Campbell, Vasilevskiy team up to win Save Streak at All-Star Skills

LAS VEGAS -- Jack Campbell of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning are Atlantic Division rivals who might have to square off in the Stanley Cup Playoffs later this season, but for one night, the goalies had fun working together.

Campbell and Vasilevskiy combined to make nine consecutive saves to win the Dunkin' NHL Save Streak for the Atlantic Division at the 2022 NHL All-Star Skills presented by DraftKings Sportsbook at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Friday.

"It was really cool," Campbell said. "Seeing 'Vasy' at the other end, he's been so dominant in the league, especially in shootouts over however long he's been in the league. We just had a lot of fun together and we set the bar and I was trying to do my part."

Campbell and Vasilevskiy will team up again for the Atlantic Division against the Central Division in the second semifinal of the 2022 Honda NHL All-Star Game on Saturday (3 p.m. ET; ABC, SN, TVAS, ESPN+). The next time they'll see each other after that will be when the Lightning host the Maple Leafs on April 4 for the third of their four regular-season games. The teams split the first two, with Campbell winning 2-1 in overtime on Nov. 4 and Vasilevskiy winning 5-3 on Dec. 9.

"Anytime you play the best competition, whether it's a team or a player, whatever it may be, it's super exciting and brings out the best in you," Campbell said.

That proved to be a winning formula in the save streak, which was changed to a team competition for the goalies this year after being an individual event from 2018-20.

"It was kind of a new experience," Vasilevskiy said after competing in the event for the fourth time. "The last time it was only one goalie trying to save all the pucks, but now we're working as a tandem and it was pretty fun. It was a good experience."

Campbell and Vasilevskiy led off the event, facing nine shooters from the Metropolitan Division They weren't able to string together more than two consecutive saves through the first seven shooters before getting hot.

Their winning streak started with Vasilevskiy making a right-pad save on New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes. Campbell followed by stopping Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux. Vasilevskiy made it three in a row with a stop on New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech before Campbell made a right-pad save on

Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho for four straight.

"We were first too, so it's always hard," Vasilevskiy said. "But we did pretty well [despite it being the] first time."

Vasilevskiy and Campbell went through the rest of the Metropolitan lineup, including Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski and forwards Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers, Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals and Jake Guentzel of the Pittsburgh Penguins, before Hughes finally scored to end the streak.

"I just didn't want to let him down out there," Campbell said of Vasilevskiy. "He was making a lot of great saves on a lot of great shooters, so it was really fun to be a part of."

Central Division goalies Cam Talbot of the Minnesota Wild and Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators had a best streak of five saves against shooters from the Pacific Division. John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks and Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks from the Pacific Division topped out at three consecutive saves against shooters from Central Division. The Metropolitan Division pair of Frederik Andersen of the Hurricanes and Tristan Jarry of the Penguins made two consecutive saves.

RESULTS (best streak)

Atlantic Division: Jack Campbell, Toronto Maple Leafs; Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning, 9

Central Division: Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators; Cam Talbot, Minnesota Wild, 5

Pacific Division: Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks; John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks, 3

Metropolitan Division: Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes; Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh Penguins, 2