NHL Recap October 15, 2023 – MATTHEWS, BEDARD HIGHLIGHT FIVE-GAME MONDAY

The first-ever head-to-head matchup between Auston Matthews and Connor Bedard highlights a five-game Monday when the Maple Leafs welcome the Blackhawks to Scotiabank Arena.

MATTHEWS COULD COLLECT HAT TRICK OF HAT TRICKS TONIGHT

Auston Matthews can become the first player in NHL history to record a hat trick in three straight games (at any point) when he and the Maple Leafs welcome fellow No. 1 pick Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks for the first of 18 games slated for national telecasts this week. Matthews’ pursuit of history and Bedard’s first NHL game in Toronto will air on Sportsnet’s Monday Night Hockey and TVA Sports.

• Matthews, who shared with NHL.com how thrilled he is to be committed to the Maple Leafs for the next four years after inking an extension in the offseason, become the first player in franchise history to score seven or more goals over any three-game span since Rick Vaive in 1986-87 (7 in 3 GP from Feb. 28 to March 5, 1987).
• Bedard can become the eighth player in NHL history to record a point in each of his first four or more career games at age 18 or younger. His career-opening tour will hit five cities – and include an estimated 3,700 miles travelled (~6,000 km) – before he makes his home debut Saturday against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights.
• Matthews and Bedard both expressed a mutual respect for each other’s shot ahead of their first head-to-head showdown. Click here to read more.

Wednesday, Oct. 18: Penguins at Red Wings (TNT, MAX, TVAS)

• After scoring five times in the third period for a comeback win on Hockey Night in Canada, Erik Karlsson and the Penguins will head to Detroit to face Moritz Seider and the Red Wings, who won their home opener Saturday. Seider (Zell, Germany) enters the week with 13-81—94 in 166 career games and is likely to become the third-fastest active European defenseman to reach the 100-point milestone – he would slot in behind John Klingberg (145 GP) and Karlsson (168 GP), ahead of Rasmus Dahlin (180 GP).

Thursday, Oct. 19: Blackhawks at Avalanche (ESPN, SN1, SNP, SNW, TVAS)

• Bedard will face yet another fellow No. 1 pick as the Blackhawks close their five-game road trip with a fifth consecutive national telecast, this time against Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche. On Oct. 10, Bedard became the youngest player to record a point in his NHL debut since 2013-14 when MacKinnon (Oct. 2) and Aleksander Barkov (Oct. 3) each did so on consecutive days at age 18 years, 31 days. On Oct. 14, Bedard became the first No. 1 pick since MacKinnon (3 GP in 2013-14) to record a point in each of his first three NHL games – a streak he can extend before they meet for the first time.

Saturday, Oct. 21: Maple Leafs at Lightning (CBC, SNO, SNW, NHLN)

• After clashing in consecutive First Round playoff matchups, the Maple Leafs and Lightning highlight a four-game Hockey Night in Canada slate with their first meeting of 2023-24. Mitchell Marner led all players with 19 points over the two playoff series (4-15—19 in 13 GP), the same point total he has in his regular-season career against the club (6-13—19 in 20 GP). Steven Stamkos has 22-39—61 in 48 career regular-season games against his hometown club, the most points by any Lightning player against the Maple Leafs and tied with Vincent Lecavalier for the most goals.

DUCKS, SENATORS EARN WIN ON SUNDAY’S SLATE
Both hometown crowds were given plenty to cheer about as the Ducks and Senators collected wins on a two-game Sunday.

DUCKS FLY PAST HURRICANES IN HOME OPENER
Frank Vatrano netted a hat trick while 19-year-old defenseman Pavel Mintyukov scored his first NHL goal to help the Ducks skate to victory in their first game at Honda Center this season. Anaheim claimed its eighth straight win in home openers dating to 2016-17, tied with Toronto and Boston for the longest active run in the NHL.

