Rick gets the start!

The announcement was not heralded with the distribution of a press release by the NHL this morning. In fact, it never was officially announced at all.

When Rick DiPietro met with dozens of reporters at his post-workout media scrum at Phillips Arena around noon, someone asked him if there was any word if he was starting.

"Yes," Rick said innocently. "The coaches just told me the first period was mine."

So Islanders fans, get to VERSUS right from the start on Sunday night.

Starting in goal for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team is Rick DiPietro of your New York Islanders.

VERSUS has plans to put a microphone on him, so it should be more entertaining than anything else on TV Sunday night.