Nathan MacKinnon scores highlight-reel goal in rout over Sea Dogs

The Halifax Mooseheads defeated the Saint John Sea Dogs 11-2 on Saturday. Both Sea Dogs goals were scored by Jonathan Huberdeau and that sort of sums up the way their season has gone so far for the 'Dogs. Along with being named the first star by Buzzing the Net last night, top NHL draft prospect Nathan MacKinnon also scored a hat trick, including this beauty of a shorthanded goal at 8:42 into the first period to make the game 3-0:

This is a video courtesy 7johnmoore on Youtube. The play begins 18 seconds in.

It's a very explosive play by MacKinnon. Konrad Abeltshauser tries to clear the puck, but it hits Huberdeau and MacKinnon pounces on it. From there, he's on a one-on-one with Olivier Leblanc, a 1996-born defenceman taken by the Sea Dogs in the first round of the QMJHL draft this summer.

What happens when a rookie defenceman goes head-to-head with one of the league's elite scorers?

Well, what happens above. MacKinnon fakes inside, goes outside, tangles up Leblanc and finds himself steaming in on goaltender Sébastien Auger. A subtle move and he goes forehand top shelf and the building explodes.

Auger would be pulled after the first period with Saint John down 4-0 and Alex Fournier would fare no better. The four-point night ties MacKinnon for sixth on the league's scoring list.

(s/t Willy Palov for linking the video.)