SUNRISE, Fla. — The cameras lingered on Matthew Tkachuk for a long time after he finished off his hat trick in the semifinals of the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. The All-Star right wing sat on the bench, beside his younger brother, while cheers rose from the FLA Live Arena crowd, looking for an acknowledgment from the Florida Panthers’ new star. Eventually, his eyes rose to look at the big screen and a toothy grin stretched across his face.
He was one of two hometown heroes in the NHL All-Star Game and he delivered Sunrise the show it wanted. His three goals and two assists in the semis — only the second five-point game in the nine-year history of the current 3-on-3 All-Star format — sent the Atlantic Division into the championship, where Tkachuk added another goal to help the Atlantic beat the Central Division, 7-5, and win the All-Star Game MVP.
Tkachuk, playing on a line with All-Star forwards Brady Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov, finished with four goals and three assists across the two 20-minute games. Barkov, his teammate and captain, had four assists after he was a late addition to the game as an injury replacement for superstar center Auston Matthews.
