NHL podcast with Len Shapiro: Matthews picks up hat trick and 100th career goal in Leafs win; Skjei scores game winner for Canes; plus more NHL news

The Toronto Maple Leafs Austin Matthews (34) gets congratulated by his teammates in the third period. Matthews ended up scoring a hat trick against the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Wed Oct 11, 2023 (Canadian Press via AP photo)

On the NHL podcast with Len Shapiro:

#1 The Toronto Maple Leafs Austin Matthews scored a hat trick and had a quite a night and also scored his 300th career goal. Matthews got the tying goal and the Leafs later defeated the Montreal Canadiens in Toronto at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday.

#2 Defenseman Brady Skjei scored a goal and got an assist for the Carolina Hurricanes to come back on the Ottawa Senators at PNC Arena in Carolina on Wednesday for a 5-3 win. The Hurricanes got a goal each from Jordan Staal, Michael Bunting, Teuvo Teravainen, and Jacob Slavin.

#3 The Chicago Blackhawks Connor Bedard scored his first NHL goal in a loss to the Boston Bruins, The Bruins David Pastrnak scored two goals. It was the Bruins 100th season and they won their opener 3-1 at TD Waterhouse Garden in Boston.

#4 The Vegas Golden Knights Brett Howden was suspended for putting a head check to the head of the Seattle Kraken’s Brandon Tenev at T Mobile Center in Las Vegas. Howden rather than go low or below the shoulder for the check hit Tenev helmet to helmet which turned Tenev’s head and the NHL ruled it an illegal check. As a consequence Howden has been suspended for tonight’s game in San Jose and the next game on Sat 14th in Anaheim.

#5 In what many oddsmakers predict the San Jose Sharks will have a worse season this season than last year. The Sharks struggled all last season and that was with the help of former defenseman Erik Karlsson who is now with the Pittsburgh Penguins. This year they have to depend on a handful of veterans, Marc- Edouard Vlasic, Nico Sturm, Logan Couture, Ryan Carpenter, and Thomas Hertl as they open tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights in San Jose.

Join Len for the NHL podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com