'Laine's better,' Jets fans chant as star rookie outshines Auston Matthews

Patrik Laine heard the chants from Jetsfans "who wouldn't?" and tried unsuccessfully to keep a pokerface when prodded by reporters about his success against Maple Leafssensation Auston Matthews.

His smile betrayed him.

Sitting at his locker after scoring the game-winning overtime goal to complete a hat trick in the Winnipeg Jets' 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, the 18-year-old Finnish hockey star had to lookdown and away from the cameras to release a pent up grin and chuckle.

"I think it was just a normalregular-season game," he said right before turning away.

It was a game that's been highly anticipated since Matthews was selected first overall in the NHL draft earlier this year andLainewas chosen second overall.

'He's a good player, so it's nice to play against him," Laine said. "People are comparing us to each other, I know that.But our team won."

Laine's OTwinner came right after Matthews was stopped on a breakawayby JetsgoalieMichael Hutchinson. Dustin Byfuglienpicked up the rebound and fed a streaking Laine, who ripped the puck pastToronto goalie Frederik Andersen.

"I decided to shoot and it just went right where I wanted. Amazing feeling,"Lainesaid. "It's always nice to score. It's the best thing in the world."

Long before that goal, even before Laine scored the game-tying goal with less than a minute to go in the game, Jets fans began chanting "Laine's better, Laine's better."

Matthews notched an assist in the game but was kept off the goal-scoring column of the stats sheet.

Asked if he heard the fans, Laine nodded.

"Yeah, who wouldn't hear them? It's just an amazing home crowd and they're supporting [us] all the time," he said, thanking the fans for sticking it out after the Jets were down 4-0 after aperiod and a half.

"It's just amazing to play here. It's good that they're going to support us no matter what."

'That sounds pretty good': Patrik Laine on Jets' fans chants

8 years ago

Duration 0:53

Jets' rookie Patrik Laine heard Jets fans loud and clear, cheering him on during a matchup with Toronto's rookie star Auston Matthews,

When Laine was pressed about whether he couldactually hear what fans were saying, heagain called on his poker face.

"Yeah, I heard something. That sounds pretty good," he said, but quickly added,"That's their opinion and I'm not going to say anything about that.

"The first two periods, I was not playing my game. I was, actually, pretty bad."

• 'Hat trick' Laine leads comeback over Matthews' Leafs
• Leafs sensation Matthews faces Jets' Laine for 1st time

The performance earned Laine first star of the game as well as the nickname Hattrick Laine in the media. Both he and Matthews who scored four times in his NHL debut now have four goals and one assist on the season.

Even some high-profile fans got into the action, tweeting their delight for Laine.

Laine is pleased with the result but knowsthings weren't looking good early on.

"Those first two periods we were playing so bad, I don't know why, including me.You shouldn't let the other guy score four goals and then start to play," he said.

"It was just amazing to help my team to win with those goals. It was just so cool."

He hopes the big takeaway from the game is that the Jets have proven themselves to be a team that can find a way towin "and that I can score those important goals."

"I think I showed something like that."

Asked if he and Matthewssaidanything to each other on the ice, Lainesaid no it was all business out there.

"I don't like to speak with the opponents. I'm going to focus on playing hockey."