- Gavin McKenna scored his first NHL goal Tuesday against the Predators in his fourth career game
- The No. 1 pick also set up John Tavares earlier in the period for his first NHL point
- Read below to watch video of McKenna’s first goal and first point
Gavin McKenna is on the board.
The No. 1 overall pick scored his first NHL goal Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena, ripping a shot from the slot past Juuse Saros in the second period against the Nashville Predators. It came in his fourth career game.
Auston Matthews won a puck battle with Steven Stamkos along the boards and slid it to McKenna, who was all alone in the slot. He didn’t miss. The goal at 14:31 of the second cut Nashville’s lead to 4-3, and McKenna dropped to a knee to celebrate.
Watch McKenna’s first NHL goal:
Matthews and Jack Roslovic picked up the assists.
That wasn’t his only first of the night. With Toronto down 3-0 earlier in the second, McKenna set up John Tavares at 4:56 for his first career NHL point.
Here’s the Tavares goal that put McKenna on the scoresheet:
Getting here took a few games. McKenna went pointless through his first three, starting with a minus-2 night in a home opener the Canadiens spoiled. He managed one shot on goal in each of those games against Montreal, the Islanders and Ottawa.
The 18-year-old joked Tuesday morning that dealing with the Toronto media has been his “welcome to the NHL” moment. A two-point night should quiet some of that noise.
Toronto won the draft lottery to land McKenna after missing the playoffs last spring for the first time in a decade. He had 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games at Penn State last season, a year after putting up 129 points and winning a WHL title with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Toronto climbed out of a 3-0 hole and won it 5-4 in overtime when Matthews scored with 14 seconds left in the extra frame. He finished with a goal and three assists. Steven Stamkos scored twice for Nashville in the loss.
