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Penguins rookie Avery Hayes joins elite company with two-goal first period performance vs. the Sabres
Photo credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Tonight, Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Avery Hayes made his NHL debut and joined elite company after an electric first period in which he scored two goals.
Earlier today, the Pittsburgh Penguins made the decision to call-up Avery Hayes from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the AHL giving him the potential opportunity to make his debut.
Just a few hours later, the Penguins confirmed that Hayes would be in the lineup replacing Rickard Rakell and Noel Acciari who are both dealing with various ailments.
With Hayes coming into the lineup, many expected him to have a quiet debut taking his time to make an impact.
That could not be farther from the reality of tonight’s game as Hayes has joined elite company with a fantastic performance already.
Avery Hayes joins elite company in NHL history with multi-goal debut
Hayes came out of the gate flying and firing pucks on net and was rewarded with a pair of goals tonight against the Sabres.
The first goal came on Hayes’ very first shot in the NHL.
His second, came just 9 minutes later giving the Penguins a 2-1 lead over the Sabres.
With the two goals, Hayes joins former Penguin Jake Guentzel and Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews as notable players to score two goals in the first period of their debut.
He also becomes the third player in Penguins’ franchise history to score multiple times in his debut joining Guentzel and Rob Brown.
The Penguins currently hold a 3-1 lead heading into the third period as Hayes looks to close out his dream come true debut and bury a third goal to complete the hat trick.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Penguins organization adds former Panthers free agent forward on new deal
Penguins organization adds former Panthers free agent forward on new deal
Previously on HockeyUnplugged
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 5|113 ANSWERS Penguins rookie Avery Hayes joins elite company with two-goal first period performance vs. the Sabres Should Avery Hayes get another game with the Penguins in the NHL after the Olympic break? | ||
| Yes | 107 | 94.7 % |
| No | 6 | 5.3 % |
| List of polls | ||