MESSIER OLD BEAST OF THE EAST 43-YEAR-OLD STELLAR IN GAME MORE MEANINGFUL BY LABOR ISSUE EAST 6, WEST 4.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

ST. PAUL, Minn. - If the NHL is going to shut down after this season, at least the fans got to see Mark Messier so clearly in the twilight.

The 43-year-old sparkled in his 15th and probably final All-Star Game on Sunday, recording a goal and an assist in a relatively low-scoring, low-energy game won 6-4 by the Eastern Conference at Xcel Energy Center.

Messier, still the New York Rangers' top center after all these years, did not win Most Valuable Player honors. That went to Colorado's Joe Sakic, who scored three goals for the losing Western Conference.

But to watch the game's oldest player skate with more passion than teammates half his age reminded the sellout crowd there is more to hockey than the looming labor battle that will threaten the league's future in September.

``I played a couple games with the Rangers the year they won the Cup (1994) and he was incredible then,'' said Mattias Norstrom, the Kings' lone All-Star representative. ``It's 10 years later and he is still the same, playing every shift like it is his last.''

Although Messier is best known for his six Stanley Cup titles with Edmonton and New York, Sunday's game marked the sixth time in 15 All-Star Games he has scored more than one point.

He assisted on the first goal of the game, by the New York Islanders' Adrian Aucoin at 5:44 of the first period. Messier then scored at 13:48 of the second, beginning a run of four consecutive goals that helped the East pull away.

Messier was surprised he was invited to the game. He was leading the Rangers in scoring for the first month of the season, but the club has had a dismal record and could miss the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year.

``I really didn't think I was in a position to be here at the start of the season,'' Messier said. ``It was a surprise to me to be selected. And I think that you have to play with pride as often and in as many games as you can. I've had a good year so far and this is a testimony to that.''

The East scored three of its four consecutive goals in the final 6:12 of the second period against Nashville goaltender Tomas Vokoun, who let in four of the 12 shots he faced in his All-Star debut.

Messier's goal, his sixth in an All-Star Game and his first since 1998, gave him 20 career points - breaking a tie with Gordie Howe for third place in All-Star history. During that stretch, Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson also scored the second of his two goals, on an assist from Toronto's Mats Sundin.

Part of the beauty of the NHL All-Star Game is the chance to see hated rivals play alongside each other for one night. Last month, Alfredsson caused great controversy by taunting Sundin for throwing a stick into the stands, an act that led to Sundin's suspension.

The same was true for Aucoin's goal. He plays for Messier's chief rival, the New York Islanders.

``But when you get a chance to play with a guy like Mark Messier, you never pass that up,'' Aucoin said.

When Atlanta's 20-year-old star, Ilya Kovalchuk, beat Minnesota goaltender and local favorite Dwayne Roloson just 4:03 into the third period, it gave the East a 6-3 lead.

Not that three goals is insurmountable in these affairs. Three years ago, the East defeated the West 14-12 in Denver.

But all the West could get was Sakic's third goal of the game as the East won for fifth time in the past six games under the conference format.

Winning and losing, however, is not the biggest deal in this game. And with the added shroud of labor unrest set for September, it was more an exercise in getting away from the constant reminder of impending doom.

``I brought my kids here because who knows when we will be here again,'' St. Louis forward Keith Tkachuk said. ``It isn't something you talk much about, but we all know it's there.''

Next year's All-Star Game is tentatively scheduled for Atlanta in February. Both sides are bracing for a shutdown that could last a year or more.

That's what made seeing Messier even more meaningful.

``It's always good to go out with a win, that's for sure,'' Messier said. ``You never know, it was a surprise for me to be here this year. You never know what tomorrow brings.''

Matt McHale, [phone]

matt.mchale(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Martin Brodeur of New Jersey dives to stop a shot for the East during the NHL All-Star Game.

Dave Sandford/Associated Press