Matthews vs. Laine: Best moments from the NHL's super rookies
Aside from putting up monster numbers in their debut NHL seasons, super rookies Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine have already graced us with a career’s worth of highlight reel plays.
Each has a chance to join Alex Ovechkin as the first rookies to hit the 40 goal-mark since 2005. The pair is also on pace to become the first teenage rookies to reach 40 tallies since Eric Lindros in 1992-93 and, as the two enter Tuesday’s matchup—their last head-to-head meeting of the regular season—they are tied for the rookie goal-scoring lead with 28 each.
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In anticipation of Matthews and Laine’s final matchup of their historic rookie seasons, here’s a look at some of the top moments from the pair so far:
Matthews’ historic debut
After notching his first NHL hat trick in his first career game, Matthews added one more for good measure to become the first player in league history to have a four-goal debut. His second of the game was an absolute gem, as Matthews danced through centre and lost the puck briefly, stole it back from all-world defenceman Erik Karlsson and finished with a short-side snipe on Craig Anderson.
Laine dominates first head-to-head showdown
Laine finished off his first career hat trick with the game-winning goal in Winnipeg’s 5-4 win against the Maple Leafs in October. The Maple Leafs led 4-0 in the second period when Laine’s outburst led the Jets’ comeback, as he buried the game-tying goal with 55 seconds left in regulation and then the OT winner— which came right after Matthews missed on a breakaway.
Matthews’ Centennial Classic game-winner
Playing in front of a packed house at BMO Field on New Year’s Day, the Maple Leafs blew a three-goal, third-period lead in the Centennial Classic, allowing the tying goal just before the end of regulation with the Matthews-centred line on the ice. The 19-year-old quickly made good in overtime by putting one past Red Wings goaltender Jared Coreau for his second goal in his first career outdoor game.
Laine’s hat trick of hat tricks
Since that game against the Leafs in Winnipeg more than four months ago, Laine has added two more hat tricks (both against the Dallas Stars) to become the first rookie with three hat tricks in a season since former Jet Teemu Selanne registered five tricks and Lindros three in 1992-93. With yet another monster performance, the 18-year-old became the first player in NHL history to register three hat tricks before his 19th birthday.
Matthews’ falling brilliance
The Maple Leafs freshman’s most recent display of brilliance came against Carolina on Feb. 19 as he got the insurance marker in a 4-0 Toronto win. As Matthews drove the net, Hurricanes forward Phil di Giuseppe draped himself all over the the 19-year-old, who put his strength and skill on display as he maintained just enough balance to slide the puck through Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward for goal No. 28 on the season.
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Laine’s gorgeous first NHL goal
During his first NHL game on Oct. 13 against Carolina, Laine set the tone and gave us a glimpse of what his first NHL season would look like. At just 18, Laine already has the strength and power to boast one of the best wrist shots in the world, and that was on full display in his debut as he set up at the top of the circle, cradled a pass and unleashed an absolute bullet of a wrister off the post and in.
Matthews’ assist-of-the-year candidate
As potent of a goal-scorer that Matthews has proven to be, he’s making it known that no one should sleep on his elite vision and playmaking abilities, either. In a Jan. 3 game against Washington, after taking a pass from Leo Komarov and dancing along the side boards, Matthews delivered an incredible spinning reverse feed to Komarov all alone in front.
