Leafs sensation Matthews faces Jets' Laine for 1st time
Toronto rookie squares off with man picked behind him
This is the first in our weekly series tracking the players who starred for Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey during the 2016-17 NHL season.
If you were curious about the start of the Auston Matthews era before this season, you're surely riveted now.
The No. 1 pick in this year's NHL draft grabbed the spotlight on opening night by becoming the first player in the NHL's modern era to score four goals in his big-league debut.
Though his Toronto Maple Leafs lost 5-4 to the Ottawa Senators and he was held pointless in a 4-1 victory against the Boston Bruins three nights later, Matthews was named the NHL's second star of the week.
Next up for the 19-year-old from Scottsdale, Ariz., is a head-to-head clash with No. 2 overall pick Patrik Laine and the Jets on Wednesday night in Winnipeg (8 p.m. ET).
Laine, who called Matthews's debut "quite awesome," got off to a nice start of his own last week, scoring a goal and assisting on another in the Jets' 5-4 overtime win over Carolina. In two games since then, the 18-year-old, who played for Finland at the World Cup, was held without a point as Winnipeg lost both.
Size and speed
While scoring four goals in his first game was something of a shocker, the fact that Matthews was able to step right into the NHL and make a sudden impact was not.
At 6-foot-3 and nearly 220 pounds, he has the size to compete against older, more experienced players. And he showed in his first two games that he has a dogged determination to win puck battles as well as the ability to make slick moves at top speed and in traffic.
After a year of pro hockey in Switzerland, Matthews made his mark at the IIHF World Championship last spring by scoring six goals and nine points for the United States. Then, after Sean Monahan withdrew from the World Cup of Hockey because of an injury, Matthews was added to Team North America. He went on to score two goals and assist on another for the 23-and-under squad, proving once again he could compete alongside the best in the world.
Though Canada won the event with its ruthlessly efficiency, Team North America — with Matthews, Connor McDavid and Johnny Gaudreau leading the way — played a far more creative and entertaining style. The darlings of the tournament won two of their three games, falling just short of a spot in the semifinals.
All-rookie line
Skating on an all-rookie line for the Leafs with wingers Zach Hyman and William Nylander, Matthews scored on his first shot at 8:21 of the first period in his NHL debut. Hyman is the grinder on the line while the speedy Nylander brings high-end skill that should work wonderfully with Matthews's equally deft ability.
Matthews's second goal brought fans out of their seats as he stripped Ottawa captain and 2015 Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson of the puck and cut harshly to the net, beating Senators goalie Craig Anderson with a seeing-eye shot from a sharp angle.
Matthews logged 16:51 of ice time on 25 shifts in his first game, with eight shots on goal and was plus-3. In his second game, against the Bruins, Matthews was solid despite being held scoreless in 16:51 of ice time.
Wednesday night's game against Laine and the Jets could be an opportunity to get back on the score sheet. Winnipeg has given up four goals in each of its three contests — only Columbus has surrendered more goals per game early in the season
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
