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* Auston Matthews added two awards to his collection Tuesday, claiming the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award. It was the first time in 67 years that a Maple Leafs player received NHL MVP honors and first time ever that a Toronto player was named the League’s Most Outstanding Player.

* For the first time in 35 years, the winners of the Calder Trophy (Moritz Seider, 21), Hart Trophy (Matthews, 24), Norris Trophy (Cale Makar, 23), Ted Lindsay Award (Matthews, 24) and Vezina Trophy (Igor Shesterkin, 26) were all age 26 or younger.

* Andrei Vasilevskiy and Mikko Rantanen can join rare company as the Lightning and Avalanche clash in Game 4 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday, with the hosts hoping to pull even and the visitors vying for a 3-1 series lead.
 

MATTHEWS WINS HART MEMORIAL TROPHY AND TED LINDSAY AWARD
Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews took home the Hart Memorial Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL’s regular-season MVP, as voted by the PHWA and NHLPA, respectively.

* Matthews became the third player in franchise history to win the Hart Trophy and first in 67 years, following Ted Kennedy (1954-55) and Babe Pratt (1943-44). Matthews became the first Toronto player to take home the Ted Lindsay Award. He added to a trophy case that also includes consecutive Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy wins (2020-21 & 2021-22).

MAKAR NABS JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY AS LEAGUE’S TOP DEFENSEMAN

Taking a break from his record-setting playoff run, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar won the James Norris Memorial Trophy, presented annually “to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.” Makar became the first Norris Trophy winner in Avalanche/Nordiques history and adds the honor to his NHL Awards collection that already includes a Calder Memorial Trophy win in 2019-20.

SHESTERKIN SECURES FIRST CAREER VEZINA TROPHY WIN
Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin was the recipient of the Vezina Trophy, awarded “to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position,” as selected by NHL general managers. Shesterkin, a first-time finalist for the honor, became the third Rangers netminder to win the award under the current selection criteria (since 1981-82), joining Henrik Lundqvist (2011-12) and John Vanbiesbrouck (1985-86).

SEIDER CORRALS CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY AS NHL’S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider secured the Calder Memorial Trophy, given annually “to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition.” Seider became the sixth Calder Trophy winner in franchise history and first since goaltender Roger Crozier (1964-65) 57 years ago.

VASILEVSKIY, LIGHTNING LOOK TO EVEN STANLEY CUP FINAL AT 2-2

Andrei Vasilevskiy and Tampa Bay, which rebounded from a 7-0 loss in Game 2 with a 6-2 win Monday, will aim to pull even in the Stanley Cup Final before the series shifts back to Denver.

* Vasilevskiy vaulted the Lightning to victory in Game 3 via a 37-save effort and improved to 8-0 in his last eight appearances at AMALIE Arena (1.57 GAA, .951 SV%, 1 SO). He can become the fifth different goaltender in NHL history with a home winning streak of nine or more games in a playoff year – only Grant Fuhr (11 GP in 1988 & 10 GP in 1985, both w/ EDM), Marc-Andre Fleury (9 GP in 2008 w/ PIT), Mike Vernon (9 GP in 1997 w/ DET) and Bernie Parent (9 GP in 1974 w/ PHI) have done so.

* The Lightning, who suffered consecutive losses against the Rangers to open the Eastern Conference Final, can become the 17th team in League history to tie two series in one postseason after facing a multi-game deficit in each (a feat New York achieved earlier this year). Only three of the 16 previous clubs did so in both the Final and Conference Finals/Semifinals: the 1965 Black Hawks, 1962 Black Hawks and 1945 Red Wings.

* Tampa Bay can become the 14th team in NHL history to even a best-of-seven Final at 2-2 after losing the first two games. The Lightning would be the third defending champions to accomplish the feat, following the 1966 Canadiens and 1962 Black Hawks.

RANTANEN CAN REACH RAREFIED AIR AS AVALANCHE AIM TO AVOID ANOTHER LOSS
Mikko Rantanen and Colorado enter Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final looking to take a 3-1 series lead and avoid suffering consecutive losses for the first time this postseason.

* Rantanen (0-7—7 in 3 GP), who factored on both Avalanche goals Monday, has recorded multiple assists in each of the first three games against the Lightning. He can become the first player in NHL history with multiple assists in four straight games at any point in a Final and the second with multiple points, joining Yvan Cournoyer with the 1973 Canadiens (4-4—8 from Game 1-4). Of note, Wayne Gretzky had multiple assists in four straight Final games in 1988, with one of the four being the suspended contest on May 24 (which is not recognized within official streaks).

* Colorado can become the 37th team in NHL history with a 3-1 series lead in the Final, a feat that Tampa Bay achieved in each of the past two years. Only five of the 36 previous clubs did so against a defending champion: the 2000 Devils, 1984 Oilers, 1956 Canadiens, 1954 Red Wings and 1947 Maple Leafs.

QUICK CLICKS

* Call for Donations: Ukrainian Hockey Dream charity fund striving toward creating a road map for kids
* Auston Matthews becomes Maple Leafs’ first Hart Trophy winner in 67 years
* NHL announces 2021-22 First and Second All-Star Teams
* NHL announces 2021-22 All-Rookie Team
* Julien BriseBois, Chris Drury and Joe Sakic finalists for Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award


 

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