Kings and Ducks enjoy an All-Star game at home, or close to it

Many of the NHL’s 100 greatest players strode onto the ice, 42 of this year’s All Stars skated out and then only two introductions remained.

The Kings played host to NHL All-Star weekend, which left Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty at center stage.

“You know it was a lot of fun,” Doughty said Sunday of playing in his home arena. “The crowd was behind me and [Carter] the whole time, like they always are, but to have the fan on your side felt pretty special.”

Carter and Doughty helped the Pacific Division to the finals of the event’s three-on-three bracket, where they ultimately fell, 4-3, to the Metropolitan Division. They each collected one goal and two assists in a 10-3 semifinal win over the Central Division, and then each finished with one assist in the final. Doughty and Carter were loudly cheered whether they were winning or losing, scoring or just skating around.

“It was great,” Carter said. “Got a real nice ovation both days and it was good see the fans here have something like this and get out and see all of the talent in the league.”

It was also a backyard game for two members of the Ducks, as defenseman Cam Fowler and forward Ryan Kesler played with Carter and Doughty on the Pacific team.

“First ever,” Kesler said of being cheered in Staples Center. “First time for everything.”

Olympic opinions

It’s still unclear whether NHL players will participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, because the league and the International Olympic Committee haven’t agreed on financial and logistical terms. However, Fowler said Sunday that like many players, he wants to go.

“I would assume that most guys would want to play. The Olympics is the greatest sporting event in the world and not many people have the opportunity to say they participated in the Olympics,” Fowler said. “I think if you were to ask most guys they’d want to but at the end of the day there are a lot of other factors that come into play with management and the NHL. A lot of this stuff is out of our control but I think for the most part guys would love to go and represent their country.”

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand echoed Fowler’s thoughts.

“If we don’t go I’d be disappointed,” he said. “It’s supposed to be the best in the world playing there. Everyone wants to see the best against the best

Late-game change

Courtney Daniels of Simi Valley went to Staples Center expecting to do her usual job with the Kings Ice Crew and skate during timeouts. Instead, with 10 minutes’ notice, she was asked to sing the national anthem after a member of the group that was scheduled to perform fell ill and the group withdrew.

“It was a crazy moment. I can’t even fathom how honored I felt to have been asked to do that,” said Daniels, an aspiring actress and singer. “I’ve been singing and doing gigs but nothing on this scale at all.”

She said she had no warmup and no time to be nervous.

“Once Carly Rae Jepsen started singing [the Canadian anthem] it calmed me down,” Daniels said. “I stole her energy and just went out there, and when everyone was cheering that’s when I calmed down, knowing I had their support.”

She expects to be back with the Ice Crew on Wednesday, when the Kings play host to Colorado. But if anyone heard her excellent rendition of the anthem and calls her about a singing gig, she’d listen.

“I guess that’s the dream, that someone has something they want to offer,” she said. “But honestly, it was just an honor.”

Keepsakes

Taking souvenirs from the dressing room is usually discouraged. But no one stopped Phil Pritchard from leaving with Sidney Crosby’s helmet and Wayne Simmonds’ hockey pants because Pritchard, vice president and curator of the Hockey Hall of Fame, was collecting items from the game to display in Toronto.

“I’m still working on others,” said Pritchard, best known as the white-gloved man who brings the Stanley Cup out for presentation to the champion each spring.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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