Recap: 2023 Bell AHL All-Star Classic

LAVAL - The stars of tomorrow touched down in Laval this weekend for the 2023 Bell AHL All-Star Classic and they did not disappoint.

48 participants representing 32 teams across the American Hockey League shone bright on the league's biggest stage, but perhaps none brighter than the Laval Rocket's Alex Belzile and Anthony Richard.
"To play in an All-Star game is always special, but to do it in Laval, you can't ask for much more," said Richard. "For the fans to still be this invested in the goals, the saves and these games that don't really mean much… it says a lot about the fans' passion here in Montreal, Laval and all of Quebec."

"Tonight, again, was proof that Lavallois and Quebecers make this one of the best places to play in the American Hockey League," added Belzile. "It's elite. It's la crème de la crème."
Bragging rights belonged to the Eastern Conference on Sunday night, as they bested their Western counterparts 16-10 in the Skills Competition.
On Monday, the Western Conference got their revenge with the Pacific Division winning 1-0 over the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division to claim the All-Star Challenge championship.
Since 1995, 94 percent of AHL All-Stars have proceeded to play in the NHL, including current Canadiens Jake Allen (2011, 2014), Mike Hoffman (2014), Chris Wideman (2015, 2020) and Sam Montembeault (2019). Head coach Martin St. Louis (1999), Director of player development and amateur scouting Martin Lapointe (1995) and Coach of player development Francis Bouillon (1999) have also participated in the event.
Here are some of the highlights from the weekend:
BELZ AND WHISTLES
To no surprise, Belzile was a fan favorite at Place Bell throughout the two-day event, bringing a near sold-out crowd to the edge of their seats every time the Rocket captain touched the puck.
The 31-year-old went 3-for-4 in the Rapid Fire event before adding two more goals in the Pass and Score competition on Sunday. He also added a trio of assists in the All-Star Challenge the following night.
In his fifth season with the Rocket, Belzile has posted 26 points (14G-12A) in 31 games, earning his second All-Star nod. The veteran center has also spent time with the Canadiens this season, tallying four assists in five games.

TONY TIME
Richard is enjoying a breakout season of his own, averaging over a point per game in his first season with the Rocket. The product of Trois-Rivières has totalled 42 points (22G-20A) in 38 games for Canadiens' affiliate club and was making his first appearance at an AHL All-Star Weekend.
On Monday, he found the back of the net twice in three mini games for the North Division, including this ear-piercing ringer:

The 26-year-old joined the Canadiens for a seven-game stint earlier this season, during which he scored his first career NHL goal and added an assist, to boot.

SKILLS AND THRILLS
Hershey Bear's forward Ethen Frank set a new league record in the Fastest Skater competition on Sunday night with a time of 12.915 seconds.
Richard wasn't far behind with a time of 13.322. Catch him if you can!

Rockford IceHogs forward David Gust went 4-for-4 in the Accuracy Shooting event, becoming only the fourth player in league history to accomplish the feat.

DEATH, TAXES AND BOOS
There was no love lost between the Laval Rocket and Toronto Marlies over the weekend.
The Place Bell faithful made sure to remind Logan Shaw, Noel Hoefenmayer and Joseph Woll where their hearts lie, as the boos rained down on the Toronto trio during their player introductions.

Springfield Thunderbirds' goalie Joel Hofer wasn't let off the hook easily either. Hofer, who helped knock the Rocket out of the playoffs last season, was showered with "HAWWW-FER" chants throughout the night.
SEVEN ELEVEN
Belzile and Richard's North Division team went down in the final game of the round-robin, but not without a fight.
Games that ended in a tie were followed by a three-round shootout. If the game remained tied at that point, the contest was ruled a draw. But, with a chance for the "home" team to move on to the final with a win - and with a little help from the crowd - AHL President Scott Howson granted an exception, extending the shootout beyond the three rounds.
Little did he, or anyone for that matter, know it would take eleven (!) rounds before a winner was decided. Ultimately, it was Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Alex Nylander who delivered the dagger for the Atlantic Division to punch their ticket to the final.

WELCOME TO THE HALL
The 2023 AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony was held in Laval on Monday morning.
David Andrews (class of 2021), Keith Aucoin, Nolan Baumgartner, Dave Creighton and Bill Torrey were this year's inductees.
Yvon Lambert and Mike Keane, honorary captains for the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively, were also in attendance. Lambert, a four-time Stanley Cup champion with the Canadiens (1976-1979) won the AHL's Calder Cup in 1982-83. Keane, an eight-year member of the Habs (1988-1996), played parts of seven seasons in the AHL during an illustrious 22-year professional career.
In May, the AHL announced that the 2024 AHL All-Star classic will be held in San Jose.