An AHL Mystery...Where's Mancari?

WORCESTER, Mass. --All-Star events are supposed to be without intrigue or even any hint of a subplot.
Such was not the case, however, Sunday, during the AHL All-Stars Skills Competition at the DCU Center.
Pirates’ right wing Mark Mancari, the defending champion in the Hardest Shot event, was on hand as Portland’s lone representative in the Competition, which was won by Team PlanetUSA, 18-12 win over Team Canada.
But he was not among the eight snipers who answered the “cannon” call for the event in which he set the record last year by launching a 102.8 m.p.h. missile.
When asked about it in the Team Canada dressing room, Mancari seemed at a loss for an answer.
“I think it was just one of those years,” he said. “(They) just went for a change. I don’t know, it’s just something that happens. I’m not upset about it, so it was fine.”
When pressed a little harder, Mancari, indicated that he hadn’t been approached about participating.
“It was about sticks,” he said, coyly. “It just didn’t work out.”
Instead, Mancari handed his crown to Worcester’s Derek Joslin, who delighted his hometown crowd by registering “only” 98.6 m.p.h. on the radar gun with his first of two attempts.
“I just tried to skate hard to the puck,” said Joslin, “and make contact.”
Joslin, however, fanned on his second, and registered just 48.9 m.p.h.
“I tried to shoot too hard,” he said. “I was trying to get to triple digits. But it happens. I’m glad I got the first one up there.”
Jared Ross of the Philadelphia Phantoms, and Manitoba Moose goaltender Cory Schneider led the way for PlanetUSA, which captured six of the eight events.
Ross won the Fastest Skater event, circling the rink in a time of :14.187.
“I didn’t really think about it,” said Ross, about his preparation for the event. “When you think about it, that’s when you get in trouble. I was a little nervous about falling. The key is just watching those corners.”
Schneider won the Top Goaltender Award by stopping 18 of 19 shots, a new Skills Competition record.
“It’s exciting,” said Schneider. “It’s a fun event for the fans, so you don’t get too nervous. You just go out, react to the puck, and have fun.”
The puck control relay was settled for Team PlanetUSA by Worcester’s Ryan Vesce in a head to head race with Joslin.
Vesce beat his Sharks’ teammate by a stride.
Other wins by Team PlanetUSA came in the Rapid Fire, Pass and Score, and Accuracy Shooting events.
Milwaukee Admirals forward Mike Santorelli of Vancouver, B.C., became just the third shooter in the history of the accuracy event to hit all four targets with just four shots.
Team Canada’s other win came in the Breakaway Relay, which they won 5-2.