The Toronto Maple Leafs celebrated the return to play of Auston Matthews, but it was Matthew Knies who stole the show with three magnificent goals in a 6-4 victory over the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.
The winger completed his first career hat trick, and it was quite one! The American found several original ways to score, each more elegant than the last.
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We also wonder how Knies managed to deflect Matthews’ throw behind his back for his first goal. Goalkeeper Jeremy Swayman saw nothing but fire.
A completely unexpected deviation from Knies –
The best was yet to come as the 22-year-old striker performed a little magic trick at the start of the third period. Coming up with speed, number 23 got around the Bruins defender before beating Swayman from behind with a blind low shot.
You have to see it to believe it!
Knies’ second… behind his back! –
Knies completed his hat-trick in more traditional fashion with a one-timer in the upper half. Note the beautiful lifted pass from Matthews to feed it as well as the quality of this throw.
Knies completes a magnificent hat trick! –
The trio of Matthews, Knies and Mitch Marner finished with 13 points, including five each for the bottom two.
It was a successful return to play for Matthews, who had aggravated a mysterious upper-body injury. He missed nine games in November before having to miss six more during the holiday season.
Four in a row for the Wings
In Winnipeg, the Detroit Red Wings won for the fourth time in a row by beating the Jets 4 to 2.
Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond took advantage of the crowd favorites’ indiscipline to quickly give the visitors an early lead. However, it was a success from Alex DeBrincat in the third period that proved to be the winning goal. Larkin completed the score into an empty net.
The Jets’ response came from the sticks of Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers.
This is the first time in 2024-25 that the Wings have recorded four consecutive victories. The Manitoba club, for its part, suffered a third defeat in a row.
Gustavsson closes the door
In Raleigh, Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson posted a shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Swede made 21 saves to sign his third shutout of the current campaign. It was also the ninth time in his career that he gave absolutely nothing to a rival in the Bettman circuit.
At the other end of the ice, Pyotr Kochetkov received 26 shots. He was thwarted by shots from Mats Zuccarello, Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy. The first on this list also hit the mark in a cage left abandoned in favor of a sixth skater.
