MVP Thunderbug delivers in OT to lift East in Mascot Showdown

Lightning mascot earns honors after scoring game-winning goal

By NHL.com @NHLdotcom

January 28, 2018

Thunderbug delivered some hometown heroics at the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend.

The mascot of the Tampa Bay Lightning scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lead the East to a 5-4 win in the NHL Mascot Showdown.
Thunderbug got an assist from Stormy the Pig, the mascot of the Carolina Hurricanes, who set a killer screen on Wild Wing ahead of the game-winner.

.@NHLStormy had a beast of a game in the #NHLAllStar Mascot Showdown tallying a couple assists and screening the goalie for the game-winner in OT. pic.twitter.com/qoAnBdbgR8
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) January 28, 2018

Stinger of the Columbus Blue Jackets had two goals for the East, who overcame a 3-0 deficit after the first half. But it was Thunderbug who left with the hardware, the third straight season where the home mascot earned MVP honors.

Not sure if this was rigged, but @TBLightning mascot @ThunderBugTBL won the #NHLAllStar Game Mascot Challenge MVP. I suspect the other mascots had a few words with him after I took this photo pic.twitter.com/6OQwFRaXb8
— Dave Stubbs 🇨🇦 (@Dave_Stubbs) January 28, 2018

Howler Coyote scored twice for the Western Conference, which fell to 1-2 all time in the event. Maybe SJ Sharkie and the West can rebound next year when the All-Star Weekend goes to SAP Center.

MVP Thunderbug delivers in OT to lift East in Mascot Showdown

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