NHL All-Star game reserves announced

Luongo got a well deserved naming to the NHL All Star Team today. He should be very exciting to watch as he stones every shot in the ASG!

Complete reserves for the East:Ottawa trio added

to Eastern All-Stars

By Shawn P. Roarke

NHL.com | January 22, 2004

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The Ottawa Senators, challenging for their second-straight Presidents' Trophy, placed three players among the 15 reserves announced Thursday to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2004 NHL All-Star Game (Sunday, Feb. 8, Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn. 3 p.m. ET (ABC, CBC, RDS, NHL Radio) .

Veteran center Mark Messier also highlighted the announcement, named to his 15th All-Star appearance.

Right wing Marian Hossa, tied for fifth in League scoring with 51 points in 46 games, right wing Daniel Alfredsson ? Ottawa's captain -- and rugged defenseman Wade Redden were the three Senators named to the Eastern Conference roster.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, who led the Eastern Conference by three points heading into Thursday night's action, placed two players on the roster, center Mats Sundin and winger Gary Roberts. Philadelphia, four points behind the Maple Leafs, also had two players named to the roster, centers Jeremy Roenick and Keith Primeau.

The Montreal Canadiens will send two players to the All-Star Game. Goalie Jose Theodore will be making his second appearance at the mid-season classic. Defenseman Sheldon Souray, leading all defenseman in goal scoring this season, makes his first showing.

The Washington Capitals will send two of the game's biggest offensive stars to the showcase in explosive forwards Jaromir Jagr and Robert Lang, who have combined for 92 points in Washington's first 48 games.

Defenseman Adrian Aucoin, going to his first All-Star Game, represents the New York Islanders. Nick Boynton, Boston's young defenseman, will represent the Bruins in his first All-Star appearance. Florida goalie Roberto Luongo, also making his first showing, rounds out the 15 selections named Thursday.

They join the six starters voted by the fans and announced earlier this month -- New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur, Devils defensemen Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer, Boston center Joe Thornton, Atlanta winger Ilya Kovalchuk and Tampa Bay winger Martin St. Louis.

Messier, at 43, is the oldest player invited to the game. Going into Thursday's game, Messier leads his team in goals with 13 and has 25 points in 46 contests. Messier last appeared at the All-Star Game in 2000.

Hossa, who finished third in the goals race last year with 45, has 23 goals this season in his first 46 games. The Slovakian star will be making his third All-Star appearance in the last four years.

Mats Sundin, the Toronto captain, will make his eighth All-Star appearance. He and Gary Roberts will represent the Toronto Maple Leafs, who currently lead the Eastern Conference by three points.

Alfredsson, who has 45 points in 45 games this year, as well as a plus-9 rating, is making his fourth All-Star appearance, but his first since 1998. Redden, meanwhile, is making his second appearance after debuting in the 2002 All-Star Game. Redden has 24 points and a plus-14 rating in 47 outings.

Sundin, the Toronto captain, is making his eighth All-Star appearance. Toronto's leading scorer, Sundin has 45 points in 48 games this season. Roberts, 37, has 30 points this season after suffering through an injury-shortened campaign last year. He is making his third All-Star Game showing, but his first in 11 years.

The Flyers, who lead the Atlantic Division, are led by Roenick, who has 38 points in 47 games. He is making his ninth All-Star Game appearance, and his third-straight for Philadelphia. Primeau, after a four-year absence, returns for his second All-Star showing. He represented Carolina in 1999. This season, Primeau, the Flyers' captain has 15 points and a plus-6 rating in 41 games.

The Canadiens, who are challenging for not only a playoff berth, but the Northeast Division crown, can credit much of their success on their two All-Star representatives.

Souray, after years of battling injuries, is having a career year. He has 14 goals, tops among NHL defensemen, and has managed 32 points, good for third on his team. Theodore is approaching his Vezina and Hart Trophy-winning performance of 2002. He is 20-14-5 with a goals-against average of 1.99 and a .929 save percentage.

Washington's Robert Lang is currently tied with Vancouver's Markus Naslund for the top spot with 23 goals and 34 assists for 57 points in 48 games. He is making his first All-Star appearance.

Washington's Lang has flirted with the scoring lead all season long. He is currently tied with Vancouver's Markus Naslund for the top spot with 23 goals and 34 assists for 57 points in 48 games. He is making his first All-Star appearance. Jagr, on the other hand, is an old pro at the event. His 45-point showing through 46 games earned him his ninth All-Star invitation.

Aucoin and Boynton round out the East's defensive corps. Aucoin, who averages 26:25 of action per game for the Islanders, has two goals and 25 assists and is a whopping plus-24. Boynton, 24 and in his third full season, leads Boston with an average time on ice of 23:15. He has 16 points and a plus-7 rating.

Florida's Loungo fills out the trio of Quebec-born goalies who will represent the East. The 24-year-old netminder, from Montreal, has a stellar .929 save percentage to complement a 2.45 GAA and a 13-20-9 record in 42 appearances.