ST. PAUL, Minn. - The difference between yesterday's 54th annual NHL All-Star Game and many of its predecessors was that, in this one, it actually looked like somebody wanted to win the thing.

In an entertaining, up-and-down contest, the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference, 6-4, at Xcel Energy Center. Joe Sakic's hat trick was good enough to net him the game's Most Valuable Player award in a losing effort for the West, but Martin Brodeur, Jose Theodore and Roberto Luongo combined to make 28 saves and lead the East to victory.