PHOENIX, (OTHL) -- The 2006 Skills Competition took place in the Glendale Arena today. The packed arena got to see an almost repeat of last years competitions, the scoreline was the same East - West 8-4. But the event winners looked a bit different this time around. Paul Kariya who where not selected to last years all-star game, showed that he is probably the fastest skater in the league as he won the Fastest Skater event. On a time that would have won him the competition last year too. Kariya's 13,819 was a fraction faster then Marian Gaboriks 13,874 from last years competition.
The event the East dominated most was the Hardest Shot event, where Todd Bertuzzi banged away the puck at a record breaking 104 mph. The East won the Hardest Shot with almost 10 mph in average over the West.
We also got to see Mario Lemieux in fine form. The big centerman not only gave the East the win in the first event of the day, the Puck Relay, after an impressive skate against Petr Cajanek. Lemieux also showed off his accuracy, when he knocked down the 4 targets with 4 shots in the Accuracy Shooting.
Now the West will have to regroup and get going in the real event, the All-Star game. But with the momentum going from the Skills Competition, the East will be a tough nut to crack for the West.