OTTAWA -- Yesterday afternoon I brought you into the NHL's 2012 All-Star Weekend Fan Fair with one of these "Photo Collection" posts, showing readers the main attraction here in Ottawa aside from the actual events over at ScotiaBank Place. Today, following an eventful night at the arena on Saturday, I will bring you behind-the-scenes of the 2012 All-Star Skills Competition with round two of my photo collections here on the blog.
So right now, picture yourself walking through the doors of ScotiaBank Place, and then going down stairs into a winding tunnel that brings you to the home and away locker rooms. If you followed those directions correctly, you would see the following....
This is the locker room of the Ottawa Senators, which has also housed Team Alfredsson this weekend. Getting the chance to be in both locker rooms, the home team one is ten times nicer than the away one. Oh, and notice the Senators logo in the center of the room is covered with a mat, this way no one can 'step' on it.
The view from the home team bench at ScotiaBank Place. I'm not even sure if I was allowed on, but I followed Tod McLellan - coach of the San Jose Sharks - onto it with his two sons, so no one was stopping me.
Henrik Lundqvist's locker. Weird unknown fact about him: He sprays all of his equipment down with a spray bottle containing water before hitting the ice. I'm guessing to cool it down and loosen everything up.
Dan Girardi's locker, which happened to be next to that of the Flyers' Scott Hartnell. Those two chatted it up quite a bit, which may come as a surprise to many of you. Lundqvist and Giroux seem to have a friendly relationship as well.
For the few seconds head coach John Tortorella did show his face before the Skill Competition, I managed to snap a picture of him talking with Sheriff Brendan Shanahan. That could've been a very interesting conversation.
Carl Hagelin being interviewed by MSG Network after the Skills Competition. When I interviewed him, the kid wouldn't stop talking. Not that I'm complaining about that, but he's just a normal kid that loves to have conversation. Pretty cool.
John Tavares of the New York Islanders. Like Hagelin, he too is a very down-to-earth guy. Despite being an Islander, I like him a lot.
Big "Z" Zdeno Chara soon after blasting his 108.8 mph bomb in the hardest shot competition. I didn't even attempt to interview him because there's no chance in hell I'm reaching that high.
I plan to take more photos when I'm back in the locker rooms before and after this evening's All-Star Game, and those will most likely be posted here tomorrow. For today, though, I will have more interviews with the Rangers to share, so keep a heads up for those.
If you didn't already read my interview with Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist from last night, you can do so by clicking here.
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