Andrew Poturalski and Trevor Carrick helped the Eastern Conference get out to an early lead, but the West completed a comeback in the final event to capture the AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday.
Making his first All-Star appearance, Poturalski helped the East earn its first point of the evening as part of a winning threesome in the Puck Control Relay event. He would later contribute to another win in the Accuracy Shooting event, hitting all four targets on seven attempts.
Carrick and Lehigh Valley captain Colin McDonald scored four goals in the Rapid Fire event, though it was not enough as the West took the overall point for earning the most saves in the event. Carrick also competed in the hardest shot competition, tying for third overall with a top speed of 99.4 miles per hour.
Thanks in part to those contributions, the East led 10-7 heading into the final Breakaway Relay event, but the West out-scored them 10-4 in that challenge to take home the victory. Both Checkers players missed opportunities in that event, with San Jose netminder Josef Korenar stopping Carrick’s heavy slap shot and a between-the-legs effort by Poturalski.
Poturalski, Carrick and head coach Mike Vellucci will return to the ice for Monday’s All-Star Challenge, in which their Atlantic squad will participate in a three-on-three, round-robin tournament against the league’s other three divisions.
