NHL Skill Show Highlighted by Gender Equity

Back in the day when dinosaurs walked the earth -- and the workforce -- on of the most popular rallying cries for women's equal opportunity came from a damn cigarette slogan.

Times have changed in more than one way, thankfully, and in sports, much of it was due to Title IX.

Think of it as a societal landmark that acknowledged dudettes had a right to sweat in public.

 

In turn, that also meant that when they skated, they didn't have to do it while sparkling.

 

 

Bloody right.

With the exception of baseball -- where players have to play defense, among other things -- all-star games just don't duplicate the game were the chosen players earned their honor.

It's logical. After Pete Rose ended Ray Fosse's career for all intents and purposes in the 1970 All-Star Game ...

 

... with the investment pro teams have in players now -- not to mention the player's own earning power -- that's not gonna happen again.

So, being real, the main event on All-Star weekends anymore is the skills contest, and they're all pretty cool.

This year, the NHL turned a negative into an historic positive after one of its big-name All-Stars came up lame at the last minute:

 

Kendall Coyne Schofield did her part as Team USA brought home Olympic gold by defeating Canada. Now, she's the first female to skate in the NHL skills competition.

She was warmly welcomed by all involved as she did a lap in the fastest skater competition:

 

Full marks to her.

Her track time placed her in seventh place out of the eight entrants, and surely lit up a new generation of girls who just saw a door open wider.

 

Coyne Schofield's performance definitely put a charge into the evening, which carried over to the rest of the proceedings:

 

For the record:

• Edmonton's Connor McDavid was the fastest skater;
• Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau was the puckmaster;
• The New York Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist compiled the longest save streak;
• Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl was the premier passer, mainly because Coyne Schofield's fellow gold medalist Brianna Decker posted a better time in her role as event explanator; and
• Washington's John Carlson registered the hardest shot.

On net. That's the rule.

 

All that's left now is to play the game, which will be 3-on-3 with a goalie in a $1million, winner-take-all division-vs-division format.

The only body contact will surely be accidental.

Frankly, both Coyne Schofield and Decker could handle that, too. Maybe next year.