Islanders goalie Halak chosen for NHL All-Star game
New York Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak is heading to the NHL All-Star game for the first time.
Fresh off of getting the Islanders to first place in the Eastern Conference, Halak was chosen Thursday as an injury replacement for the game later this month. Halak and Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury were selected by the NHL to replace Nashville's Pekka Rinne and Detroit's Jimmy Howard.
''It's obviously a big honor to go to the All-Star game,'' Halak said. ''I'm really happy and I'm going to enjoy it. I have a good record as a goalie, but you need the five guys in front of you to do the job to or else I wouldn't be going there.''
Halak, 23-8 with a 2.22 goals-against average and four shutouts, joins Islanders captain John Tavares at the All-Star game, hosted by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Halak is the Islanders' first All-Star goalie since Rick DiPietro in the 2007-08 season.
