Three Red Wings to Start All-Star Game

Three Detroit Red Wings will be on the ice at the start of the 2008 NHL All-Star Game, the league announced today.

Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, and Nicklas Lidstrom were voted as starters to the Western Conference squad, to be coached by Detroit head coach Mike Babcock.

Lidstrom led all Western Conference players in votes with 477,787. Zetterberg and Datsyuk led all forwards with 326,244 and 303,309, respectively.

It marks the tenth All-Star appearance for Lidstrom, who has played in every All-Star Game since 1998. Zetterberg and Datsyuk were selected for the second time, though Zetterberg opted out of his prior opportunity with a back injury.

Calgary’s Jarome Iginla will be the other forward starter with teammate Dion Phaneuf joining Lidstrom on the blue line. Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo will get the start in net.

The Eastern Conference forward starters are Sidney Crosby, Vincent Lecavalier, and Daniel Alfresson. Zdeno Chara and Andrei Markov start on defense with Martin Brodeur in goal.