Rookie Derek Stepan scores a hat trick in NHL debut
A rookie really couldn’t ask for a better start than Stepan’s NHL debut. Stepan has become only the fourth player ever to score a hat trick in his NHL debut and the only one in 85 years history of the New York Rangers history to accomplish the feat.
Alex Smart in 1943, Réal Cloutier in 1979 and Fabian Brunnstrom in 2008 are the only other players to have scored a hat trick in their NHL debuts.
After the game Stepan said that he wasn’t even aware that he set a record for the Rangers. “To me, it was just getting my feet wet in my first N.H.L. game”, Stepan said. “It was a fun process. It was nerve-racking too, a little bit. But I settled in and
played pretty well”. The rookie had always been impressive but Saturday’s performance would keep his doubters at bay for some time to come.
Before the game the Rangers coach John Tortorella was asked if in his opinion Stepan would be able to handle the pressure of playing in the NHL for the first time. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem, because I think he embraces all of his challenges
and looks at it as an opportunity”, Tortorella answered and went on to say that he believed Stepan would prove to be a good player for New York. The Coach proved to be spot on in his assessment.
The coach wasn’t fixated on just three goals. He was impressed with the way Stepan played the game. “It’s good to see from a 20-year-old”, Tortorella said. New York fans were certainly treated to some good things but the rookie tried to be humble about his
exceptional performance. “I guess for me, it's just one of those things where you kind of go, 'I guess I got lucky”.
Truth be told, there indeed was just a slight element of luck involved in Stepan’s opening day goals. He positioned himself at the right place at the right time to receive the puck.
The first goal of the night for Stepan came off assists from Girardi and Avery in the 10th minute of the first period. Girardi shot the puck at Avery, who directed it at the net. Stepan was standing right next to the net on the right side and
deflected the puck into the net to score his first ever NHL goal.
Initially Avery thought that his was the last stick the puck touched before it went into the net. “Then Step came in the pile and whispered to me”, Avery said. “He was like, kind of afraid to tell me that it hit the defenseman’s stick. I said as long as
I get the assist, you can have the goal”.
For his second goal Stepan was hugging the net again, staying outside of the action mostly and waiting for the puck. The Sabres had cleared the puck from behind the net but the Puck landed with Defenseman Marc Staal, who shot it at the net. Stepan picked
it up there and with a wrist shot, beat the goaltender for his second goal.
“He is always in the right place”, Avery said but made sure to add that it was not mere coincidence. “He’s got good conditioning, and he sees the ice well. It’s funny because he’s not the fastest guy in the world. He’s just deceptive and makes good plays
with the puck”.
Stepan wasn’t done yet though. He would score once more in the 14th minute of the 3rd period. The Rangers and the Sabres fought for the puck at the net. It was again the Girardi and Avery combination that set up Stepan for the goal.
Avery shot the puck behind the net and Girardi followed. From behind the net he shot the puck up the ice at an incoming Stepan who put it past the Sabres’ goaltender to score his third goal.
Stepan has already left a deep impression on his fellow teammates and the fans are catching on quickly. Rangers centre Brandon Dubinsky was certainly impressed and acknowledged that Stepan had been awesome on Saturday night. “He’s a big part of the team
and he’s really going to help us this year. The best thing about him is that he is confident, but he stays with that even keel”.
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