WINNIPEG, Manitoba
Rookie Patrik Laine got the last laugh in his anticipated showdown with Auston Matthews, then cracked a joke or two after.
Laine completed a hat trick 2:40 into overtime, helping the Winnipeg Jets overcome a four-goal deficit to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 on Wednesday night.
Laine got the better of his first head-to-head matchup against fellow rookie Matthews, tying the game with 55 seconds left in the third before winning it in overtime. The confident Finn went second overall in the 2016 draft behind Matthews, despite Laine’s public insistence he should have gone first.
“I think it was just a normal regular season game,” Laine said with a chuckle.
Laine got his third goal with a wrist shot on a 2-on-1 rush. He swooped behind the net with his arms raised after scoring, and his teammates hopped on the ice to celebrate while hats poured down from the stands.
Laine has four goals on the season, tying Matthews and three others for the NHL lead.
Fans chanted “Laine better” during the game, music to the rookie’s young ears.
“Yeah, I heard something and that sounds pretty good,” Laine said. “That’s their opinion and I’m not going to say anything about that.”
Red Wings 2, Rangers 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Howard’s coach couldn’t stop raving about the goaltender’s performance.
“Jimmy stole the game,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said of Howard, whose 32- save effort led the Red Wings to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night. “Jimmy had one of the best performances I’ve seen out of any goalie at any level.”
After beginning the season with two straight losses, the Red Wings have won consecutive games.
Thomas Vanek and Drew Miller scored for Detroit, which improved to 2-2-0, and it has Howard to thank for their latest win as New York had the better of play for wide stretches. The Rangers outshot Detroit 33-18 and Howard was forced into making highlight reel stops to keep the Red Wings in the game.
“We can’t play like this if we want to win,” Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg said. “We found a way to win.”
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