LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 05: Timo Meier #28 of the San Jose Sharks reacts throughout the sport between the Pacific division and the Metropolitan division throughout the 2022 Honda NHL All-Star Recreation at T-Cellular Enviornment on February 05, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photograph by Ethan Miller/Getty Pictures)
From assembly and skating with a number of of the sport’s finest gamers to taking within the sights and sounds of Las Vegas over three days, San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier stated his expertise on the NHL All-Star Recreation this weekend was one thing he’ll always remember.
It was only a bit shorter than he hoped.
Meier’s participation within the All-Star Recreation’s 3-on-3 event didn’t final lengthy as he and the Pacific Division misplaced 6-4 to the Metropolitan Division within the first semifinal of the occasion Saturday at T-Cellular Enviornment in Las Vegas.
Meier, in his first all-star sport, scored on the 2:27 mark of the primary 10-minute half and assisted on Jordan Eberle’s objective on the 4:27 mark of the second half that tied the sport 3-3. However the Metropolitan group responded with three consecutive objectives to advance to the ultimate, the place they beat the Central group 5-3.
The gamers on the profitable group cut up a $1 million bonus. Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers was named the event’s MVP.
Meier, 25, confirmed he belonged on the identical stage with a number of of the NHL’s finest after he had 47 factors in 41 video games within the first half of the season.
“I’ll cherish this second ceaselessly,” Meier stated. 
After a number of extra days of downtime, Meier and the Sharks will reconvene for practices close to the top of subsequent week as they prepare for the unofficial second half of the season.
They've their work lower out for them in the event that they wish to finish a two-year postseason drought.
The Sharks went 3-4-3 of their ultimate 10 video games earlier than the break and must string some victories collectively in the event that they wish to catch some groups forward of them within the Western Convention standings.
The Sharks (22-20-4) entered the break in sixth place within the Pacific Division with 48 factors, seven factors again of Anaheim for third place, and 4 factors again of Calgary for the second and ultimate wild-card spot within the Western Convention. The highest three groups in every division mechanically qualify for the playoffs.
Six of the seven video games San Jose performs this month are at house, beginning with video games vs. the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 14, the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 17 and the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 20.
“We all know we’ve received to begin getting some wins collectively, however I’m optimistic,” Meier stated. “It’s actually essential that guys reset, take some vitality out of this break and when you come again, we’re going to be contemporary to get some wins.”
Meier and Tomas Hertl have mixed for 43 objectives to date and should must proceed to provide at a excessive tempo to maintain the Sharks’ hopes alive, significantly within the brief time period.
The Sharks solely have 16 video games left earlier than the NHL’s commerce deadline on March 21 and Hertl, a pending unrestricted free agent, could possibly be on the transfer if he and San Jose can’t come to phrases on a brand new deal.
“I’m going to be trying ahead to the problem,” Meier stated. “I wish to elevate my sport within the second half to ensure that I can have success with the group.”
The Pacific Division group had received the 3-on-3 event and the $1 million prize thrice because the format for the occasion was first launched on the 2016 All-Star Recreation in Nashville.
The Pacific group received in 2016 with Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski. Then-former Sharks winger John Scott was named the occasion’s Most Useful Participant. Burns was additionally a part of the victorious Pacific Division group in 2018 in Tampa, and Tomas Hertl, serving as a substitute for an injured Logan Couture, scored a mixed 5 objectives to assist the Pacific group win in 2020 in St. Louis.
Meier on Saturday spent most of his enjoying time on the ice with Calgary Flames ahead Johnny Gaudreau. The Pacific group, moreover goalies John Gibson and Thatcher Demko of Anaheim and Vancouver, respectively, had only one defenseman, Alex Pietrangelo of the host Golden Knights.