Flyers' Timonen reteams with ex-Nashville teammate Suter for All-Star Game

OTTAWA - It may not match last year's wild 11-10 contest for goals scored, but don't expect Sunday's NHL All-Star Game at Scotiabank Place to feature defense.

"You know you're going to be scored on," said Boston goalie Tim Thomas, who will play for Team Chara, "but you just don't want to be embarrassed."

Team Chara will include Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen, while Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell will play for Team Alfredsson. Timonen will be paired with his former Nashville teammate Ryan Suter, who has drawn interest from the Flyers.

The last Flyer to win the all-star MVP award was Reggie Leach in 1980. Chicago's Patrick Sharp, a former Flyer, won it last year.

The scores of the last four All-Star Games: 12-9, 8-7, 12-11, and 11-10. Only once since 1987 have the teams combined for fewer than 10 goals.

Skills competition

Four Flyers helped Team Alfredsson win the all-star skills competition, 21-12, on Saturday night at Scotiabank Place.

Hartnell, who was 3 for 3 on one-timers, and Giroux (stickhandling competition) aided Team Afredsson's victory in the skills-challenge relay.

"It was exciting to see the best guys in the world do their thing," said Giroux, who was stopped by Thomas in the elimination shootout.

A nervous Matt Read, performing for Team Alfredsson as one of the rookies, won his shooting-accuracy event and reached the final, where he lost to Dallas' Jamie Benn.

Sean Couturier, also on Team Alfredsson, scored once in three attempts - using a spin move - in the breakaway challenge, whose focus was on the style, not necessarily whether you scored.

Couturier said he "didn't sleep all night" because he was thinking about a creative play.

Chicago's Patrick Kane, wearing a Superman cape and Clark Kent glasses, "flew" to the ice as he scored on one of his shots.

On Couturier's third shot, Montreal goalie Carey Price made the save despite turning his back and Tebowing.

The winner was determined by fans' texting for their favorite move by the six participants.

Kane won.

Breakaways

Penguins star Sidney Crosby was diagnosed with a neck injury, perhaps involving his vertebrae. The recent discovery is in addition to his concussion problems. . . . Hartnell said he likes to hate the Rangers, but he's discovered they're "real good guys" at the all-star festivities. . . . It appears the four-conference realignment plan is dead for next season, meaning the current format will remain intact for 2012-13. . . . In his all-star address, commissioner Gary Bettman said concussions have increased because of better diagnoses. He also said fighting is down 25 percent from last year.

Contact staff writer Sam Carchidi at scarchidi@phillynews.com, or on @BroadStBull on Twitter.