• Vatrano scored his fourth career hat trick – and second in the past nine months since joining Anaheim in 2022-23 – to become the first player in franchise history to post a three-goal performance in a home opener.
• Mintyukov (19 years, 324 days) scored his first NHL goal after making his debut Saturday. Only four Ducks defensemen have scored their first career goal at a younger age: Oleg Tverdovsky (18 years, 259 days), Cam Fowler (18 years, 316 days), Jamie Drysdale (18 years, 344 days) and Hampus Lindholm (19 years, 290 days). Mintyukov, the Ducks first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft (10th overall), tallied 24-64—88 (69 GP) in the Ontario Hockey League last season and won the Most Outstanding Defenseman award after finishing with the most assists and points among blueliners.

TKACHUK POTS TWO GOALS FOR SECOND TIME IN AS MANY DAYS

Brady Tkachuk (2-1—3) followed up his multi-goal performance in his club’s home opener Saturday with another two goals Sunday, spoiling Matt Tomkins’ NHL debut with the Lightning, which came 11 years after being selected by the Blackhawks in the seventh round of the 2012 NHL Draft (199th overall). Tkachuk has the opportunity to match the franchise record for longest multi-goal streak Wednesday – Dany Heatley (3 GP in 2007-08) currently holds the mark.

Matthews, Pettersson and Malkin Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson and Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending October. 15, 2023.

FIRST STAR – AUSTON MATTHEWS, C, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Matthews (6-0—6 in 2 GP) became the fifth player in NHL history – and just the second since the League’s inaugural campaign (1917-18) – to record a hat trick in each of his first two games of a season, scoring three times in both a 6-5 shootout victory against the Montreal Canadiens Oct. 11 and a 7-4 win over the Minnesota Wild Oct. 14. Matthews began 2023-24 (Oct. 11 vs. MTL) by becoming the 10th-fastest player in NHL history to reach the 300-goal milestone (482 GP) while also becoming the fourth player to register a hat trick in multiple season-opening games, following his four-goal League debut in 2016‑17. He followed that up with his ninth career hat trick (Oct. 14 vs. MIN) to move into a tie with Reg Noble for the fifth-most in Maple Leafs history. The 26-year-old Matthews, a two-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner (2021-22 and 2020-21), has scored a League-high 305 career goals since entering the NHL after being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 2016 (305-243—548 in 483 GP).

SECOND STAR – ELIAS PETTERSSON, C, VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Pettersson compiled 1-5—6 in two contests to power the Canucks to a season-opening home-and-home sweep of the Edmonton Oilers. Pettersson (1-3—4) was one of three Vancouver players to record a four-point performance in the team’s season-opening 8-1 triumph Oct. 11 (also Brock Boeser: 4-0—4 and J.T. Miller: 1-3—4). The Canucks became the fourth team in NHL history – and first since the 1991-92 Calgary Flames – to have three players each register four-plus points in their season opener (also 1990-91 PIT and 1965-66 MTL). Pettersson added two more assists in a 4-3 win Oct. 14, making him the second player in franchise history with six-plus points through his first two games of a campaign (also Andre Boudrias: 1-5—6 in 1973-74). The 24-year-old Pettersson, who posted career highs in goals (39), assists (63) and points (102) in 2022-23, tops Vancouver in goals (137) and points (329) since his debut NHL season in 2018-19 (327 GP).

THIRD STAR – EVGENI MALKIN, C, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Malkin collected 2-4—6 in three appearances to lift the Penguins to a pair of opening-week victories. Malkin was held off the scoresheet in a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks Oct. 10, but rebounded with 1-3—4 – his 29th career four-point outing and first since Jan. 10, 2023 vs. VAN (2-2—4) – in a 4-0 win versus the Washington Capitals Oct. 13. He then notched his second straight multi-point performance with 1-1—2, including the primary helper on Pittsburgh’s go-ahead goal, in a 5-2 triumph against the Calgary Flames Oct. 14. The 37-year-old Malkin, the No. 2 overall pick from the 2004 NHL Draft, ranks third in the League in assists (762) and fourth in both goals (473) and points (1,235) since entering the NHL in 2006-07 (1,066 GP).