Capitals defenseman John Carlson brought the heat in the Hardest Shot competition, taking the crown with a 102.8 mph blast.

Flyers mascot and viral sensation Gritty kicked things off Friday night with a spirited race against San Jose representative SJ Sharkie. 

You better believe Gritty came out on top. 

Up last in the Puck Control relay, Flames star Johnny Gaudreau had to top Patrick Kane to defend his title. Gaudreau was up to the task, putting together a near-flawless run in just over 27 seconds.

Prior to taking part in the Accuracy Shooting contest, Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews tore off his own jersey, revealing a custom Patrick Marleau get-up to honor his teammate in front of Marleau's former home crowd. 

With Nathan MacKinnon unable to go, the Avalanche star nominated Olympic gold medalist Kendall Coyne Schofield to take his spot. She absolutely nailed it, becoming the first woman to participate in the NHL Skills Competition and raced to a time of 14.526 seconds.

With the Skills Competition officially wrapped up, the All-Star game itself is on tap. Things get under way Saturday at 8:15 p.m. ET with the Central Division taking on the Pacific.