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Rookie Jiri Sekac robbed by Roberto Luongo (Video)

By Phil Watson

Jan 24, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Team Foligno forward Jiri Sekac (26) of the Montreal Canadiens competes in the fastest skater competition in the 2015 NHL All Star Game skills competition at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Team Foligno forward Jiri Sekac (26) of the Montreal Canadiens competes in the fastest skater competition in the 2015 NHL All Star Game skills competition at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports /
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For a guy who was a last-minute replacement for the NHL Skills Competition, Montreal Canadiens rookie Jiri Sekac made a fine accounting for himself.

Jiri Sekac of the Montreal Canadiens only made it to the NHL Skills Competition as a replacement for an injured player.

But once he got there as one of the six rookies invited to compete in the event on the eve of the 2015 NHL All-Star Game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, the 22-year-old left wing from the Czech Republic made sure to look like he belonged.

Sekac was named to replace injured defenseman Tanner Pearson of the Los Angeles Kings and beat Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers in the Fastest Skater competition 13.673 seconds to 14.048 seconds.

He also performed the one-timer pass in Skills Challenge Relay for Team Foligno and capped his night with what looked like beauty of a goal in the Shootout competition, turning Roberto Luongo of the Panthers inside out.

But Luongo showed the savvy of a veteran by getting a pad on the shot to deny the kid a goal.

Team Foligno topped Team Toews in the overall competition, 25-19, after taking a 15-4 lead into the shootout.

Sekac won’t be on the ice on Sunday when the All-Stars take over, but he’s had a nice first season for the Canadiens thus far, scoring seven goals with 15 points in 38 games.

Sekac joined Montreal this season after scoring 11 goals and 28 points in 47 games for Prague Lev in the Kontinental Hockey league last season.

Luongo, however, proved the old adage true—age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill.

The 35-year-old Luongo is in his 15th season in the NHL and his second tour of duty with the Panthers, where he is 17-10-8 this season with a .923 save percentage and 2.32 goals-against average (in case no one in Florida noticed, which—based on attendance—they haven’t).

Luongo played for the Panthers from 2000-06 before he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks, but he returned to Florida via a trade in March.

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