West shines brighter

DALLAS -- While ex-Bruin Brian Rolston cranked two of his signature slappers for goals last night before 18,532 at the American Airlines Center, the man with the hardest shot among the All-Stars wasn't about to rip off any cannons.

"Too many guys shooting slap shots," said Zdeno Chara, whose step-into-it-and-launch rocket was measured at 100.4 m.p.h. the night before during the SuperSkills competition, giving him the win in the hardest shot contest. "We just wanted to play a puck-moving game and a skating game so the fans could enjoy it."

The Western Conference claimed the 55th All-Star Game, the first played since 2004 (lockout in 2005, Olympics last season), last night over the Eastern Conference, 12-9. Chara, looking more like a sniper than stay-at-home defenseman, netted two strikes -- one of five players with two goals -- that required a scorer's touch.

In the second period, Chara (19 shifts, 20:28 of ice time) joined the play when he saw an opening in the slot. Chara hit the hole, took a dish from game MVP Daniel Briere (goal, four assists), and roofed a backhander over Miikka Kiprusoff at 6:29, giving the East a 5-4 lead.

"I got a great pass from Daniel," Chara said. "I don't think guys were backchecking on me pretty hard."

In the third period, with his team down, 10-7, Chara scored a goal that looked more like a Marc Savard special. Marian Hossa, skating down the right wing, drew a defender and allowed Chara to rush toward the net. Hossa sent a cross-crease pass to Chara, who lifted a shot from the top of the crease over Marty Turco.

"I had a few chances to jump up," said Chara, who's better known for booming big ones from the point and entering the low slot only when he's there to set up screens. "It was fun."

Chara was one of the veterans who starred on a night centered around the new: the uniforms the players debuted, and the fresh-faced duo of Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin, who project to be playing in many more All-Star Games before they tuck away their skates.

Players from both sides wore the new streamlined uniform, which was introduced Monday. The uniform, which features a tighter jersey, pants, and socks, will be worn in regular-season play starting in 2007-08.

"It was good," Chara said of the threads. "It will be an adjustment. We'll see how it works when it comes out in the NHL. They are tight. But it's not like you feel discomfort. Just tight."

Crosby (zero points) and Ovechkin (one goal) hardly dominated. While Briere started the game alongside the dynamic duo, he was replaced by Brendan Shanahan, who didn't score.

Winning coach Randy Carlyle singled out Rolston, Joe Sakic, and Yanic Perreault as three older players who helped shut down the East's No. 1 line of Crosby, Ovechkin, and Shanahan.

"There wasn't too much strategy," Carlyle said. "When you have the ability to put great players over the boards every shift, I don't think any coach can dream of having the luxury of consistently putting those types of players over the boards. As far as Crosby is concerned, tonight some of the older players in the league showed their worth. Joe Sakic, Rolston, Perreault -- they were the strength of our group. A few shifts in the second period, Sakic was the first guy back backchecking. [Assistant coach] Barry Trotz and I made a comment to the rest of the players that it's what a great player does."

With the score 3-3, the West exploded for six second-period goals against the ageless Martin Brodeur to take control, claiming a 9-6 advantage after 40 minutes.

Rolston netted both his goals in the second. The West also got goals from Patrick Marleau, Rick Nash, Martin Havlat, and Perreault. Brodeur robbed the West of a seventh goal when he stacked the pads on Jonathan Cheechoo's bid.

"They usually fake it and make a pass," a smiling Brodeur said when asked about the number of slappers he saw. "They don't do that. Even Sheldon [Souray] had one, and Marty was probably scared. That was coming hard. It's part of the game. Everybody wants to play their best."

In the third period, a miked-up Turco had some entertaining chatter with Versus announcers Mike Emrick and Ed Olczyk, stopping in mid-sentence to face oncoming snipers.

Turco even had to face six shooters by the end when East coach Lindy Ruff pulled Cristobal Huet for an extra attacker, but Dion Phaneuf ended the East's rally with a rink-length empty-netter at 19:48.

"The fact that there were a lot of goals," said Shanahan, "just has to do with the skill level in the game."

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at FShinzawa@globe.com.