Little-known Sabre crushing All-Star voting with help from homeland Latvia
The leading vote-getter after two weeks for the NHL All-Star Game isn't Sidney Crosby ... Steven Stamkos...Alex Ovechkin...or anyone on the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings.
Rather, it's Buffalo Sabres center Zemgus Girgensons, he of the seven goals and six assists for 13 points in 24 games.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound center ranks 63rd in goals, 196th in assists and 127th overal in points heading into play Tuesday.
Where the 20-year-old leads, however, is having fans in his native Latvia. And that accounts for the 150,000-vote lead he has over the better-known stars of the league.
"I just think it is kind of funny," Girgensons said Monday. "It's just the fans back home voting, nothing really."
Sabres coach Ted Nolan told Buffalohockeybeat.com that he understands the passion Latvians have for their hockey heroes.
Girgensons has 399,356 votes in the most recent tally. Crosby is second in the forward race at 218,672 as the fans vote for who will play in the annual classic Jan. 25 in Columbus.
Check out some of Girgensons' moves:
If you want to vote, click here.
