The visiting Seattle Kraken and Toronto Maple Leafs have already been tricking and treating this week before their game on Thursday night.
Both teams have treated their fans to high-scoring victories sparked by hat tricks.
Centre John Tavares scored three goals – his 12th career regular-season hat trick – in Toronto’s 6-4 road victory over previously undefeated Winnipeg on Monday.
Defenceman Brandon Montour had his first career hat trick and added an assist in Seattle’s 8-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday in the opener of a five-game road trip.
“I think we came out hot,” Montour said. “Obviously, it’s nice to get one early, get a few early, and then I think we just kept rolling. I think the energy level was good.”
“As far as Brandon’s game, not only five-on-five but on the power play, came up big for us,” Kraken coach Dan Bylsma said. “The power play, it was really the first time where they kind of won us a game, they got three power-play goals, which was great. ‘Monty,’ he does it with a lot of flair, and that’s his personality and that’s what he brings to the room.”
Toronto also opened a 4-0 lead at Winnipeg after scoring twice in the first 3:25 of the second period. They withstood Winnipeg’s rally and Tavares clinched the result with his fifth goal of the season into an empty net.
Toronto coach Craig Berube reunited Tavares and William Nylander (one goal, two assists) and added Max Pacioretty (three assists to match a career best) to form a line that responded with nine combined points on Monday.
Berube noted that Nylander and Tavares have played well together in the past.
“With Pacioretty there, a big winger that could score, we are just trying to find a little bit more scoring in some other lines,” Berube said.
“[Pacioretty] did an amazing job working really hard, winning pucks back and making some really nice plays,” Nylander said. “We just meshed together off the hop, so it was nice.”
Tavares is on a five-game point streak (three goals, four assists).
“I just liked our pace with our feet, with the puck, without the puck and the way we moved the puck as well,” Tavares said. “The way we were able to use the open parts of the ice, get into the interior and make it difficult on their goalie. We drew some penalties early, so I just really liked the energy and pace of our game [Monday].”
Toronto is 5-1-0 against Seattle all-time.
