NHL Unveils Events for All-Star Game Skills Competition

The NHL is adding a hometown twist to the all-star game this year. 

On Monday, the league officially announced the list of challenges that players will compete in against each other during the Skills Showcase this Friday, with the Verizon NHL Fastest Skater, Dunkin' NHL Save Streak, EA NHL Hardest Shot, Adidas NHL Breakaway Challenge, and Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting headlining the event. 

Joining those challenges, however, are two new events that put a Vegas-style twist on the all-star festivities. 

The first new challenge is dubbed the "Discover NHL Fountain Face-Off", and puts the iconic Bellagio Hotel fountains front and center. Players participating in this event will take a boat over to a rink that is set up inside the fountains, and will attempt to shoot pucks into five different targets in the least amount of time. 

The catch here, though, is that the players will be attempting to hit the targets while also fighting off the spray of the fountains, which should certainly heighten the challenge's difficulty and lead to some truly hilarious moments. 

The second brand new event, named the Las Vegas NHL 21 in '22, is perhaps the most Vegas-themed of all, bringing the classic casino game Blackjack directly onto the ice. Players will attempt to shoot pucks at a rack holding oversized playing cards, with the goal being to make the cards equal 21 without going bust in the shortest amount of time. 

The event will take place right at the center of the action, on Las Vegas Boulevard's iconic strip. 

If fans weren't sure as to where the all-star game was being held this year, they do now.