Celebrities lace 'em up for charity
By Shawn Roarke | NHL.com | Jan. 30, 2002

LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood has always been driven by stars. So it was of little surprise that star power lit up the Los Angeles night Wednesday for the NHL All-Star Celebrity Challenge at the STAPLES Center.
The game, presented by Microsoft Windows XP, was a star-studded affair, complete with red-carpet treatment, papparazzi, entourages and that celebrity buzz that is uniquely Los Angeles.

And, that was before the celebrity game even started. It mattered little that Bruckheimer's Bad Boys beat Kelley's Heroes, 11-10. It mattered entirely that some of the area's biggest stars were on hand to celebrate the arrival of the NHL All-Star Weekend here.

All-Star Friday will feature a Topps YoungStars Game and the Dodge SuperSkills competition. The 52nd NHL All-Star Game will take place Saturday afternoon.

The excitement Wednesday night started even before the players took the ice. The bowels of the STAPLES Center represented the area outside the Shrine Auditorium on the night of the Oscars.

Newspaper, entertainment and fashion photographers lined the hallway outside the dressing rooms taking pictures of the players as they arrived and left the lockerrooms. Televison cameras, including a crew from E! Television that was documenting the entire evening, were everywhere.

Every facet of the entertainment world was represented in the game -- TV personalities, movie stars, producers, directors, models, wrestling stars, baseball stars and musicians were all on hand. They were joined by a legion of former players.

And entertain they all did.

Bobby Farrelly, the driving force behind hit movies like Something About Mary and Me, Myself and Irene, played goal for Bruckheimer's Bad Boys, making some amazing saves while sipping cold beverages from his specially designed goalie mask.

His counterpart -- Kelley's Heroes Chad Smith (the drummer for the Red Hot Chile Peppers) -- was equally good, flashing a surprisingly adept glove hand on several occassions.

Wrestler Chris Jericho tried to steal the show with some physical play and his usual bluster.

During a break in the first period, Jericho even compared himself to 'Mr. Hockey,'' Detroit Hall of Famer Gordie Howe -- who was on hand to take part in the ceremonial faceoff. "I haven't been able to show of my magical, mystery move yet," said Jericho, whose father, Ted Irvine, played for the New York Rangers. "But, before the night's over, I will score seven or eight goals and I will be known as the true Mr. Hockey of tonight."

The night was also about hockey. Dave Taylor, part of the Kings' famed Triple Crown line and now the team's GM, set up former Ranger Ron Duguay for a pretty goal for Bruckenheimer's Bad Boys. Hall of Famer Glenn Anderson scored a pretty wrap-around goal with an assist from Jeopardy's Alex Trebek. Former King Bernie Nicholls also scored.

For the Heroes, Patrick Flatley and Lanny MacDonald combined for a couple of pretty goals.

Wednesday night, however, was more about star power and smiles than goals and pretty plays. And, on that count, it was an All-Star success.