Slafkovsky's playoff hat trick
- What happened: Juraj Slafkovsky scored a hat trick and the overtime winner 1:22 into OT as Montreal beat Tampa Bay. - The key specific: Slafkovsky is 22 years old and was the No.1 pick in the 2022 draft. - Context/reaction: The performance handed Montreal a dramatic Game 1 upset and thrust Slafkovsky into playoff spotlight (espn.com).
Juraj Slafkovsky opened Montreal’s playoffs by scoring four times, including the winner 1:22 into overtime, in a 4-3 Game 1 win over Tampa Bay on April 19. (espn.com) All four of Slafkovsky’s goals came on the power play at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, and the overtime winner came after Lightning forward Jake Guentzel took a high-sticking penalty with 21 seconds left in regulation. (sports.yahoo.com) The 22-year-old left wing was the No. 1 pick in the 2022 National Hockey League draft, and this was his first career postseason hat trick. (nhl.com) Montreal entered the series as the younger team against a Tampa Bay core that has reached multiple Stanley Cup Finals in the past five years. Game 1 flipped home-ice advantage to the Canadiens. (cbc.ca) The result also fit the shape of Montreal’s season. The Canadiens clinched a playoff berth on April 5 with a 45-22-10 record, then drew Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference first round after the matchup was confirmed last week. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2) Slafkovsky’s night also landed in franchise history. NHL.com said he became the first Montreal player to score a playoff hat trick entirely on the power play. (nhl.com) After the game, Slafkovsky kept the reaction short. “It’s pretty nice. I like that feeling,” he said. (usnews.com) Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday night in Tampa, with Montreal now leading the best-of-seven series 1-0. (wusf.org)
