Dan Boyle Took In The Entire Weekend by Staff NHL.COM / San Jose Sharks

His team couldn’t pull of the All-Star victory, but Sharks blueliner Dan Boyle enjoyed the game nonetheless. As usual, while there was no major body checking, the game ramped up a bit when it was close in the third.





“It’s all fun and games until the last five or six minutes,” Boyle said. “We turned it up. It was a one goal game and it was a good ending.”



There were actually a few real hits in the contest, but not at the regular season level.



“There were a couple of hits, a couple of sneaky hits,” Boyle said. “I remember hitting Kessel late in the third, but you have to be careful out there.”



Even with a few incidents of contact, there is no doubt, an All-Star game is much easier on the body.



“That’s nice, very refreshing knowing you’re not going to get killed,” Boyle said of heading into the corners. “We go back to real life tomorrow at practice and I’ll get my head bashed in again.”



HELPING OUT

Being part of Team Staal, Boyle and his teammates felt what was more important than winning was getting the Carolina players on the scoreboard.



“Honestly, I think trying to set up Staal and Skinner, we almost overdid it the first two periods,” Boyle laughed. “I know one shift I looked for Skinner about five times. I didn’t look for anybody else. You look for the guys who play here to try and get the fans into it. That was a little different.”



Boyle clearly enjoyed the new format with the All-Stars divided by a draft, giving him the opportunity to see other skaters in a new light.



“You get a chance to play with different guys, if you play east against west, you might not have a chance to play with certain players,” Boyle said. “Hopefully the fans like it. I certainly had fun and am looking forward to another one.”



2 22’s

When the jerseys were handed out, both Boyle and Daniel Sedin wore 22 and both were on Team Staal.



“I was surprised,” Boyle said. “I thought one of us would get a different number, which they have done in the past, but that’s fine. I think we would both rather see 22 on the back of our jerseys.”



Boyle ended up with his lone point during the late rally, which is almost shocking given his distribution talents during hard fought regular season and playoff contests.



“Tonight is kind of the way it’s been going all year,” Boyle said of the numerous chances. “I’m getting chances, but I can’t bury it. I’m not going to lose any sleep over (this game). There are tons of chances where a guy could have 8, 9, 10 points.”



OFF TO SAN JOSE

Both Boyle and Couture were flying back following the game and would be ready for practice on Monday to prep for the playoff push.



“I think practice tomorrow, it will be back to normal,” Boyle said.



AUTOGRAPHS

Gaining autographs is a ritual for most players after the contest and Boyle’s media session was interrupted by Alex Ovechkin asking for the blueliner’s penmanship. It’s not really Boyle’s hobby to get the memorabilia for himself.



“I’m not a big signed jersey kind of guy,” Boyle said. “I did buy about 10 jerseys and I’m giving them to my family and the kids. Even as a kid, I was never into signatures.”



TRAINER

Sharks Head Athletic Trainer Ray Tufts was on the bench helping with the players’ needs. Ironically he was given the team without Boyle.









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