Clark knew goal record was in jeopardy in 2nd period of Matthews' 1st game
It didn't take long for Wendel Clark to realize the Toronto Maple Leafs record books were about to be rewritten.
Less than 40 minutes in hockey time, in fact.
Wendel Clark, on when he knew his #leafs rookie goal record was in danger: "The second period of the first game."
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 29, 2017
Auston Matthews, of course, scored four times in the first two periods of the team's season opener in Ottawa, not only becoming the first player to score four goals in his NHL debut, but kick-starting what's become a historic rookie season.
In Tuesday's win over the Panthers, Matthews broke Clark's rookie record for goals in a season with his 35th, and still has seven games left on the schedule in which to improve on that total.
Clark will always hold a special place in Leafs lore, but Toronto now belongs to a kid who learned how to play the game in Arizona.