On Tuesday, Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine capped his first hat trick with his new team, netting three goals in a blowout win against the Buffalo Sabres.
All three lamp lighters came courtesy of the 26-year-old’s signature one-timer on the power play.
But while the Finnish sniper’s electric performance had Bell Centre patrons roaring on their feet, Laine, who now has 11 career hat tricks, thought he could have played a better game.
“I think overall, at least for myself, it was kind of an average game,” he told reporters after the third period wrapped. “If you take away the goals, I’ve had a million times better games than that and had zero goals.”
The winger, who has seven points in seven games this season, even went so far as to call the performance “average.”
“On the power play, it went in. Outside of that, I would call it a pretty average performance for myself today.”
If that’s what average looks like, Canadiens fans, who have been without an 80-point scorer since Alex Kovalev’s departure, will take it any day of the week.
After the game, Laine received some playful ribbing from teammate Juraj Slafkovsky, who couldn’t resist comparing it to his own hat trick at the Bell Centre.
“I still think my hat trick [last year at the Bell Centre] was a little bit louder,” Slafkovsky joked during an interview with TSN. “No, but it’s probably one of the best feelings ever. Today, I had goosebumps all over my body hearing that. I’m so happy for him.”
Looking to build on the momentum of their latest win, the Canadiens will play back-to-back games against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday and Saturday. They’ll then face the Columbus Blue Jackets — Laine’s former team — on Monday before taking a well-deserved break for the holidays.