The Stars forward was one of five players taking part in the event Thursday, with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk, Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos.
The event, which took place on the Strip and shut down Las Vegas Boulevard on Thursday, involved a deck of 52 oversized cards set up on a rack facing the players. The goal was for each player to take shots at the board and try to get a hand of 21 without going bust. Any player who hit 21 would advance to the final round, which was high card.
"I don't think we realized how big of a deal it is, " Pavelski said. "As you're doing it and start hearing stories about the Strip's really not been closed down besides for a few movies and in the middle of the night, so it was pretty cool. "
The players drew cards to see who would shoot first and alternated shots. Any card that was hit on the board was removed.
Pavelski had no trouble hitting an ace and a king on his first two shots. Kadri, who hit a queen and an ace, was the second player to reach 21.
Matthews, Stamkos and Tkachuk had a different strategy as each went for a low card first.
Matthews hit a three, then an eight and a king to get 21; Stamkos got a two, a nine, a two and then an eight; Tkachuk hit a two, a nine and then a queen.
"I guess all of us did find a way to get to 21, " Pavelski said. "At times it felt like it was not easy, but there were some pretty simple shots it felt like, and then there were some where you're looking and you have to go up high, you didn't know how the puck was going to react."
Stamkos said he had some fun with the event, but admitted he also wanted to take a slap shot at some point.
"We were kind of just joking that someone should pass one over to me and I would one-time it," Stamkos said. "Because I'd probably have better success that way, so I'm like, 'You know what? I'm just going to take a slapper and see what happens.'"
Because all five players reached 21 without going bust, all advanced to the high card round. With two aces remaining on the board, Pavelski and Stamkos each hit one, eliminating the other three players. The two then each hit one of the two remaining kings.
Pavelski then hit a queen to top Stamkos, who hit a four aiming for the other queen.
"I missed that top right [queen] at the end," Stamkos said. "I didn't get it high enough. [The event] was fun the way it worked out."
