USA rallies from four goals down, wins AHL All-Star Game

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- With the NHL on the verge of canceling its season, the AHL took the hockey stage Monday night with a minor-league All-Star Game.

Using players that likely would've been in the NHL if not for the season-long lockout, Planet USA rallied to beat the Canadian All-Stars 5-4 in a shootout.

Mikko Koivu of Houston worked a give-and-go with Edmonton's Tony Salmelainen and beat Manchester goalie Mathieu Garon to lift Planet USA into a 4-4 tie.

After falling behind 4-0 in the first period, Planet USA got three back in the second.

Hamilton's Tomas Plekanec, the game's most valuable player, got Planet USA on the board when he redirected a shot by Syracuse's Alexander Svitov past Joey MacDonald of Grand Rapids.

Antero Nittymaki of the Philadelphia Phantoms put up a scoreless second period for Planet USA.