Coachella Valley Firebirds mascot Fuego carries the flag for the American Hockey League 2025 All-Star Classic at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. (Source: © Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)The Western Conference Beat The Eastern Conference 3-1 in the Puck Control Relay event of the All-Star Skills Competition.
The first heat pitted the the Eastern team of Brian Halonen (UTC), Conor Geekie (SYR) and Ilya Protas (HER) against the Western team of Andre Lee (ONT), Brett Seney (RFD) and Jayson Megna (COL). The race was dead even until the second leg where Seney ran into a cameraman on the ice, allowing Protas to take a comfortable lead and crusing to a win.
In the second heat, the Eastern team of Patrick Brown (PRO), Adam Engstrom (LAV) and Zac Jones (ROC) also beat the Western Conference team of Jagger Firkus (CV), Ben Berard (ABB) and Hunter Haight (IA) in a tight contest.
The third heat featured a 1v1 contest between Frederic Brunet (PRO) and Justin Robidas (CHI). Brunet notched the third straight win for the East.
In the final contest, the home team's Nick Lardis took on Christian Kyrou (LV). After Kyrou lost control of the puck, Lardis got the lone win of the event for the West.