Tkachuk brothers lead Atlantic to first win in three-on-three format

The Tkachuk brothers led the way in helping the Atlantic Division win the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Game with a 7-5 victory against the Central Division in front of a sellout crowd of 19,250 at FLA Live Arena.

🏆 CHAMPIONS 🏆

The Atlantic Division is crowned champion of the #NHLAllStar Game with a 7-5 victory over the Central Division! pic.twitter.com/88L03dOCaD

— NHL (@NHL) February 4, 2023

Florida Panthers forward Mattew Tkachuk, who was named the MVP, had a goal and an assist in the final after getting three goals and two assists in a 10-6 win against the Metropolitan Division in the semifinals.

His brother, Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk, finished with five points (one goal, four assists), including getting a goal and three assists in the semifinals.

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“It’s something I’ll never forget, this whole four or five days of being here together,” Brady Tkachuk said. “Usually at this time of the year we’re so busy hunkering down, focused on our respective seasons. It’s nice to take a break from that and just be together and have the number of people we had here. It was amazing.”

The Atlantic Division’s players, along with coach Jim Montgomery, will split a $1 million prize by virtue of their victory.

Dylan Larkin had a hat trick in the final, Mitchell Marner had three assists, and Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist for the Atlantic, which won the All-Star Game for the first time since the NHL adopted the current format in 2016 (lost previous three).

Linus Ullmark stopped all six shots he faced in the first period, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 11 saves in the second.

The 11 players on the Atlantic’s roster will split the $1 million prize for winning the All-Star Game.

The Central, which won 6-4 against the Pacific Division in the first semifinal, has lost all three of its final appearances under the current format.