ATLANTA, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The National Hockey League announced Thursday the 2005 All-Star Game will be played in Atlanta Feb. 13.
After hosting the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2000 and the NBA extravaganza last year, Atlanta will now entertain the best the NHL has to offer for the first time.
The SuperSkills competition and YoungStars game will take place at the Philips Arena on Saturday, Feb. 12 and the 55th All-Star Game will be played the following day.
"This is an opportunity for us to showcase for our fans the best players in the world," said Atlanta Thrashers General Manager Don Waddell. "It really puts us in the spotlight."
The Thrashers began play in the NHL in 1999-00 but are not the first team to inhabit Atlanta. Before moving to Calgary for the 1980-81 season, the Flames spent their first eight seasons in Georgia.
This season's All-Star Weekend begins Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
