On a team like the Chicago Blackhawks, a player like Patrick Sharp can go relatively unnoticed. They’re Cup champs so everybody knows all about them, but you typically hear about the stars – Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, etc. – much more than a guy like Sharp.
2011 NHL All-Star Game: Patrick Sharp Could Be Putting Together MVP Performance
But make no mistake: Sharp’s in this All-Star Game for a reason, and there’s a reason why Eric Staal selected him before Toews in Friday’s All-Star Draft.
He’s showing us all of those reasons so far today.
Through the midway point of the game, Sharp’s the leading candidate for the MVP award (and the free car that goes along with it). He’s buried a tie-breaking second period goal and he’s assisted on tallies by Claude Giroux, Paul Stastny and Patrik Elias. Four points for Sharp thus far, and the game is only halfway over.
Other candidates in the running are mostly in the running because of Sharp, too. Giroux has two points on the night, both helped by Sharp, while Stastny’s secondary assist only happened because of Sharp’s primary one. Oh, and Stastny’s goal? A tip-in of a Sharp shot.
There’s still plenty of game left, but it’s going to take a big third period by somebody to top what No. 10 has done so far.
This update was written by Travis Hughes, SB Nation’s NHL editor.
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