NHL / ALL-STAR GAME NOTES : Youngster Plays Like a Veteran

Amid all the all-stars, there was only one rookie, Ottawa’s Alexei Yashin.

He is a 20-year-old Russian who is still learning English, and he is still a stranger in this crowd.

He is a good young player on a bad team and was selected to play in the NHL All-Star game only after the Senators’ lone all-star, Bob Kudelski, was traded to Florida.

But Yashin, the replacement, managed to belong, scoring two goals against the NHL’s best, including the game-winner in the Eastern Conference’s 9-8 victory Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

“I was very fortunate,” Yashin said through an interpreter. “My teammates were very generous and very friendly. I was glad I could help with two goals.”

Yashin, a center, was taken second overall in the 1992 draft but did not join the Senators until this season. His teammate, Alexandre Daigle, the No. 1 pick overall last June, was the preseason choice for league rookie of the year, but Yashin has overshadowed him.

At 6 feet 3 1/2 and 216 pounds, he will overshadow a lot of people. Yashin has 20 goals, tying him with Philadelphia’ Mikael Renberg for the rookie lead, and leads the Senators with 50 points, most in the NHL by any rookie.

“He’s certainly a talent,” said Eastern Conference teammate Mike Richter, who was voted MVP after Yashin’s second goal gave the East the victory. “I haven’t seen him play a lot, but geez, I watched him in practice, and when you watch somebody practice you see firsthand how a guy can play. This kid’s tall and strong and has a great shot.”

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The Kings’ Dave Taylor, making his fourth and probably last All-Star game appearance, recorded his first point with an assist on a goal by San Jose’s Sandis Ozolinsh in the second period.

Taylor, 38, was added to the Western Conference roster by Commissioner Gary Bettman as a designated veteran player. He played on a line with Vancouver’s Pavel Bure and Detroit’s Sergei Fedorov.

“It knocks a few years off your age, playing with those guys,” Taylor said. “It was a treat to play with them. The whole thing was a lot of fun.”

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In a game in which there were no penalties, Philadelphia’s Eric Lindros managed to emerge with a cut under his right eye that required stitches. Lindros, who was making his first All-Star game appearance, said he wasn’t sure how the cut happened. . . . Pittsburgh’s Jaromir Jagr did not play after pulling a groin muscle Friday. . . . Pierre Turgeon of the New York Islanders had a game-high four assists. . . . Former King Paul Coffey, now with Detroit and playing in his 12th All-Star game, scored his first All-Star goal.

Times staff writer Helene Elliott contributed to this story.