Toronto Maple Leafs: John Tavares hat trick leads win over Blackhawks

The Toronto Maple Leafs won a wild game over the Chicago Blackhawks. John Tavares’ first hat trick in Toronto highlighted the game of the year so far. 

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks are both Original Six teams. They’ve played each other 649 times before Oct. 7. Never have the two teams had such a dramatic matchup as the one they had on Sunday, which ended with the Leafs picking up a chaotic, drama-filled 7-6 win in overtime. John Tavares led the way with his first hat trick with the Leafs, the ninth one of his career.

For those who hate defense, this game couldn’t have been better. The Blackhawks started the game with the first two goals, coming from Jonathan Toews and Alex DeBrincat. Just like a friendly game of H.O.R.S.E., the Leafs matched the Hawks with two unanswered goals of their own in just under 35 seconds. Toronto got those goals from Kasperi Kapanen and Auston Matthews.

More from Toronto Maple Leafs

• Maple Leafs News: Sheldon Keefe gets a multi-year extension
• 3 players the Toronto Maple Leafs should trade away
• Maple Leafs News: Auston Matthews has an extension
• Maple Leafs: Five players to keep an eye on heading into the new season
• Shane Wright and two other NHL stars will break out in 2023-24

The second period was no different. Tavares picked up his first goal of the period at the 3:56 mark. Just under two minutes later, John Hayden tied the game at three. Later, Tavares scored his second of the night, this one coming on the power play.

In the third period, the Blackhawks started the scoring, tying the game with a goal from defenseman Brandon Manning, his first goal of the season. Just over nine minutes into the third period, Tavares completed his hat trick with his most impressive goal of the night.

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1049110712411283458

The best part is that wasn’t the wackiest sequence of the game. Chicago tied the game at five at the 18:36 mark thanks to a goal from Patrick Kane. Matthews followed with a goal of his own, after which he taunted the crowd by putting his hand to his ear. Kane scored with 29 seconds remaining to tie the game yet again and even did the same taunt his counterpart did.

Overtime was far less exciting, as Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly ended the game just 19 seconds into it. Matthews, Tavares, Rielly, Duncan Keith, and Henri Jokiharju each ended up with at least three points. Neither Garret Sparks nor Cam Ward stopped over 81 percent of the shots they saw.

It was an incredible night for Tavares. The Leafs have been extremely far from perfect so far this season. However, Tavares and Matthews prove why they’ll still be fine. The Leafs have enough skill to make up for their mistakes. Imagine how good they’ll be once they tighten things up. Just picture how great the Leafs will be once William Nylander signs his contract.

Tavares becomes the first player to get a hat trick within his first four games with a team since Matthews in 2016-17. Also, Tavares and Matthews and Toews and Kane are the first two pairs of teammates to pick up at least four goals in their first three games of the season since the 2009-10 season.