2018 All-Star Skills Competition: Islanders Tavares, Bailey have fun with friends

This year’s All-Stars Skills Competition featured four teams, a few new bells and whistles, lots of smiles and two (2) New York Islanders. Both John Tavares and Josh Bailey put up good showings at the casual event, although unfortunately, neither came away a winner.

Bailey was up early in the Geico Fastest Skater Competition, a bit that a lot of guys were reluctant to compete in. They were right. Bailey finished his lap in 14.413 seconds, which was last among all skaters. But Connor McDavid predictably won the thing with a time of 13.454 so the difference between first and last was literally a split second.

Tavares was featured in the Gatorade Puck Control Relay and finished second to winner Johnny Gaudreau. The event had three stations - stickhandling, skating around cones and lighted gates of differing heights to pass the puck through. First skater Gaudreau set the mark with 24.650. Tavares was on pace to beat him before the tricky lighted gates tripped him up. Still, 28.242 is nothing to sneeze at. And at least he didn’t cheat.

Both Islanders took part in the new Save Streak competition for goalies but neither could solve Pekka Rinne, representing the Central Division. Rinne made 13 straight saves on Metro Division skaters, but was beaten by Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury, who stopped 14 straight shots from the Atlantic Division.

There was no overall winner for the night, either by individual or team. But, hey, the important thing was a good time was had by all and the boys got to have fun with some of the best in the NHL.

This is Tavares’s having fun face.

Cute!

Hey, thanks, Carey!

And just for fun, here’s P.K. Subban throwing his glove at Henrik Lundqvist during the Save Streak. It didn’t help. Lundqvist didn’t flinch.

Some guys had more fun than others.

You can see even more videos, gifs and memories at SBN’s extensive recap and even more Islanders stuff at the team’s All-Star Hub. Tavares and Bailey will be back on the ice tomorrow for All-Star Game, which is Sunday at 3:30pm.