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Auston Matthews breaks NHL scoring record in debut, earns celebrity love

Greg Wyshynski
AP
AP

The hyperbole surrounding Toronto Maple Leafs rookie sensation Auston Matthews is going to be enoromous after his amazing debut on opening night. So let’s stick to the facts, as hyperbolic as they are:

On Wednesday night against the Ottawa Senators, Auston Matthews had the GREATEST DEBUT GAME IN NHL HISTORY.

Seriously.

Matthews scored four goals his first two periods of play, including a natural hat trick, as the Toronto Maple Leafs center rewrote the record book.

His three goals – on his first three shots! – tied three other players who posted hat tricks in their NHL debuts (since 1943-44, a.k.a. the “modern era). Derek Stepan of the New York Rangers (2010), Fabian Brunstrom of the Dallas Stars (2008, and wow whatever happened to that guy?) and Real Cloutier in 1979 for the Quebec Nordiques were the others.

Watch those goals here.

But at 19:57 of the second period, Matthews made history:

Thanks to a great feed from teammate William Nylander and some atrocious defense from the Ottawa Senators, Matthews became the first player in NHL history to score four goals in his debut game.

Wow.

And we’re not the only ones saying “wow.” NHL players and hockey-loving celebrities are, too:

And of course…

So say we all, Sheik.

Not bad for a kid from Scottsdale, Arizona, eh, Toronto?

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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