( top left), while Columbus Blue Jacket Ryan Johansen ( left) enlists the aid of a youngster during the breakaway event. PHOTOS BY GENE J. PUSKAR / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien leans into one during the hardest shot event during the NHL All- Star skills competition in Columbus Saturday. Buff's side, Team Foligno, won the overall competition. B_ 0 3_ Jan- 25- 15_ FP_ 01. indd B3 1/ 24/ 15 11: 03: 47 PM ;